01-10-2016, 09:34 AM
(01-08-2016, 01:32 PM)kandrathe Wrote: I guess it is just the unique nature of our founding which placed high emphasis on the right of self defense. It was a consequence of our resistance to the Empire. Also, prior restrictions on commoners having been lifted, such as 1688 after the ouster of James II, “That the subjects which are Protestants may have arms for their defence suitable to their conditions and as allowed by law.” It became an important point for a newly pluralistic republic to establish power with the commoner. In keeping with the purpose of militia, perhaps the attitudes would change if as in the beginning, all able bodied citizens (age 18-65, men and women now) would periodically need to muster to the local regiment with cleaned and proper weapons to drill. In colonial times, failure to muster, or be present in good order would meet with punishments and fines.
Not to deny the importance of "resistance to [other peoples'] empire," but the early US was a society where a wealthy white elite ruled over a large, enslaved population of black workers, who were themselves notably denied the right to carry a weapon for self defense.
-Jester