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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1
stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1 |
What is the meaning, exactly, of "well regulated", as in the phrase "well regulated militia"? I always thought that the word "regulated" meant "supervised", or "controlled". If so, the 2nd Amendment would actually be an argument FOR gun control.
However, a gun worshipper recently wrote a letter to our local newspaper in which he argued that, in the context of the 2nd Amendment, the word "regulated" means "managed", as in a "well-managed business".
The OED seems to support my interpretation.
Anyone with any insights on this matter?
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891 |
Actually, if you look it up, you will find that regulated means something is governed or directed according to rules or laws. A well-regulated militia follows prescribed rules (not necessarily rules considered legal, but rules nonetheless.)
I must plead ignorance as to the contents of 2nd amendment, and who the OED is (are?) as I am from Cda and am only vaguely aware of what you are talking about.
If you look through back-copies of threads you will find many good links to on-line dictionaries. You will no longer be at a loss for the definition of words.
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
>who the OED is...
the Oxford English Dictionary is the ne plus ultra of English dictionaries, although it does have a certain British cant... 8-)
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
...as to the question, here is more than you could possibly want to know on the subject -- but the point being that you really need to know all the history to know what the founding fathers had in mind by using the words "well regulated militia": http://home.pacbell.net/dragon13/senaterpt.htmlas with many things in the constitution, people try to apply today's English and context to twist things; not dissimilar to the eisegesis which goes on with the Bible. context, context, context...
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