Note that the Bill of Rights Day Observance Second Amendment book sale is an ongoing event, which has been extended until the end of the month. It was originally planned on short notice as a ten day sale. Due to misunderstanding that it was only a one day event, I decided to extend it for another ten days until December 31st.
Further information about the book sale is located in the updated post below for December 9th.
Also, I would like to thank Cam Edwards for mentioning the Bill of Rights Day observance book sale event on his NRA news program, Cam & Company, on Tuesday (12/15/09).
Additionally, I would like to thank any other bloggers who may have mentioned the sale and who have not been specifically noted here.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
A Thoughful Bill of Rights Day to Everyone
Updated December 16, 2009
On this 218th ratification anniversary of the U.S. Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to our Constitution, here are some thoughts on the novel development in America of limits upon government authority, especially legislative authority.
The English Bill of Rights had already established the concept of limits upon executive authority, but not upon the legislative branch specifically or the government as a whole. It took the American Revolution to bring about declarations of rights with the intent of restrictions on legislative supremacy and the government in general. The people in seven of the original 13 states plus Vermont developed declarations of rights to their state constitutions during the contest with Great Britain. These declarations contained lists of the republican principles and unalienable, fundamental rights that our forefathers understood their new free governments to be founded upon, without which they could not long exist, and to which they were expected to conform.
After defending their newly established state governments united under the defensively oriented Articles of Confederation, a new Constitution was formed in the summer of 1787 by the Federal Convention in Philadelphia. Americans should ever be grateful that the vast majority of those present at the convention rejected George Mason's suggestion for a committee to draw up a bill of rights. Such a bill of rights would have been developed behind closed doors without extensive public discussion of its purpose and meaning. Such an action would have resulted in every aspect of every protection it contained being subject to never-ending dispute as to whether or not it was intended to limit legislative authority and to what extent.
As a result of that refusal, a major political dispute erupted during ratification over the need for a bill of rights as part of the proposed U.S. Constitution. Extensive arguments concerning that subject and the sources and purposes for such a bill of rights appeared in the newspapers, pamphlets, broadsides, and private correspondence of the period. This public dispute divided the country, producing Federalist opponents and Antifederalist proponents for a list of fundamental, inalienable rights to be constitutionally protected as part of the new form of government. The bill of rights dispute was divisive and intense, almost resulting in defeat of the proffered form of government. Early on, Federalists summarily rejected bill of rights proposals in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Maryland, states where the argument was raised and they were in the majority.
In later conventions the Antifederalists prevailed in their arguments for bill of rights protections as proposed amendments to the Constitution. The acceptance of such proposals to guarantee each citizen's right to keep arms, freedom of religion, and prevent all peacetime quartering of soldiers without owner's consent in New Hampshire's convention brought about acceptance by the ninth state and a certainty that the Constitution would be carried into effect. However, this fact was unknown in the Virginia Ratifying Convention. There, in order to assure ratification by at least nine states, the Federalists, led by James Madison, agreed to pass a bill of rights and extensive list of other proposed amendments on to Congress for its consideration in order to achieve ratification. Madison promised to subsequently support the bill of rights proposals he understood as relating to individual rights, including the right of the people to keep and bear arms, and he carried out that promise after being elected to the House of Representatives in 1789.
While the intent and extent of bill of rights provisions, especially the Second Amendment, are often called into question in spite of the open public debate about the bill of rights during ratification, at least there is extensive documentation of the arguments and actions that led to development and adoption of the bill of rights provisions. It is most unfortunate that those who engage in modern discussion concerning such provisions are often completely unfamiliar with the period sources.
If the past is any guide to the future, that Americans will freely enjoy the rights protected by the U.S. Bill of Rights is seriously in doubt unless they remain eternally vigilant. In the case of the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms has not only been violated and ignored, but its purpose actually denied by those interested more in control than liberty. There is little doubt that almost every provision of the Bill of Rights (with the possible exception of the Third Amendment) has either been openly violated or the intent evaded by subterfuge at one time or another.
The refuge for expectation that Americans will enjoy in the future those rights that their ancestors bled and died to pass on to them, protected in a Bill of Rights as part of the supreme law of the land, is a clear understanding of those rights, the resolve to insist that they be observed in every instance, and the ability to defend them in the last resort if all three branches of government basely neglect their primary duty as stated in the oath of office - to uphold the Constitution.
On this 218th ratification anniversary of the U.S. Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to our Constitution, here are some thoughts on the novel development in America of limits upon government authority, especially legislative authority.
The English Bill of Rights had already established the concept of limits upon executive authority, but not upon the legislative branch specifically or the government as a whole. It took the American Revolution to bring about declarations of rights with the intent of restrictions on legislative supremacy and the government in general. The people in seven of the original 13 states plus Vermont developed declarations of rights to their state constitutions during the contest with Great Britain. These declarations contained lists of the republican principles and unalienable, fundamental rights that our forefathers understood their new free governments to be founded upon, without which they could not long exist, and to which they were expected to conform.
