Notice to All Firearms Owners in This State!

[MineralMan]

All able-bodied owners of firearms who are residents of this state are members of the State Militia, as defined in the state constitution. In order to ensure that our State Militia is well-regulated, firearms owners must report for mandatory militia training on a semi-annual basis. For the convenience of firearms owners, semi-annual training sessions will be offered on the first Saturday of each month at the courthouse of every county in the state. Firearms owners may participate in training at any session, but must report for training at least twice during each calendar year.

Training sessions will begin at 5 A.M. on the first Saturday of every month and will end at 5 P.M. on the same day. All training sessions will be operated by officers and training specialists of the state's National Guard. Each firearms owner will present him or herself for training on the dates of his or her choice promptly at 5 A.M. in front of the courthouse of the county of residence. Requirements for participation include the following:

1. Each trainee shall provide his or her own firearms at the training session. Such firearms must be in operable condition, and brought to training in field-stripped condition. Each trainee will be expected to know the names of all parts of the firearm and must be able to demonstrate its proper operation during training.

2. No ammunition may be brought to training. All live fire training will be conducted with firearms provided by the state.

3. Each trainee shall wear appropriate clothing for field training exercises. Clothing typical of military fatigue uniforms is expected.

4. Training shall consist of exercises in proper military discipline, training in military skills, and other training as designated.

5. Transportation to the location of field training shall be provided by the county of residence.

6. During training, all trainees are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

7. Residents who are currently serving or who have served in the U. S. Military and have been honorably discharged are exempt from this training.

[To be delivered to every address in the state.]

[Taitertots]

1. Too bad the supreme court already ruled that Firearms ownership is an individual right...

That isn't connected to membership in a militia.

[MineralMan]

2. Supreme Courts sometimes change their rulings, too.

I don't know about you, but I've already been through military training. It was a good thing. I learned a lot.

[Agschmid]

8. Yes they do! n/t

[Taitertots]

21. Unless they do, it remains an individual right that isn't tied to militia membership

I don't know about you, but when I became of age to join the military they were engaged in actions that I find morally unacceptable.

If the military stops doing things I find morally unacceptable and starts serving the interests of the American people, than I'd gladly join. I'd like to think going to college, learning a lot, and becoming a highly productive member of society was the right choice for me.

[MineralMan]

22. I joined the military because I was about to be drafted,

after dropping out of college, in 1965. I decided to join the USAF, which taught me Russian and turned me into a translator. They also taught me to use an M-14 and an M-16, among other things. I was already very familiar with firearms.

After my 4 year service, I returned to college, learned a bunch of new things, and became a productive member of society in a different line of work.

There are many paths through life. If we are fortunate, we get to choose some of those paths.

[Walk away]

17. You must be so happy that republicans rule the Court and the House! nt

[Robb]

3. Keeping idle hands from the de'il's work.

[NutmegYankee]

4. What do you about disabled gun owners?

I know a man who likes to shoot competition from a wheel chair. He was paralyzed (paraplegic) at age 27 by a drunk driver t-boning his car. Obviously he can't go on field exercises.

[MineralMan]

5. Good point. It should include the words "able-bodied."

I'll edit.

[NutmegYankee]

7. That'll work.

[Walk away]

19. He should be allowed to participate...

if he wants to. He might enjoy it.

[NutmegYankee]

20. And he could ask, but usually field exercises aren't wheel chair friendly.

The range outfitted ramps to help him compete.

[MineralMan]

24. I'm sure accomodations could be made.

However, I would not require the training in that case. I simply neglected to consider such a case when I initially wrote my little announcement.

[99Forever]

6. Well gee whiz!

Guess that ends the whole conversation then, eh? That you "know a man who likes to shoot competition from a wheel chair" negates half of a Constitutional Amendment.

Whodda thunk it?

[NutmegYankee]

9. Do you support the ADA?

[99Forever]

10. Save your derail attempt...

... for someone WAY more gullible than me. I ain't bitin'.

[NutmegYankee]

11. And that's why you don't make laws.

You actually have to think about this stuff. And it wasn't a derail attempt at all. It was a fair question that modified the OP's proposal.

And don't treat me like a fucking troll just because we disagree on a topic. I served as a minor officer in the VA Democratic Party and I was a delegate at the state Presidential Convention in 2004.

