Yet another school shooting in the USA

Overheal wrote: »

http://www.guncite.com/gc2ndfqu.html

We established however some, although not all its [self-government] important principles . The constitutions of most of our States assert, that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves, in all cases to which they think themselves competent, (as in electing their functionaries executive and legislative, and deciding by a jury of themselves, in all judiciary cases in which any fact is involved,) or they may act by representatives, freely and equally chosen; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed;
---Thomas Jefferson to John Cartwright, 1824. Memorial Edition 16:45, Lipscomb and Bergh, editors.

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
---Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.

To model our political system upon speculations of lasting tranquility, is to calculate on the weaker springs of the human character.
---Alexander Hamilton

Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive.
---Noah Webster, An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution (Philadelphia 1787).

I see your point about the regulated militia however I believe that constitutes the gun lobbies and the NRA and such, the gun vendors, etc. and it is the case in most states that your firearm be licensed and/or registered. And many gun owners freely choose to take membership in organizations, like the NRA, which promote gun safety but also gun liberties.Never been shot with an airsoft in the handball alleys then? I agree, Ireland has fewer guns and poorer access to guns and enjoys fewer gun related incidents but it's a double-edged sword shield that prevents the people from having much sway against the appointed government which having disarmed it's constituents finds no critical need to keep it's people happy other than to collect fatter paychecks. Whereas is the case elsewhere, the leaders have to take into consideration just how violent the population can become when real civil unrest occurs, and I'm not talking about the student protest which was a tame joke in comparison to real riots that occur around the world.

• Originalism: These believe in the original meaning and intent of the wording. No new values or interpretations are put on the words... they are not put into modern context. Often called "strict Constitutionalism"
  1. The 'original intent theory,' which holds that interpretation of a written constitution is (or should be) consistent with what was meant by those who drafted and ratified it.
  2. The 'original meaning theory,' which is closely related to textualism, is the view that interpretation of a written constitution or law should be based on what reasonable persons living at the time of its adoption would have declared the ordinary meaning of the text to be.
• Living Constitution: puts a dynamic meaning into the document. It essentially imputes humanism on the document and the idea that it and its meaning change with time. The idea is associated with views that contemporaneous society should be taken into account when interpreting key constitutional phrases.
  1. The pragmatist view contends that interpreting the Constitution in accordance with long outdated views is often unacceptable as a policy matter, and thus that an evolving interpretation is necessary.
  2. The second school under this category is intent. This is the contention that the authors of the Constitution specifically wrote it with the intent of it being a "living document" and thus wrote it in broad and flexible terms.
• Moral Constitution: Not as popular outside of academic circles, but often comes up when considering Bunreacht na hÉireann. It's the idea that there is an underlying foundation of moral philosophy in the Constitution.
  1. Religious morals
  2. Moral principles - i.e. humanism

also i havnt seen any stats that show a link with strict gun laws and gun deaths but if someone has a link to that study then im all ears/eyes, whatever