Right, which is why the right of citizens to own guns was protected in the Bill of Rights. You sure didn't say that the first time
I have never said otherwise. Being a gun owner all my life I do appreciate them. But to say that right has no limitations is also wrong. And to say it is the Second that gives you that right is also wrong. If you rely on the government, or the Constitution, to preserve that right you will lose. To that end each State had a clause similar to this in its Constitution:
Chapter 1. Section XVIII. That the people have a right to bear arms for the defence of the themselves and the State; and as standing armies, in the time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; and that the military should be kept under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.[9]
Massachusetts, June 15, 1780
Then we have the Constitution itself. In article 1, section 8, we read:
"To declare War, grant
Letters of Marque and
Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;"
Notice 2 things.
1. ONLY the Congress has the power to declare war. And even then it was for the "calling forth the MILITIA, not a permanent military force.
2. Then we see that the funding for such an endeavor must be done every two years. Again, no mention of a permanent standing Military.
Rather then rely on the Constitution for ones right to own a weapon for self defense, I would argue that it is a God given Natural Right, and cannot be taken away.