Precious Roy wrote:
Let's get real about this argument. The constitution calls for the right to bear arms in order to maintain a well regulated militia. Do these folks look like members of a well regulated militia:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/25/1173770/-What-IS-a-well-regulated-militiaAlexander Hamilton's Federalist Paper No. 29 suggested that "well regulated" meant placing the discipline, training and direction of the militia under the control of the national authority.
This idea that the right to bear arms is somehow a grant to individual citizens the right to violently overthrow the government should they deem the government to be tyranical is contradicted by the fact that the constitution deems such conduct as treason.
What this argument is really about is right wing nut jobs trying to intimidate people who disagree with their political view points. The arguments about tyrany and the 2nd amendment are really just a fancy way of saying: "I am right about (insert political issue) because I have a gun and will use it against you if you oppose me."
Also, given the history of government attrocities in the US against US citizens, where are all the great patriots with their weapons? Where were the patriots when blacks were being beaten and sprayed with fire hoses for peacefully marching against segregation? Where were the patriots with their weapons when Native Americans were sent on the trail of tears into reservations where they remain today? Where were the patriots when the Japanese were interned during WWII? Where were the patriots when NY authorities beat and murdered prisoners during the prison uprising in Attica?
Lastly, the idea of armed resistance against a tyranical government is largely a fantasy that is nothing like the reality. Civil wars and guerilla wars are generally long, bloody and purposeless affairs that either result in stalemate or replacing one despot with another. Non-violent movements, by contrast, have an excellent track record of acheiving real change (See India, Eastern Block countries, Myanmar's recent thaw, East Timor, Tunisia, Egypt).