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We should define our terms. What were the meanings of the words "militia," "well-regulated," "keep," "bear," and "arms"?
The Founders would say that the militia is composed of the whole people. Well-regulated refers to being skilled, while other shadings include having similar weaponry from man to man. Keep means to own and to have. Bear means to carry. There are those who say that "bear" means only to carry during war. The problem with that is that Jefferson drafted a Virginia law concerning the bearing of arms for hunting.
And lastly, "arms." Some say today that the right to bear arms is not absolute because that would mean that they could bear nuclear arms. Sorry. No. SALT II treaties aside, the term arms refers to the common weapons of the soldier and the citizen. Bombs are not arms, they are ordinance (or ordnance of the period) and the Founder knew the difference.
Rick
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"Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American." Tench Coxe 2/20/1788
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