Democracy: Majority or Minority?

[ncldwell]

Just some of my rambling thoughts....would like to hear what my fellow TGO brothers think...  As gun owner's we are currently living the "minority" side of democracy as our gun rights are under attack.  Our Constitution made up of original Bill of Rights was built to protect the foundation of this country in the event the "majority" in this country want to take things in a different direction.  In other words, majority DOES NOT rule when it comes to the constitutional foundation of America.  Minority rules based upon the Constitution in the case of the 2nd amendment.

 

We Americans have the longest standing Constitution in the history of the world.  Yes, we've continued to amend in the case of slavery (100 years) and (150 years) women's voting rights but changes are seldom.  The U.S. is a Constitutional Republic and not a democracy IMHO.  History proves that our Constitution holds us together as a nation but is under constant attack based upon the "majority" voting argument.

 

Our forefathers could not have anticipated every circumstance in post 2000 society so we now find ourselves in the minority trying to express our interpretation of our Countries founding cornerstones.  Even if you assume that our representatives will always carry out the will of the majority, doesn't the Constitution guarantee (theoretically) that the rights of the minority can't be taken away by the majority?  For the most part, history says we add rights not take them away.

 

Thoughts?

[runco]

Its all about States.  We do not live in a true democracy, only a republic.  I think in a State like Tennessee, the voting majority is pro gun, just my hope and belief. 

[Guest Hound]

All the guns in the world wont help us if they stop the ammo supply.  It says nothing in the constitution about ammo and that is where our next battle will be.

[Oh Shoot]

All the guns in the world wont help us if they stop the ammo supply.  It says nothing in the constitution about ammo and that is where our next battle will be.

 

 Merriam-Webster

 

arms (noun)
 

Weapons and ammunition; armaments.

 

 

And by the way, if everything were decided in this country by purely democratic rule, we'd have lost them long ago, along with all the other rights too.

 

- OS

Edited May 2, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Just some of my rambling thoughts....would like to hear what my fellow TGO brothers think...  As gun owner's we are currently living the "minority" side of democracy as our gun rights are under attack.  Our Constitution made up of original Bill of Rights was built to protect the foundation of this country in the event the "majority" in this country want to take things in a different direction.  In other words, majority DOES NOT rule when it comes to the constitutional foundation of America.  Minority rules based upon the Constitution in the case of the 2nd amendment.

 

We Americans have the longest standing Constitution in the history of the world.  Yes, we've continued to amend in the case of slavery (100 years) and (150 years) women's voting rights but changes are seldom.  The U.S. is a Constitutional Republic and not a democracy IMHO.  History proves that our Constitution holds us together as a nation but is under constant attack based upon the "majority" voting argument.

 

Our forefathers could not have anticipated every circumstance in post 2000 society so we now find ourselves in the minority trying to express our interpretation of our Countries founding cornerstones.  Even if you assume that our representatives will always carry out the will of the majority, doesn't the Constitution guarantee (theoretically) that the rights of the minority can't be taken away by the majority?  For the most part, history says we add rights not take them away.

 

Thoughts?

They did a pretty good job. Filibuster is a good thing to keep the "democracy" in check. The votes required to 

amend the Constitution is a pretty good thing. The biggest problem I see with everything that has happened

falls back on our laps by allowing so many infringements to the Constitution by "allowing" so many laws that

have no place in the Federal Register to be there. Our Congress has gradually accepted a lower standard

by writing emotion based laws and allowing the courts to make laws, rather than rule on them.

 

Some people say the Electoral College needs to be abolished. That wouldn't fix anything.

 

If you read the Constitution, it lays down the authority of each branch of government. A lot of it has been allowed

to be usurped and mis-used by the wrong branches. We're supposed to tell our elected officials to fix it or replace

them. We don't seem to do that very well, do we?

 

To tie this to guns, there is no real authority for Congress or the president to act on "any" kind of gun control,

but we're in the middle of the game. That's how you lose your republic. We lost the republic when the first gun

law was passed. Ask that bunch who has a lot of over priced NFA items to change their minds on that law. They,

as a group, wouldn't dare. The first law corrupted a group, and the second law further corrupted. Leaving guns,

apply that to every other group that has a certain special interest, or take the welfare types, that are growing

in number. We're going to have to wait until the money runs out, and live through a little chaos for a while, until

we, as a society decide to quit belittling a great document.

 

The other thing we do wrong, all the time, is use the word "democracy" in place of republic. Use that word enough

and you forget the value of the other.

 

The "republic" died a long time ago. This nation of individuals, with liberty as it's banner, has turned into a bunch

of special interest groups, with their hands out. You will have to wait until the money runs out.

 

There is no justification for any of the gun laws, even when used in the crime. It is the person using it, not the gun.

Our society decided to demonize the wrong thing.

Edited May 2, 2013 by 6.8 AR

[JayC]

People keep saying this, doesn't make it correct.  Powder and ball was just as covered by the 2nd amendment as the flintlock rifle.  The British weren't coming to Lexington on April 15th, 1775 to go door to door and collect flintlock rifles, but powder, ball, and cannons.

 

The 2nd amendment protects ammo the same as it protects the firearms that shoot the ammo.

 

All the guns in the world wont help us if they stop the ammo supply.  It says nothing in the constitution about ammo and that is where our next battle will be.

 

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Even if it takes a war to make it happen, we need to get rid of the income tax amendment, because that is where

Congress' power resides. Funny how communism is already amended into our Constitution, isn't it?

 

Guns and ammunition together, are both inclusive to the 2nd Amendment. You can't keep and bear just one. Arms

is the key word. Without ammunition it isn't more than a piece of steel.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

No, I wasn't trying to incite anything, but given enough pain and time, that's what will eventually happen. Who,

in their right mind wants that?