Interesting on colonial militia's REQUIRING firearm ownership

[calsdad]

Interesting article - points out that the colonial militias REQUIRED that all able bodied males between 16 and 60 own a firearm - quite a difference from today.

http://www.newswithviews.com/Vieira/edwin15.htm

The principle in operation was that the only truly free men are armed men, because an armed citizenry is necessary to maintain a free society. As the Second Amendment came to summarize the idea, "[a] well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed". A "free State" is one with "[a] well regulated Militia"; and "[a] well regulated Militia" is one composed of all "the people" actually exercising their "right * * * to keep and bear Arms", with no "infringe[ment]" by public officials. Arms in every citizen's personal possession are the precondition for freedom, freedom the hoped-for consequence of such possession (if the Militia do their part). And public officials can do nothing to interfere with such possession, being limited in their authority to ensuring that, through and in the Militia, everyone obtains and maintains private possession of firearms suitable for defending individual liberty and social order.

 

[FrugalFannie]

And the militia was not a paid military force. So those who claim the 2nd is only for the military is way off base.

 

[Wildweasel]

Our family had (turned it over to the local historical soc I think) the local records for the militia.
It recorded who showed up for drill (once a month at the town commons) whether they had Ball and powder and such. No Pay. that was never the point. just a civic duty.