While sifting through a few blogs while taking a break, I came across an anonymous comment in a gun control article that I found to be very articulate and concise in regards to the Second Amendment and its intent. I wish I could take credit for it, but I guess this is the next best thing (to post it).
"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
The preface of the above is presumptive, not a qualifier.
The Second Amendment was not intended to authorize the Federal government to regulate militias; The Bill of Rights is a recitation of the rights of the people and the states, not the powers of the Federal government.
The term "well regulated" in the Second Amendment meant "well-manned and equipped" in 1791 as was determined in the 1939 lawsuit, United States v. Miller. It has nothing to do with the government regulating a militia. In fact the concept of government regulation as we understand it today did not exist at the time as there were no government agencies (which have become the fourth branch of the federal government).
The Second Amendment in modern grammar is read as; "A well-manned and equipped citizenry is necessary to the security of a free state, therefore the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
Jefferson said it best:
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."
-- Thomas Jefferson
The purpose of the 2nd Amendment is to afford the governed a means to forcefully oppose tyranny by the governing. It has nothing to do with hunting or sport shooting. It is the most important Amendment because without it the rest of the Constitution would simply become privileges that can be revoked at any time.
United States v. Miller also determined that the term "arms" refers to "ordinary military weapons". American citizens have the right to keep and bear, which means own and carry, any weapons that a soldier carries into battle. That includes past, present and future weapons.
A militia consisted of armed volunteers (distinguished from professional soldiers) willing to fight with their personal arms and not under government control. Further, the right is not limited to militias, which was defined by the co-author of the Second Amendment, George Mason as “the whole of the people.†The Militia Act of 1792 required all white males between 18 and 45 to own guns.
Fear the government that fears its' citizens. With guns we are citizens, without them we are subjects. When people fear their government, you have tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty.