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Old October 6, 2009, 04:29 AM   #48
Hugh Damright
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 5, 2004
Posts: 611
Privileges and Rights

We say that the RKBA is not a privilege but a right, and then we turn around and say that the RKBA comes under the 14th's "privileges or immunities". It seems inconsistent to me.

I think one way to look at it is to question which aspects of the right to keep and bear arms should come under the privileges/immunities of US citizenship, and which aspects of the RKBA should come under the P&I of State citizenship. For instance, we might say that the right to keep a gun in the home should come under the P&I of US citizenship and exist throughout the Union, and we might say that the right to carry a concealed weapon should come under the P&I of State citizenship and vary from State to State. The point being that we would not be straining to make a distinction between rights and privileges.

It seems to me that the word "privileges" can mean "rights of citizenship". It is a privilege of citizens. They are the privileged class.
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