Second amendment "under the gun" again

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http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=abn4vsFQjvu8 It seems the supreme court is taking up the issue today whether or not the second amendment applies to people or the states. I am not going to post the text of the article itself, you all can read it yourselves. I was more posting this to clarify things and in fact at a later date this may come up in another "constitution 101" thread. SO what did the founders intend with the second amendment? rather than give my thoughts, why don't we just go and ask the founders ourselves? Mr. Jefferson? what was the purpose of the second amenment and who was it directed for? Laws that forbid the carrying of arms..disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed one." - Thomas Jefferson quoting Cesare Beccaria, Criminologist in 1764 The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government No freeman shall ever be debarred the use of arms Ah I see, thank you sir.....now... Mr Adams, same question to you sir... [i] "Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." "That the said Constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press or the rights of conscience; or to prevent the people of The United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms..." Mr. Washington, what say you on this matter sir? [i] "Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence ... From the hour the Pilgrims landed, to the present day, events, occurrences, and tendencies prove that to insure peace, security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable . . . The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that is good" [/i] ANd you sir, Mr. Hamilton? [i] "but if circumstances should at any time oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude, that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the people, while there is a large body of citizens, little if at all inferior to them in discipline and use of arms, who stand ready to defend their rights..." "The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed." [/i] I see, thank you. What about you Mr. Mason? [i] "I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for few public officials." And you Mr Payne? [i] "arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. . . Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them." Mr, Gerry? "What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . . Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise a standing army upon its ruins." And finaly, the plainest and simplest and most blatent meaning of this amendment comes from Patrick Henry.... [i] "The great object is, that every man be armed." SO what have the courts of the past had to say? [i] "To prohibit a citizen from wearing or carrying a war arm . . . is an unwarranted restriction upon the constitutional right to keep and bear arms. If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of constitutional privilege." [Wilson v. State, 33 Ark. 557, at 560, 34 Am. Rep. 52, at 54 (1878)] "To prohibit a citizen from wearing or carrying a war arm . . . is an unwarranted restriction upon the constitutional right to keep and bear arms. If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of constitutional privilege." [Wilson v. State, 33 Ark. 557, at 560, 34 Am. Rep. 52, at 54 (1878)] And one of the most blatent from a court.... The right of a citizen to bear arms, in lawful defense of himself or the State, is absolute. He does not derive it from the State government. It is one of the "high powers" delegated directly to the citizen, and 'is excepted out of the general powers of government.' A law cannot be passed to infringe upon or impair it, because it is above the law, and independent of the lawmaking power." [Cockrum v. State, 24 Tex. 394, at 401-402 (1859)]