ConstitutionCowboy
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Mirriam Webster: "bear arms" (under the heading of bear
Interesting. None of these definitions say to actually fight, kill, maim, destroy, engage in war, or whatever.
Collins English Dictionary: "bear arms"(under the heading of arms
Interesting. None of these definitions say to actually fight, kill, maim, destroy, engage in war, or whatever.
If these conscripts were ordered to bear arms against their country, why was it necessary for it to be mentioned that they "become the executioners of their friends and brethren" if it was understood that to bear arms meant to actually engage in war and use those arms? Simple answer: "bear arms" doesn't mean to actually use them. You bring them to bear, then you use them.
Again, we either have redundancy or "take up arms" and "slay men" don't mean the same thing.
Sorry, Ed. I'm not buying your bent interpretations, because there is this:
Hmm, that's curious. The printing press wasn't invented for over a hundred years. And the first Oxford English Dictionary didn't come to be until 1928. In my searching, I can't find where it says what you've posted here: "to serve as a soldier, do military service, fight," in any dictionary - least ways one easy to find on the Internet. When I google it, I do find that one line on Wikipedia, and I've found where it is referenced in DC v. Heller. And it seems that that is supposed to be some form of idiomatic definition of the phrase "bear arms". Maybe so. But when you take the ENTIRE phrase in the Second Amendment into context, it includes "Keep". There is no way you can make "keep" mean anything like going to war, fighting, to serve as a soldier, or do military service. The entire phrase taken into context negates any idiomatic definition of "bear arms" to mean, "to serve as a soldier, do military service, or fight".
When you take "keep" into account, you can both keep arms at home and keep arms with you - yes, Virginia, "bear arms".
Now I know right where you stand. It's not with the people, it's with folks like Justices Stevens, Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer.
Conversation terminated.
Woody
4 a. BEAR ARMS
1: to carry or possess arms
2: to serve as a soldier
2: to serve as a soldier
Interesting. None of these definitions say to actually fight, kill, maim, destroy, engage in war, or whatever.
Collins English Dictionary: "bear arms"(under the heading of arms
4.BEAR ARMS
5. IN OR UNDER ARMS armed and prepared for war
8. TAKE (UP) ARMS to prepare to fight
9. TO ARMS! arm yourselves!
a. to carry weapons
b. to serve in the armed forces
c. to have a coat of arms
b. to serve in the armed forces
c. to have a coat of arms
5. IN OR UNDER ARMS armed and prepared for war
8. TAKE (UP) ARMS to prepare to fight
9. TO ARMS! arm yourselves!
Interesting. None of these definitions say to actually fight, kill, maim, destroy, engage in war, or whatever.
American Declaration of Independence: "He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands."
If these conscripts were ordered to bear arms against their country, why was it necessary for it to be mentioned that they "become the executioners of their friends and brethren" if it was understood that to bear arms meant to actually engage in war and use those arms? Simple answer: "bear arms" doesn't mean to actually use them. You bring them to bear, then you use them.
A Dictionary of Christian Antiquities... Vol 2 (1880): "...in answering the question of Celsus why Christians do not bear arms and bring help to the emperor, admits the fact that they were unwilling to take up arms and slay men..."
Again, we either have redundancy or "take up arms" and "slay men" don't mean the same thing.
Sorry, Ed. I'm not buying your bent interpretations, because there is this:
Ed Ames said:Oxford English Dictionary: ""to serve as a soldier, do military service, fight," Circa 1330
Hmm, that's curious. The printing press wasn't invented for over a hundred years. And the first Oxford English Dictionary didn't come to be until 1928. In my searching, I can't find where it says what you've posted here: "to serve as a soldier, do military service, fight," in any dictionary - least ways one easy to find on the Internet. When I google it, I do find that one line on Wikipedia, and I've found where it is referenced in DC v. Heller. And it seems that that is supposed to be some form of idiomatic definition of the phrase "bear arms". Maybe so. But when you take the ENTIRE phrase in the Second Amendment into context, it includes "Keep". There is no way you can make "keep" mean anything like going to war, fighting, to serve as a soldier, or do military service. The entire phrase taken into context negates any idiomatic definition of "bear arms" to mean, "to serve as a soldier, do military service, or fight".
When you take "keep" into account, you can both keep arms at home and keep arms with you - yes, Virginia, "bear arms".
Now I know right where you stand. It's not with the people, it's with folks like Justices Stevens, Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer.
Conversation terminated.
Woody