Date: 05-15-93  09:36
From: Mike Riddle
To:   John Hrusovszky
Subj: Strong Arm In Waco

Any careful study of the politics behind the second amendment, at
the time it was introduced, cannot come to any conclusion except
that the amendment explicity protects military weapons ownership by
the masses,as a check against the excesses of government shown by
the British colonial goverment and by the French Revolution.

The grammar and syntax of the late 1700s are somewhat foreign to our eye and
ear today.  You can't read one sentence and be sure of the context.  The
second clause is really completely independent of the first.  The amendment
says:
 
"The government may not:

      "1.  Infringe in any way upon the right of the People (FN1) to keep
           and bear arms.

           FN 1.  "The People" is a term of art.  See U.S. v. Verdugo-Urquidez,
           494 U.S. 259, 110 S.Ct. 1056, 108 L.Ed.2d 222, 58 U.S.L.W. 4263 
           (1990).  "Term "the people" refers to a class of persons who are 
           part of a national community or who have otherwise developed 
           sufficient connection with the United States to be considered part

           of community."  FREQ or download PEOPLE.ARC, 45K.

      "2.  Infringe upon the right of the People or the States to form a     
      militia."
           
There's a Congressional Joint Committee report, out of print, that's
available on many boards.  On the Inns of Court, it's 2DREPORT.ARJ, 186K, and
may be FREQ'd by points or downloaded by first-time callers.
