When it comes to Americans remembering important dates, public education fails too often. For instance, if you think the American Revolution began in 1776, you should attend an Appleseed Heritage and Marksmanship event. And if you think the 2A came about in 1789, you almost nailed it. Actually, the world-famous American Second Amendment received ratification into law on December 15th, 1791.
Frankly, I admit that my recollection of constitutional history placed the Bill of Rights at 1789. However, ratification didn’t happen until better than two years later.
Yes, the Second Amendment ranks as one of the most widely-known Constitutional Amendments in America today. Frankly, it’s well-known around the world. That says something in a country where about a third of Americans do not know the Vice-President’s name. (Is it ‘Buy a shotgun‘ Joe Biden? Nope. Not any more!)
Today, the very pro-gun Mike Pence serves as the United States of America’s Vice-President. And he flies in Air Force Two.
Other times, he stands at the ready to cast the deciding vote in the U.S. Senate. That includes nominations to the Supreme Court. Above, earlier this year, he waves at those dead-set opposed to Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination outside the U.S. Capitol building. Moments earlier, Kavanaugh was cofirmed as Associate Justice Kavanaugh.
Tired of winning yet? I’m not.
At the same time, the Washington Times claims that 37% of Americans can’t name a single right guaranteed by the First Amendment. Can you name them? (Speech, Assembly, Petition, Religion and Press.)
Meanwhile, anyone with an IQ above room temperature knows the Second Amendment recognizes Americans’ gun rights. And with our gun rights come our self-defense rights.
And while a lot of folks have tried twisting themselves into pretzels over the meaning of the Second Amendment’s 27 words, it became the law of the land in 1791. Specifically, on December 15, 1791 with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s vote to ratify the Bill of Rights.
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.
Sadly, it took Massachusetts, Connecticut and Georgia until 1939 to get around to ratifying the Bill of Rights. Make of that what you will. Not that their approval mattered after December 15, 1791.
And speaking of the U.S. Supreme Court: Thankfully, the landmark District of Columbia v. Heller decision reaffirmed most of the original intent of the Founding Fathers. Yes, Virginia, the Second Amendment protects the individual right to keep and bear arms.
Of course, this gutted many of the fake arguments of the civilian disarmament cabal. And those of the federal governments’ representatives in various anti-gun presidential administrations.
Also noteworthy; the subsequent decision in the also-landmark civil rights case McDonald v. City of Chicago incorporated the Heller decision to the fifty states. That proved another major blow to promoters of big gun control schemes, including those in Congress.
For me, as a civil rights activist, I proudly hang the first page of the McDonald decision signed by the lead plaintiff, Otis McDonald himself, on my wall.
Just as American gun owners should know the events of the first day of the American Revolution, April 19, 1775, we too should recall December 15, 1791. After all, the Second Amendment recognizes our gun ownership rights. If its ratification had not happened, America might not still exist.
And if not for great Americans like Dick Heller and Otis McDonald, American politicians and courts might still treat “the people” in the Second Amendment differently than we do “the people” in the rest of the Constitution.