They claim that “well regulated” doesn’t mean “well regulated”. They claim that it means “in good working order”.
I don’t know whether that’s really how the phrase was used at the time, but if they want to play that game… How was the term “arms” used at the time? Did it refer to weapons that can mow down an entire crowd in several minutes with one pull if the trigger?
Did it refer to weapons that can mow down an entire crowd in several minutes with one pull if the trigger?
At the time, a private citizen could own a cannon. And as was demonstrated when Napolean first took power, a cannon loaded with a canister shell could rip through an entire crowd of people.
Not only that, there were actually repeating rifles available during the American Revolution. The inventor even tried to sell them to the Continental Army, but they cost so much that the Continental Congress wasn’t interested.
Also, “arms” referring to “weapons” is a very old definition.
They claim that “well regulated” doesn’t mean “well regulated”. They claim that it means “in good working order”.
I don’t know whether that’s really how the phrase was used at the time, but if they want to play that game… How was the term “arms” used at the time? Did it refer to weapons that can mow down an entire crowd in several minutes with one pull if the trigger?
At the time, a private citizen could own a cannon. And as was demonstrated when Napolean first took power, a cannon loaded with a canister shell could rip through an entire crowd of people.
Not only that, there were actually repeating rifles available during the American Revolution. The inventor even tried to sell them to the Continental Army, but they cost so much that the Continental Congress wasn’t interested.
Also, “arms” referring to “weapons” is a very old definition.