What does 'bear arms' mean to you?

[Denny347]

YouTube - Family Guy on Second Amendement

Haha, you beat me to it.

 

[Jerry]

We should also be considerate of the fact that ammunition is also included within "arms."

 

[kludge]

Straight from Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online

keep = to retain in one's possession or power
bear = to carry; to be equipped or furnished with
arms = a means (as a weapon) of offense or defense
infringed = to encroach upon

The right of The People to retain in their possession, carry, and be equipped with the weaponized means of offense and defense shall not be encroached upon.

I think I just found my new sign line.

edit - :bah: it's too long. >:|

 

[SavageEagle]

It means that everyone has the right, the duty, to carry a firearm, any firearm, openly or concealed, for the defense of themselves and the state.

And by God, if I can afford to buy an M1A1 Abrahms, or an Apache Attack Helicopter with Hellfire Missles, or a Howitzer with depleted uranium shells, by God, I have the right to own such instruments of war.

The 2A says "ARMS". It doesn't specify small or large.

Jesus, if we take it literally it means all we can have is our arms, but our hands might be in question!!!!!!!

 

[Turtle]

To "Bear arms" means to carry with one self. In example... I Bear my flag as I march. The man who bears the mark of the dragon. I have the right to bear arms!

 

[SavageEagle]

I'm a bear to wake up in the morning. Damn that guy looks like a BEAR! Oh, that's a WOMAN! AND SHE HAS KIDS! OMG SOMEBODY SLEPT WITH THAT WOOOMMMAAANNN?!?!! Oh that's just Aunt Betty!!!!!

 

[Ter]

To bear= to carry.

 

[jsharmon7]

surely you see the difference between a cannon and the aforementioned attack helicopter though. its not rights, its not responsibility, its capability. should someone be allowed to possess and handle something so destructive as modern howitzers? your neighbor has a bad day. loses his job. but hes still got his 155. now hes lobbing shells all over the place because he doesnt give a crap. nothing you can do except die if he picks your house as his first target. id prefer to limit what private citizens can own. i guess im left leaning when it comes to this...?

For all practical intents and purposes, I agree with you. I don't think we need to have such destructive capablity. The issue that I see though is the question of where to draw the line. If we say that we need to protect the right to bear arms, then it must be absolute or not at all. We become hypocritical when we say that we should be allowed to have rifles but the guy that wants a cannon shouldn't be allowed to have it. Again, I don't want my neighbor keeping a cannon in his mini-barn but if I concede that he has a right to a firearm then I also have to concede that he should also be allowed to have whatever other arms he wishes.

To the OP: I believe the term "bear arms" with respect to the Second amendment refers to our rights as citizens to carry (bear) personal defense weapons (arms) in our homes or on our person as we see fit.

 

[target64]

For me as a citizen, to have on my person or in my personal property any type of weapon or device that I choose to own.

 

[johnwaynes44]

I believe the right to keep and bear arms is about the balance of power. The use of the word Militia and security of a free state lead me to believe that our founding fathers did not want the government to big and so powerful that their might and influence is lopsided to that of the people it serves. Sure, muskets were the weapons of the day but the ratio of force is what the 2nd amendment addresses.

 

[cce1302]

keep: to own.
bear: to carry whatever weapon, wherever, and whenever.
It has always been legal to own cannons.

 

[SavageEagle]

keep: to own.
bear: to carry whatever weapon, wherever, and whenever.
It has always been legal to own cannons.

REALLY! I mean, WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO DO THIS??!?!?!?!?!

BTW< as per the Youtube description, this is the FIRST gun this kid has EVER shot...

YouTube - Sam shooting a 76mm cannon in Colorado on 7-14-07

 

[XMil]

I have no doubt that the FF meant military arms. Small arms, big arms, etc. They were also pretty clear about why.