[pipoman]

12. And the second amendment has been incorporated.

[jpak]

13. luv it

[Nuclear Unicorn]

14. Then that means the right of the people shall not be infringed

Your proposal would seem to loosen gun ownership rules. After all, those who are obligated to serve have to have readily available supplies.

Perhaps even the rules only fully-automatic and selective-fire weapons should be loosened as well.

The militia was a time-honored practice of the English culture dating back to the Middle Ages. It was the duty of all free men to come to the defense of their country. Under old English law the militia was defined as all free men between the ages of 15 and 60. These men were to “exercise with arms and be prepared to come to the defense of King and country whenever needed.” This tradition was carried over to the colonies of the New World. In the Americas, however, the militia was a volunteer organization. Only those who chose to join the militia were put into service.

Members of the militia came from all walks of life. They were laborers, farmers, craftsmen, wealthy landowner, and merchants. Most did not join for the meager payment promised by the Crown for their service, but rather out of a sense of duty. On the frontier participation in the militia was almost total. The lack of a regular-armed force for defense made it a necessity. The militia was to meet once a month, weather permitting, for the exercise of arms. This meant the taking of the role, only those who were present and available for duty would be paid, and drill. Such gatherings were as much social events as military practice. Families often accompanied the citizen-soldier to the meeting of the militia. Along with pay the Crown was to supply powder and shot as well as arms for those who did not have them. Most men, especially on the frontier, preferred to carry their own weapons, as they were most familiar with them. As a result the King was often saved some of the expense of arming the militia. Powder and shot were only to be issued from the King’s stores when needed for defense of the colony. Uniforms, like arms were rarely if ever provided for the militia.

The terms of service for a militiaman were spelled out at the time of enlistment. The usual term in time of war was 6 months. Pay and such things as provisioning of food and munitions would also be spelled out in the contract or covenant. Such covenants were between the militiaman and his officers, who he saw as the representatives of the King. If the covenant was not honored, to the satisfaction of the militiaman, he saw it as being dissolved and he had the right to leave or refuse to fight until these conditions were met. If their term of service was up, regardless if the fighting had ended or not, and no new covenant had been signed, the militiaman saw it as his right to go home.

Officers of the militia were elected from with their ranks. More often then not, the officers would be the wealthiest members of the community, not necessarily those with military training. Elections were usually held at a tavern or public house. The candidates would make speeches explaining why they should be elected, accompanied by free drinks for the militia members. Usually the man who could afford the most liquid inducement was elected. A officer, if he were wealthy enough and of a military bent, my provide the members of his company with uniforms and even arms. Many wealthy militia officers would have uniforms made for them.

The officers and men of the regular army saw the militia as being almost useless. The militia was undisciplined, ill equipped and poorly trained in the art of civilized warfare, especially on the frontier. They were seen as cowards who would rather hide and run rather than fight. The European style of fighting in ranks to effectively volley on an enemy, took training and discipline that the militia often lacked. The men of the frontier found it more effective to fight from behind cover taking careful aim to make every shot count. When faced with a determined enemy on open ground the militia often found that discursion was the better part of valor. For their part the militiamen saw the regular soldiers as mercenaries who fought only for pay and not out of a sense of duty.

Militiamen, such as those of the Mohawk Valley, were well versed in the frontier style of fighting. They had fought against and with native warriors. Most were also skilled hunters, and used the skill gained in the wilderness to good advantage in warfare. They may have been of an independent bent of mind and undisciplined by European standards, but they could fight with uncommon courage when the need arose.

http://mohawkvalleymilitia.freehomepage.com/rich_text.html

[backwoodsbob]

15. oh God

Whatever

[MineralMan]

23. Thank you for your contribution to the discussion, however small it

may have been.

[Recursion]

16. All able-bodied males between 17 and 45 are already in the militia

Excepting those "scrupulous of bearing arms".

For that matter I think *some* kind of training ("here's where you go when a hurricane comes"; "set up a call tree in your neighborhood for an emergency"; etc.) is not only clearly Constitutional, but a great idea (and while we're at it, extend militia membership to women).

[MineralMan]

18. Yup. This just would formalize the training, so that militia would

truly be "well-regulated." And, of course, women would be included. Further, those "scrupulous of bearing arms" wouldn't be firearms owners, so that's taken care of, too.

[jmg257]

25. This means they get to keep and bear arms suitable for militia service...

M-4, M-16s, M-9s, etc.?

And associated accoutrements like bayonets, magazines, red dot scopes...

The return of the Well-regulated Militia of the several States....I like it!