The Second Amendment in Context

Pequot war

American militia firing at the British infantry from behind a split-rail fence during the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, March 15, 1781.

Alfred Jacob Miller – Snake Indians Testing Bows

There are several versions of the text of the Second Amendment, each with slight capitalization and punctuation differences, found in the official documents surrounding the adoption of the Bill of Rights.[5] One version was passed by the Congress,[6] while another is found in the copies distributed to the States[7] and then ratified by them.

As passed by the Congress:

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.

As ratified by the States and authenticated by Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State:

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.[8]

(Pasted from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution#Text>)

Don’t you think it’s time the US of A enter the 21st century?

All images courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

American Beaver on NGC Tonight

Tonight on the National Geographic Channel, American Beaver. Wild.

American Beaver is a tale of power, domination and triumph over adversity. A little pond set against the backdrop of the Grand Teton Mountains may not look like much, but it is the hub of action. A tireless engineer, one determined rodent takes on the job of building a pond while facing the challenges of predators and full fury of the elements. The American Beaver will change the world of every species around it, and even the land itself. A forty-pound rodent may not look like the regions key species, but her activities are vital to all other life here. The landscape she surveys is more than her domain – it is her creation.

See the NGTV schedule

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/videos/satellite/satelliteEmbedPlayer.swf