Making headway, also can you share some links?

[Librarian]

Just adding a comment - I can't believe people (ConLaw teachers even!!!!) will sit there and defiantly ignore the SCOTUS' ruling as if it never happened. These words are pretty damn clear from the Heller decision:

It's totally childish to do that.

Oh, lots of folks like that exact quote, because they are unable to distinguish "purposes, such as" from "purpose, only".

Sad, really.

[Librarian]

Thanks for the links so far, I have mentioned Hellen vs D.C. in my paper so far, I am looking for more CJ oriented numbers. Such as the recent event where a criminal broke in and was shot in the arm, he was captured later and prosecuted.

Numbers like the above.

Such stats are a trap, and I'd skip them if I were you.

We do not evaluate the effectiveness of our police forces based on how many criminals they shoot, nor do we decide whether to arm those police or keep them armed based on that number. It's false reasoning to argue value of guns to non-police based on the reported use to defend against crime - that's nice, but not the point.

See also More Statistics, Less Persuasion: A Cultural Theory of Gun-Risk Perceptions downloadable here.

[stix213]

You could mention the importance of firearms and gun control to the founding of the country.

The Revolutionary war started with the British sending 700 troops to take munitions stored in Concord from the colonists by force. (a kind of gun control?) A group of American militia about 1/10th their size tried to stop them, and that exchange was the first shots fired in the war. The British were not stopped at that point, but later were forced to retreat when word of the battle spread and the Americans were able to get larger numbers together.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War#War_in_the_north.2C_1775.E2.80.931780

[AXI]

You could mention the importance of firearms and gun control to the founding of the country.

The Revolutionary war started with the British sending 700 troops to take munitions stored in Concord from the colonists by force. (a kind of gun control?) A group of American militia about 1/10th their size tried to stop them, and that exchange was the first shots fired in the war. The British were not stopped at that point, but later were forced to retreat when word of the battle spread and the Americans were able to get larger numbers together.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America...5.E2.80.931780

Added this. And many references so far from this post. I hope that I will have the opportunity to polish this for net-viewing.

[2Bear]

FWIW, here's the NRA's Cheat Sheet, um, er, Fact Sheet on 2A:

http://www.nraila.org/issues/factsheets/read.aspx?ID=177

This is such a rich topic, the 2A Wikipedia page has great leads in the history section:

During the 1760s pre-revolutionary period, the established colonial militia was composed of colonists, which included a number who were loyal to British imperial rule.

As defiance and opposition to the British rule developed <...> Patriots established independent colonial legislatures to create their own militias which excluded the Loyalists and then sought out to stock up independent armories for their militias. In response to this arms build up, the British Parliament established an embargo on firearms, parts and ammunition on the American colonies.[34]

British and Loyalist efforts to disarm the colonial Patriot militia armories in the early phases of the American Revolution resulted in the Patriot colonists protesting by citing the Declaration of Rights, Blackstone's summary of the Declaration of Rights, their own militia laws and common law rights to self-defense.[35]

While British policy in the early phases of the Revolution clearly aimed to prevent coordinated action by the Patriot militia, some have argued that there is no evidence that the British sought to restrict the traditional common law right of self-defense.[35]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

For the A+, (Winning!), include a quote from the 2a's author, James Madison:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/james_madison.html

A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained in arms, is the best most natural defense of a free country.
- James Madison

[nicki]

Show diversity.

Show that gun rights are not just a conservative issue.

Many of the "Civil Rights" era people armed themselves when promoting "Civil Rights" in the 60s because the local law enforcement was in bed with the KKK.

Bring up the "Deacons for Defense and Justice". These were Black Veterans in the south who provided security for the "Peaceful Civil Rights" movement.

Mention that MLK was denied a CCW permits in Alabama after his house was firebombed by the KKK.

Today, a modern eqivalent would be the "Pink Pistols". Yeah I am shamelessly self promoting.

Bottom line, armed self defense is actually the base to establish the "Common Defense".

Nicki

[Stonewalker]

I always like to point out that all civil rights in America find their roots in the constituti*on. A major shift in culture to provide for the rights of all people is wonderful, but meaningles*s if it is not bolted onto the constituti*on.

This is why keeping and bearing arms is as protected as the right to peaceably assemble or the right to free speech. If the 2nd amendment is ever repealed I will stop arguing that owning a gun is a civil right. Until then I will not weaken the other liberties my constituti*on guarantees me by weakening one amendment.

[2Bear]

<...> I will not weaken the other liberties my constituti*on guarantees me by weakening one amendment.

Reminds me of what's in my sig:

The RKBA must not “be singled out for special—and specially unfavorable—treatment,” McDonald, 130 S.Ct. at 3043

[AXI]

FWIW, here's the NRA's Cheat Sheet, um, er, Fact Sheet on 2A:

http://www.nraila.org/issues/factsheets/read.aspx?ID=177

This is such a rich topic, the 2A Wikipedia page has great leads in the history section:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

For the A+, (Winning!), include a quote from the 2a's author, James Madison:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/au...s_madison.html

Beat you to it, I added the "if men were angels" quote, but thanks for advising anyways. Madison is a great source.

[AXI]

Show that gun rights are not just a conservative issue.

Many of the "Civil Rights" era people armed themselves when promoting "Civil Rights" in the 60s because the local law enforcement was in bed with the KKK.

Bring up the "Deacons for Defense and Justice". These were Black Veterans in the south who provided security for the "Peaceful Civil Rights" movement.

Mention that MLK was denied a CCW permits in Alabama after his house was firebombed by the KKK.

Today, a modern eqivalent would be the "Pink Pistols". Yeah I am shamelessly self promoting.

Bottom line, armed self defense is actually the base to establish the "Common Defense".

Nicki

For this I mentioned that 40% of the electorate is Independent/non-partisan.

[2Bear]

Beat you to it, I added the "if men were angels" quote, but thanks for advising anyways. Madison is a great source.

Nish. "If Men Were Angels" for the win...

If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.

http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa51.htm