The Constitution & Guns For Citizens

Mr. St. George Tucker was a law professor, federal judge and justice of the Virginia Supreme Court. In 1803 and based on his lectures he published the first scholarly work on the Constitution of the USA. Being both close in time to the founders of this nation and well versed in the law, his opinions should be respected today and, in fact, still are quoted in recent court decisions.

As to self-defense and the People's keeping and bearing of arms, he wrote:
"...The right of self defense is the first law of nature: in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible.
Whenever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any colour or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction."

Before the Civil War the right to go anywhere in the nation while armed was considered, by the US Supreme Court, to be a basic right of citizenship. Since that time the tyranny of Legislative bodies and the Courts have diminished that right and, especially in Wisconsin and Illinois and certain cities in other States, has brought it to "the brink of destruction". In the other 48 States there has been some, sometimes very limited, positive responses to the People's demand for the return of that right.

I think it well past the time when Wisconsin should return to the principles which are the foundation of this nation and allow the People to do what the police so apparantly can not or will not do---Defend them against criminal assaults on their persons and property.