On the recordApril 17, 2013
the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is not merely about hunting, recreational shooting, or marksmanship, nor is it discretionary. This is one of the provisions of the Bill of Rights that the Founding Framers of our Constitution were so passionate about that they made sure it was included in our Constitution as part of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. It is not a take-it-or-leave-it proposition. But its real significance is much greater. Indeed, the Second Amendment has long been viewed as a bulwark of individual liberty. It guarantees the most basic civil right in a free society, the right that allows responsible, patriotic, law- abiding citizens to defend themselves, to defend their families, and to defend their homes--all of this without having to rely on the government. It is no mystery to any of us that the Federal Government--or State or local governments, including law enforcement--is not omnipresent. There are many parts of our country where law enforcement is a long way away or simply unavailable. So the Second Amendment preserves the right of responsible, law-abiding citizens to be able to protect themselves, their families, and their homes without having to rely upon an omnipresent law enforcement presence. The Founding Fathers understood that the right of self-defense can become meaningless without the right to keep and bear arms.…
Source
govinfo.gov




