[OF]

we should be allowed to carry what a soldier can carry

allowed to carry. I guess we just see things differently. In my book, I'll allow the gov't control over certain aspects of society. Ownership of weapons is not one of them.

I don't need gov't authorization to own anything. We allow the gov't only those powers that have been so chosen! It is a historically and morally superior way to distribute power. Power resides in the people, and only those powers deemed absolutely necessary are gingerly and with great watchfulness trusted to gov't.

"Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man against his own bosom? Congress shall have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American ....The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or the state governments, but where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the People."
-- Tench Coxe, Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788.

"As civil rulers, not having their duty to the people duly before them, may attempt to tyrannize, and as the military forces which must be occasionally raised to defend our country, might pervert their power to the injury of their fellow citizens, the people are confirmed by the article in their right to keep and bear private arms."
-- Tench Coxe, in "Remarks on the First Part of the Amendments to the Federal Constitution." under the pseudonym, "A Pennsylvanian" in the Philadelphia Federal Gazette, June 18, 1789 at 2 Col. 1.

"The ultimate authority...resides in the people alone."
-- James Madison, author of the Bill of Rights, in Federalist Paper No. 46.

“The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed and that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of press."
-- Thomas Jefferson

I have never seen a comment or reference to a comment from any of the framers that the second amendment draws a line between the weapons of the infantryman and those arms not in common use by the military. Nor have I ever seen any evidence that the framers made any distinction between man-portable and crew-served weapons. There is, however, ample evidence of the intention for all power to reside with the people, in theory and practice.

Early Americans were not barred from owning cannon or even warships. So what of it if an F16 requires a crew? It's a crew made up of 'the people', the same 'people' referred to in the amendment, right? Could not the militia field an aircraft? There is no evidence to support this 'infantry weapon only' theory, and ample evidence to the contrary.

- Gabe