Progress on Guns nears

I can't tell you how happy I am that Bush won re-election. We are already seeing so much progress on so many issues. Now, Bush is laying the groundwork to correct the 65 yr old Supreme Court mistake on the 2nd amendment.

WSJ.com - Bush Lawyers Target Gun Control's Legal Rationale

Readying for a constitutional showdown over gun control, the Bush administration has issued a 109-page memorandum aiming to prove that the Second Amendment grants individuals nearly unrestricted access to firearms.

I have never really understood why Liberals hate guns, but that is another issue. Let me just mention a few things in support of my view.
From the same WSJ article:

The memo's authors, Justice Department lawyers Steven Bradbury, Howard Nielson Jr. and C. Kevin Marshall, dissect the amendment's language, arguing that under 18th century legal conventions, the clause concerning "a well-regulated militia" was "prefatory language" without binding force. "Thus, the amendment's declaratory preface could not overcome the unambiguously individual 'right of the people to keep and bear arms' conferred by the operative text," they write.

This is of course true. We should read it this way, "we have to keep an army for use against foreign enemies. This is dangerous to the freedom of private citizens. Therefore, we must also protect each citizens right to have and carry around with them firearms."

John Lott has done great work in his book More Guns, Less Crime. He makes the case that, well, more guns means less crime. There is some trouble with expanding the argument to a national level, but it is important work.

Along similar lines, Tech Central has an article discussing whether we can expect the police to actually protect us from crime. Of course, carrying your own gun can do just that.

I carried a gun for a while when I was hunting down deadbeat dads. When I had that thing on my belt, I would take extra care to avoid any situation which might call for its use (outside of my work, of course.) I mean, I would avoid walking down dark allies and such. Further, I was careful to keep out of arguments, especially on the road. On the other hand, I was aware of my responsibilities to use it if needed. I studied the law and tried to prepare myself mentally. What I am saying is that carrying a gun made me a better citizen. I am not alone in this:

A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.
--- Thomas Jefferson to Peter Carr, 1785. The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, (Memorial Edition) Lipscomb and Bergh, editors. [GunCite]

I am not sure how much and what kind of regulation we should put on the 2nd Amendment, but the argument must start at the beginning. Bush is seeking to do just that.

Update: speaking of regulation, check out this discussion. Stupid, selfish, small-mined people make everything more dificult, including the gun deabte. The mysterious Xrlq has it right, but follow his link to Connie Du Toit's take on the matter too.

[edited: Xrlq pronoun her to his.]