After defending their newly established state governments united under the defensively oriented Articles of Confederation, a new Constitution was formed in the summer of 1787 by the Federal Convention in Philadelphia. Americans should ever be grateful that the vast majority of those present at the convention rejected George Mason's suggestion for a committee to draw up a bill of rights. Such a bill of rights would have been developed behind closed doors without extensive public discussion of its purpose and meaning. Such an action would have resulted in every aspect of every protection it contained being subject to never-ending dispute as to whether or not it was intended to limit legislative authority and to what extent.
As a result of that refusal, a major political dispute erupted during ratification over the need for a bill of rights as part of the proposed U.S. Constitution. Extensive arguments concerning that subject and the sources and purposes for such a bill of rights appeared in the newspapers, pamphlets, broadsides, and private correspondence of the period. This public dispute divided the country, producing Federalist opponents and Antifederalist proponents for a list of fundamental, inalienable rights to be constitutionally protected as part of the new form of government. The bill of rights dispute was divisive and intense, almost resulting in defeat of the proffered form of government. Early on, Federalists summarily rejected bill of rights proposals in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Maryland, states where the argument was raised and they were in the majority.
In later conventions the Antifederalists prevailed in their arguments for bill of rights protections as proposed amendments to the Constitution. The acceptance of such proposals to guarantee each citizen's right to keep arms, freedom of religion, and prevent all peacetime quartering of soldiers without owner's consent in New Hampshire's convention brought about acceptance by the ninth state and a certainty that the Constitution would be carried into effect. However, this fact was unknown in the Virginia Ratifying Convention. There, in order to assure ratification by at least nine states, the Federalists, led by James Madison, agreed to pass a bill of rights and extensive list of other proposed amendments on to Congress for its consideration in order to achieve ratification. Madison promised to subsequently support the bill of rights proposals he understood as relating to individual rights, including the right of the people to keep and bear arms, and he carried out that promise after being elected to the House of Representatives in 1789.
While the intent and extent of bill of rights provisions, especially the Second Amendment, are often called into question in spite of the open public debate about the bill of rights during ratification, at least there is extensive documentation of the arguments and actions that led to development and adoption of the bill of rights provisions. It is most unfortunate that those who engage in modern discussion concerning such provisions are often completely unfamiliar with the period sources.
If the past is any guide to the future, that Americans will freely enjoy the rights protected by the U.S. Bill of Rights is seriously in doubt unless they remain eternally vigilant. In the case of the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms has not only been violated and ignored, but its purpose actually denied by those interested more in control than liberty. There is little doubt that almost every provision of the Bill of Rights (with the possible exception of the Third Amendment) has either been openly violated or the intent evaded by subterfuge at one time or another.
The refuge for expectation that Americans will enjoy in the future those rights that their ancestors bled and died to pass on to them, protected in a Bill of Rights as part of the supreme law of the land, is a clear understanding of those rights, the resolve to insist that they be observed in every instance, and the ability to defend them in the last resort if all three branches of government basely neglect their primary duty as stated in the oath of office - to uphold the Constitution.
Monday, December 14, 2009
More Thank You updates
A further Thank You to both Say Uncle and Target Rich Environment for mentioning and linking to the Bill of Rights Day observation sale of my Second Amendment books as posted below.
Due to the title of my Bill of Rights Day announcement, there is some confusion that the observation event is limited to sales on December 15th, the 218th ratification anniversary for the U.S. Bill of Rights. In fact, this is an ongoing event for a limited time. Due to this confusion, the sale is going to be continued through this month until December 31, 2009.
Due to the title of my Bill of Rights Day announcement, there is some confusion that the observation event is limited to sales on December 15th, the 218th ratification anniversary for the U.S. Bill of Rights. In fact, this is an ongoing event for a limited time. Due to this confusion, the sale is going to be continued through this month until December 31, 2009.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Thank You Updates
More pro-rights activists have mentioned and linked to On Second Opinion's announcement for the Bill of Rights Day observance sale of my Second Amendment books, which is posted below.
Long time Second Amendment activist and legal scholar, David Hardy, posted a notice concerning it at his Arms and the Law site. David is also the producer of the documentary film, In Search of The Second Amendment.
Mark Vanderberg, pro-rights activist and podcaster, posted a Gunrights tweet on twitter (something new to me) to link to the On Second Opinion Blog announcement. Note that Mark recorded a pre-Heller podcast interview of me concerning The Founders' View of the Right to Bear Arms prior to publication and also posted a synopsis of the book, both of which can be found right here.
Thank you to both David and Mark for helping to get the word out on the Bill of Rights Day observance Second Amendment book sale.
