The main issue that seems to be nonexistent in most Gun Control debates is the RIGHT to bear arms. It's not about the guns - it's about the rights. We value and whole heartedly support the 1st Amendment of our constitution, which is freedom of worship, speech, press, assembly, etc. As Americans we would never allow our 1st Amendment rights to be encroached upon. But, what about the 2nd Amendment - "A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed." Many people don=t see the correlation, but it was penned on the same paper as the other Amendments, shouldn=t it be equally esteemed and respected? When we hear statements like the one made by Michael Dukakis in 1986, while governor of Massachusetts, "I do not believe in people owning guns. Guns should be owned [or possessed] only [by the] police and military. I am going to do everything I can to disarm this state," it should immediately alarm us that our rights are being endangered. Please consider that the Aright to keep and bear arms@ is a constitutionally guaranteed right, a civil right that places an EXTRAORDINARY RESPONSIBILITY on the owner of the firearm.
Once we realize our right to bear arms we can better understand the fundamental reason for gun control laws. It is undeniably based on discrimination towards ANegroes.@ Prejudice Gun control laws precede the establishment of the United States. The first of such laws were designed to keep ANegroes@ from owning anything for protection. In 1620, Virginia passed a law Aprohibiting Negroes, slave and free, from carrying weapons including clubs.@ Some states laws prevented ownership of even as little as a single bullet (musket ball) or a guard dog. Free Blacks who had served honorably and with distinction in the Revolutionary War, could not, under a 1792 federal law, serve as part of the state militias.
