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In reply to the discussion: "A well regulated militia" [View all]ZombieHorde
(29,047 posts)22. Oh shit, I made a mistake. I should have said working well.
http://constitution.org/cons/wellregu.htm
The following are taken from the Oxford English Dictionary, and bracket in time the writing of the 2nd amendment:
1709: "If a liberal Education has formed in us well-regulated Appetites and worthy Inclinations."
1714: "The practice of all well-regulated courts of justice in the world."
1812: "The equation of time ... is the adjustment of the difference of time as shown by a well-regulated clock and a true sun dial."
1848: "A remissness for which I am sure every well-regulated person will blame the Mayor."
1862: "It appeared to her well-regulated mind, like a clandestine proceeding."
1894: "The newspaper, a never wanting adjunct to every well-regulated American embryo city."
The phrase "well-regulated" was in common use long before 1789, and remained so for a century thereafter. It referred to the property of something being in proper working order. Something that was well-regulated was calibrated correctly, functioning as expected. Establishing government oversight of the people's arms was not only not the intent in using the phrase in the 2nd amendment, it was precisely to render the government powerless to do so that the founders wrote it.
The following are taken from the Oxford English Dictionary, and bracket in time the writing of the 2nd amendment:
1709: "If a liberal Education has formed in us well-regulated Appetites and worthy Inclinations."
1714: "The practice of all well-regulated courts of justice in the world."
1812: "The equation of time ... is the adjustment of the difference of time as shown by a well-regulated clock and a true sun dial."
1848: "A remissness for which I am sure every well-regulated person will blame the Mayor."
1862: "It appeared to her well-regulated mind, like a clandestine proceeding."
1894: "The newspaper, a never wanting adjunct to every well-regulated American embryo city."
The phrase "well-regulated" was in common use long before 1789, and remained so for a century thereafter. It referred to the property of something being in proper working order. Something that was well-regulated was calibrated correctly, functioning as expected. Establishing government oversight of the people's arms was not only not the intent in using the phrase in the 2nd amendment, it was precisely to render the government powerless to do so that the founders wrote it.
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In Teamerica today, "a well-regulated militia" means "any clown with a semi-automatic." nt
valerief
Dec 2012
#4
Unfortunately, there are two different meanings of that phrase from that time.
ZombieHorde
Dec 2012
#7
I have always understood it to be that: 1) a militia is essential, 2) a competent and
petronius
Dec 2012
#14
The well regulated militias are made up of people who have the right to bear arms
davidn3600
Dec 2012
#19
Well that militia isn't very well regulated when a member goes on a tear and kills 20 babies.
RomneyLies
Dec 2012
#26
the problem is, the NRA has the politicians so cowtowed they refuse to regulate even a little
RomneyLies
Dec 2012
#25