Originally posted by OHLC
The goal was to provide a safeguard against a political system not respecting the other amendments.
This was the obvious intent of the framers.
The 2nd Amendment shares a common theme and purpose with every other provision in the Bill of Rights, namely, restriction of the power of the Federal Government. And when viewed in light of the then-recent founding of the country through armed rebellion by citizens against a tyrannical government, the only reasonable interpretation is that the right described is an individual one.
To assert that the 2nd Amendment applied instead to Federal armies is absurd, just an example of the selective interpretation AAA mentioned.
One can base a good argument against gun ownership on many reasons, but the 2nd Amendment isn't one of them.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/charters_of_freedom/bill_of_rights/amendments_1-10.html
rs7