Long time Second Amendment activist and legal scholar, David Hardy, posted a notice concerning it at his Arms and the Law site. David is also the producer of the documentary film, In Search of The Second Amendment.
Mark Vanderberg, pro-rights activist and podcaster, posted a Gunrights tweet on twitter (something new to me) to link to the On Second Opinion Blog announcement. Note that Mark recorded a pre-Heller podcast interview of me concerning The Founders' View of the Right to Bear Arms prior to publication and also posted a synopsis of the book, both of which can be found right here.
Thank you to both David and Mark for helping to get the word out on the Bill of Rights Day observance Second Amendment book sale.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Thank You
A Thank You to both David Codrea and Thirdpower for mentioning and linking to On Second Opinion's announcement for the Bill of Rights Day observance sale of my Second Amendment books.
Thirdpower posted the notice at Days of Our Trailers.
David Codrea included the notice along with his Gun Rights Examiner announcement for his Feb. 2010 Guns Magazine review of Robert Churchill's book.
Thirdpower posted the notice at Days of Our Trailers.
David Codrea included the notice along with his Gun Rights Examiner announcement for his Feb. 2010 Guns Magazine review of Robert Churchill's book.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Bill of Rights Day Book Sale
Updated December 14, 2009
GOLDEN OAK BOOKS ANNOUNCEMENT:
BILL OF RIGHTS DAY SALE ON SECOND AMENDMENT SCHOLARSHIP FROM DAVID E. YOUNG
In celebration of the 218th anniversary of the U.S. Bill of Rights on December 15th 2009, Golden Oak Books announces a limited time half price sale on the historical books from Second Amendment scholar David E. Young. Paperback copies of The Origin of the Second Amendment and hardbound copies of The Founders' View of the Right to Bear Arms will be $15.00 each for a 21 day period from December 10th through the 31st, 2009. These sale prices will only be available through Amazon.com at the links for Golden Oak Books provided below. Bill of Rights and Second Amendment historical aficionados will be able to obtain either of Mr. Young's influential books for half of the normal $30.00 list price, or get both for the price of one. Anyone interested in reasonably priced Christmas gifts can give books that will be useful for a lifetime. Check out your local public library because it might be in immediate need of a fact filled book donation to balance out an overabundance of gun control advocate historical tripe.
BOOK INFORMATION
The Origin of the Second Amendment
$15.00 for a limited time
The only complete period document collection, The Origin of the Second Amendment places the Second Amendment into proper context of the demands for the Federal Bill of Rights during ratification of the U.S. Constitution. In addition to bill of rights demands, relevant subjects include discussions about the militia, claims and counter-claims regarding the people being armed in the future, and every reference to the limited powers of the new Federal Government. The Origin of the Second Amendment includes literal transcripts of the amendments proposed in state ratifying conventions, as well as relevant selections from convention debates, newspaper articles, pamphlets, broadsides, and private letters. Complete source citations are provided for each historical document. Three appendices contain copies of the eight existing period state declarations of rights and similar provisions in the other state constitutions, a comparison chart for provisions of the state declarations of rights/ratifying convention bills of rights/U.S. Bill of Rights, and an analysis of support for the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights based on ratifying convention votes.
The Origin of the Second Amendment was cited 38 times in the District of Columbia vs Heller case with 6 citations in Justice Scalia's Supreme Court decision. It was also cited well over 100 times in the U.S. vs Emerson decision from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. These numerous citations make The Origin of the Second Amendment the most cited historical source collection on the subject in the Federal Courts.
Origin contains 800 pages of documents (890 pages total 6"X9"), is indexed, printed on acid free paper, paper bound, and includes an introduction intended for those entirely unfamiliar with ratification era history.
The Founders' View of the Right to Bear Arms
$15.00 for a limited time
Mr. Young's latest book is a definitive history of the Second Amendment providing the most complete and straightforward explanation of its development ever published. The terms and phrases of the amendment are traced from their origin in AMERICA to their inclusion in the U.S. Bill of Rights. Subjects covered in The Founders' View include the widespread ownership and use of arms by Americans in colonial times, the American understanding of militia and well regulated militia, colonial defensive associations, development of Revolutionary Era state bills of rights intended to limit legislative authority, the persons most responsible for such development, Mason Triads, arms related Federalist and Antifederalist Mantras, a detailed analysis of the ratification era bill of rights dispute and proposals, and other closely related matters. Two appendices contain Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson's Official Imprint of the ratified amendments as proposed by Congress and Mr. Young's synopsis of essential facts drawn from numerous American colonial militia laws.
The Founders' View of the Right to Bear Arms was cited extensively in the Heller case in briefs from Gun Owners of America, Academics for the Second Amendment, and Alan Gura's brief for Mr. Heller.
