Most people do not know that there is a preamble to the Bill of Rights. Consider the portion of its text in red below.
The Preamble to The Bill of Rights
Congress of the United States
begun and held at the City of New-York, on Wednesday the fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine.
THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.
RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all, or any of which Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz.
ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.
The framers of the Constitution clearly understood that the states (the people), not a federal government were the basis of our Liberty. The Bill of Rights clarified and restricted the federal government for a simple reason: they knew that over time, a strong central government would abuse its powers. We are now living in this time.
The 2nd amendment is under attack by the federal government (and some state governments like New York) since this is the last impediment to replacing Liberty with tyranny. I want to point out the overlooked portion of this amendment (again in red text):
Amendment II of the Constitution of the United States
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.
The 2nd amendment’s purpose is clearly stated. It is necessary for the security of a free State, not a free country. It protects our security from the federal government. Who is now trying to take this right away? And why? And why now?
Was this protection from vain and aspiring men in our highest offices limited to the Bill of Rights? Let’s consider Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution:
Article IV, Section 4
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened), against domestic Violence.
The framers of the Constitution clearly wanted to ensure the rights of the individual states. Do you feel that you have a Republican form of government in your state? If you do, for how long?
David DeGerolamo
