DC's reply to brief in response (Heller)

[Titan6]

The smoke screen that the dissenting judge threw up stating that DC was not a state and somehow the 2A did not apply to them was just that. In a way if the court ruled that true (a very unlikely ruling and one the district does not want) and validated the rest of the ruling that would be wonderful though... so long as you did not live in DC. Then again after having lived 1 mile from the DC border for five years I would say you need your head examined if you live there anyway.

 

[Noxx]

I would say you need your head examined if you live there anyway.

+1 to that.

Often when people from America ask me how I can stand to live in california, I reply "It's easy, I have friends who live in D.C."

 

[Hypnogator]

The smoke screen that the dissenting judge threw up stating that DC was not a state and somehow the 2A did not apply to them was just that.

Exactly. Moreover, we shouldn't get hung up in the definition of "state" as a state in the USA. The term "state" also refers to a nation, or political entity, and the framers used it in that sense. The true meaning of the Second Amendment, in context, is Because a well-organized militia is essential to the security of a free nation/people, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

 

[hugh damright]

The true meaning of the Second Amendment, in context, is Because a well-organized militia is essential to the security of a free nation/people ...

I do not believe that the US Constitution uses the word "State" to refer to the Union. The way I understand it, the US does not meet the definition of a "free State" ... a free State has a perfect/complete government while the US is limited to enumerated powers, and a free State has a popular government while US government has a federal foundation. In my view, the true meaning of the Second Amendment is that military rule is a threat to free government (at the State level), and one way to check this is by having (State) militia composed of the people, as opposed to a standing army (in times of peace).

I can see how someone might say that the Second Amendment's principle doesn't apply to DC because the people of DC have no right to secure free government and thus no need for their own militia. But I think it makes more sense to say that the Second Amendment applies to DC because it is a federal district and not a State.