"Doug Winterburn" wrote in message
...
Aardvark wrote:

I think that many Americans misinterpret your Second Amendment to mean
something it wasn't intended to mean. Perhaps members of official
'militias' are allowed to keep and bear arms, but it's a bit of a stretch
to insist that this right should extend to every member of the
population.

I think it is you doing the "misinterpreting". George Mason was one of
our founding fathers and played a large part in writing our "Bill of
Rights", our first ten amendments to our Constitution. In fact, he is
known as the "Father of the Bill of Rights".

George Mason, 3 Elliot, Debates at 425-426

"I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for few
public officials."

Least we forget the US Supreme Court's ruling in Heller v District of
Columbia, decided June 26, 2008, which upheld the "standard interpretation"
of the Second Amendment as held by myriad Constitutional Scholars for many
years. In part:

Held:
1. The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm
unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally
lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.
(a) The Amendments prefatory clause announces a purpose, but does not limit
or expand the scope of the second part, the operative clause. The operative
clauses text and history demonstrate that it connotes an individual right
to keep and bear arms.

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07pdf/07-290.pdf

Seems there is a difference between the Citizens and Subjects involved in
this discussion. ;~)

John
....whom in a former life worked as an 18th century gunsmith, and in another
was involved in the gun regulation academic debate circles. ;~)