Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
The founding fathers did not specifically include the right to own and ride a horse. It was something absolutely necessary for survival and was an assumed right.
The only "rights" you have are constitutional rights.
You guys both have it completely backwards. Unfortunately what you are saying has almost become true today, but the intent of the US constitution is that the government only exists to protect the inherent rights everyone has from their creator. It may list certain rights that it wishes to do so for specific reasons, but unlike most of the rest of the world's constitutions it is not a list of rights granted by the government. It specifically states that rights do not come from the government but instead are inherent and the government exists to protect them.
To think that the US constitution lists or grants rights has it completely backwards. It is assumed you have a right unless there is a compelling reason for the people to restrict it for a greater good.
And you both know exactly why the right to bear arms was specifically called out as a reminder. Note that it does not
give the right, it simply states that the already existing right shall not be infringed. The reason why this right was directly stated is not a mystery.
The "rights" listed in the constitution are all man-made laws. The word "right" is used through out the constitution. They are not chiseled in stone as the message to the world, and they are only man controlled.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_amendments_to_the_United_States_Constitution
Certain rights are considered inalienable and natural.
That means certain rights are not granted to us by other men nor should they require a document. They should be self evident.
When it comes to firearms, yes firearms are man made, but the concept of having the right to self defense is inalienable.
It is then up to us to decide what are reasonable ways to carry out self defense. That way nuclear weapons are prohibited, microwaves do not come in the picture, and guns go somewhere in between.
And of course things change over time. So laws need to be changed. For example, there were no nuclear weapons or microwaves when the constitution was written.
Jefferson wanted the constitution to be revisited every 20 years. He recognized that things change and also the older folk die off and the younger folk may see things differently.
Some states followed his lead on this enshrining the idea that their constitution should evolve with the times.