The Second Amendment: A Clear Line in the Sand
By Idaho Gun School | March 16, 2025
Here at Idaho Gun School, we’re not just about teaching you how to shoot—we’re about defending the rights that let you own that firearm in the first place. The Second Amendment isn’t a suggestion; it’s a bedrock principle: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” To us, that’s crystal clear—all guns, all accessories, all bearable arms are protected. No wiggle room. But the feds and courts keep muddying the waters with laws that don’t hold up to the Framers’ intent. Let’s break it down.
“Shall Not Be Infringed” Means What It Says
The militia clause? It’s a why, not a who. James Madison, in Federalist No. 46, saw armed citizens—half a million strong—as a check on tyranny, not a government-run club. Alexander Hamilton, in No. 29, called the militia “the people themselves.” You don’t need a uniform to have the right—it’s yours, period. That covers your AR-15, your magazines, even your granddad’s old hunting knife. “Arms” means bearable tools for defense or offense—end of story.
But then comes the Supreme Court’s Heller (2008) caveat: “dangerous and unusual” weapons can be regulated. Fine—nukes are out. No one’s carrying a warhead to the range. But machine guns? An M16’s cyclic rate (750 rounds per minute) matches an AR-15’s potential—only the trigger pull differs. Before the 1986 ban, 175,000 machine guns were registered; population-adjusted, that’s 400,000+ today—hardly “unusual” by Heller’s own logic. The ban made them rare, not the other way around. That’s circular nonsense, not constitutional reasoning.
Barrel Length and Taxes: Arbitrary and Unconstitutional
Take the National Firearms Act (NFA)—a $200 tax and red tape for short-barreled rifles (SBRs) under 16 inches. Why? They say concealability, but handguns with 2-inch barrels are legal. A 12-inch AR barrel isn’t slipping into your pocket—it’s less practical than a Glock. Barrel length doesn’t make a gun deadlier; it’s a bureaucratic whim. Federalist No. 46 doesn’t care about inches—Madison wanted you armed, not measured.
That NFA tax? It’s a poll tax on your rights. In Minneapolis Star (1983), the Court said you can’t tax a constitutional right—like free press—without a damn good reason. The Second Amendment’s no different. Charging $200 to own an SBR isn’t revenue; it’s a penalty for exercising “keep and bear.” The Framers didn’t tax muskets—they handed them out.
Felons and 18-Year-Olds: Who’s “The People”?
The Gun Control Act (GCA) of 1968 bans felons from guns—fair for a murderer, maybe, but a check fraudster? Non-violent felons pay their debt—jail, fines, done. They’re not dangerous; they’re “the people” again. Federalist No. 51 says justice ends punishment—lifelong bans for writing a bad check don’t fit. Courts are catching on—Range v. Attorney General (2023) gave a non-violent felon his rights back. History shows no 1791 ban on petty ex-cons; why now?
Then there’s 18-year-olds. The GCA stops them from buying handguns from dealers—21’s the line. But “the people” starts at 18. They vote, pay taxes, join the military—hell, the 1792 Militia Act armed them. Federalist No. 46 counts them in that half-million. Cases like Fraser v. ATF are fighting this—Bruen (2022) says laws need a 1791 analog, and age-21 handgun bans don’t have one. Idaho’s 18-year-olds deserve their full rights, not a nanny-state delay.
The Laundry List of Infringements
The GCA, NFA, 1986’s FOPA (machine gun ban), concealed carry permits, red flag laws—they’re all unconstitutional. Permits to carry? No. 29’s “bear” doesn’t need a hall pass. Red flags? Seizing guns without a hearing violates due process and “shall not be infringed”—No. 84 warned against pretextual grabs. These laws pile on restrictions the Framers never dreamed of, shrinking a right meant to stand tall.
Idaho’s Stand
In Idaho, we get it—guns aren’t just tools; they’re liberty. The Second Amendment doesn’t bend for barrel lengths, fire-rates, or past mistakes that don’t threaten anyone. “The people” means us—18-year-olds at the range, reformed citizens post-sentence, you and me. Federalist No. 46’s armed citizenry isn’t a relic; it’s our backbone. So load up, train up, and know your rights—because here, we don’t just shoot straight; we think straight too.
What’s your take? Drop a comment or swing by Idaho Gun School to talk guns, rights, and the Constitution over a cold one.