The Founders' View contains 288 pages (6"X9"), is indexed, printed on acid free paper, has a sewn hardcover binding, is fully documented, and relies primarily on The Origin of the Second Amendment for ratification era citation of facts.
BILL OF RIGHTS DAY SALE ORDERING AT AMAZON.COM
The proper sale price will be available only through Golden Oak Books, the publisher of Mr. Young's historical research. The following Amazon.com links connect directly to ordering pages for the respective books:
The Origin of the Second Amendment
The Founders' View of the Right to Bear Arms
For a picture of the author holding citation tagged copies of both books at the NRA's event honoring those involved in the Heller victory, see Sebastian's Thank You post (pictures are clickable to enlarge).
GOLDEN OAK BOOKS ANNOUNCEMENT:
BILL OF RIGHTS DAY SALE ON SECOND AMENDMENT SCHOLARSHIP FROM DAVID E. YOUNG
In celebration of the 218th anniversary of the U.S. Bill of Rights on December 15th 2009, Golden Oak Books announces a limited time half price sale on the historical books from Second Amendment scholar David E. Young. Paperback copies of The Origin of the Second Amendment and hardbound copies of The Founders' View of the Right to Bear Arms will be $15.00 each for a 21 day period from December 10th through the 31st, 2009. These sale prices will only be available through Amazon.com at the links for Golden Oak Books provided below. Bill of Rights and Second Amendment historical aficionados will be able to obtain either of Mr. Young's influential books for half of the normal $30.00 list price, or get both for the price of one. Anyone interested in reasonably priced Christmas gifts can give books that will be useful for a lifetime. Check out your local public library because it might be in immediate need of a fact filled book donation to balance out an overabundance of gun control advocate historical tripe.
BOOK INFORMATION
The Origin of the Second Amendment
$15.00 for a limited time
The only complete period document collection, The Origin of the Second Amendment places the Second Amendment into proper context of the demands for the Federal Bill of Rights during ratification of the U.S. Constitution. In addition to bill of rights demands, relevant subjects include discussions about the militia, claims and counter-claims regarding the people being armed in the future, and every reference to the limited powers of the new Federal Government. The Origin of the Second Amendment includes literal transcripts of the amendments proposed in state ratifying conventions, as well as relevant selections from convention debates, newspaper articles, pamphlets, broadsides, and private letters. Complete source citations are provided for each historical document. Three appendices contain copies of the eight existing period state declarations of rights and similar provisions in the other state constitutions, a comparison chart for provisions of the state declarations of rights/ratifying convention bills of rights/U.S. Bill of Rights, and an analysis of support for the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights based on ratifying convention votes.
The Origin of the Second Amendment was cited 38 times in the District of Columbia vs Heller case with 6 citations in Justice Scalia's Supreme Court decision. It was also cited well over 100 times in the U.S. vs Emerson decision from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. These numerous citations make The Origin of the Second Amendment the most cited historical source collection on the subject in the Federal Courts.
Origin contains 800 pages of documents (890 pages total 6"X9"), is indexed, printed on acid free paper, paper bound, and includes an introduction intended for those entirely unfamiliar with ratification era history.
The Founders' View of the Right to Bear Arms
$15.00 for a limited time
Mr. Young's latest book is a definitive history of the Second Amendment providing the most complete and straightforward explanation of its development ever published. The terms and phrases of the amendment are traced from their origin in AMERICA to their inclusion in the U.S. Bill of Rights. Subjects covered in The Founders' View include the widespread ownership and use of arms by Americans in colonial times, the American understanding of militia and well regulated militia, colonial defensive associations, development of Revolutionary Era state bills of rights intended to limit legislative authority, the persons most responsible for such development, Mason Triads, arms related Federalist and Antifederalist Mantras, a detailed analysis of the ratification era bill of rights dispute and proposals, and other closely related matters. Two appendices contain Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson's Official Imprint of the ratified amendments as proposed by Congress and Mr. Young's synopsis of essential facts drawn from numerous American colonial militia laws.
The Founders' View of the Right to Bear Arms was cited extensively in the Heller case in briefs from Gun Owners of America, Academics for the Second Amendment, and Alan Gura's brief for Mr. Heller.
The Founders' View contains 288 pages (6"X9"), is indexed, printed on acid free paper, has a sewn hardcover binding, is fully documented, and relies primarily on The Origin of the Second Amendment for ratification era citation of facts.
BILL OF RIGHTS DAY SALE ORDERING AT AMAZON.COM
The proper sale price will be available only through Golden Oak Books, the publisher of Mr. Young's historical research. The following Amazon.com links connect directly to ordering pages for the respective books:
The Origin of the Second Amendment
The Founders' View of the Right to Bear Arms
For a picture of the author holding citation tagged copies of both books at the NRA's event honoring those involved in the Heller victory, see Sebastian's Thank You post (pictures are clickable to enlarge).
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