[Don V.]

I don't wish to offend anyone, but I'm always amazed by people that quote the Constitution, but really don't know anything about it. Obviously that's not everyone, but in my experience it's most people.

If you have never read the Federalist Papers, The Virginia Plan or The Ratification Debates, you really have no context to quote the Constitution from. "The right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed" is the end of a sentence that begins with, "A well regulated Militia being necessary."

Quoting the second amendment without reading or studying the context in which it was written, and how it fits in to the Bill of Rights is really doing yourself a disservice. Regardless of your position, this is where the knowledge is at to support and defend the position you take. A prime example, what did the "right of self preservation" mean at a time before there was such a thing a police force? This very thought was argued at that time. Besides, it's pretty good reading.