What does 'security' mean?

A long time ago (a really long time!), I wrote letters to the editor of my hometown paper about gunny things and such. One of the letters was a 'fisking' of the second amendment.

But I am moved today to talk about one of the glaring (to me) errors in the arguments about the preface clause of the 2nd 'A well-regulated militia being necessary t tohe security of a free state'.

I am a firearms rights absolutist; I believe the founders meant what they wrote, and wrote what they meant. 'the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.'

The right of the people ....... to keep and bear arms ......

shall not be infringed.

Sounds pretty simple to me. But that pesky first phrase about militias ..... doesn't that mean the military? I looked up the definition of the words at the time they were written (I think it was the Old Oxford Dictionary at the library), and I came up with the definition that I like (surprise!), but I'm apparently in good company. But the word 'security' ...... that seems out of place if you contend a military aspect to the 2nd amendment.

Because militias, used in the military context, can't provide security unless they're bearing arms all the time. Now defense ...... now there's a normal use of the militia, right? But the problem is, you only need defense when you're being attacked.

Security is 24/7/365.

The security of a free state ..... police officers provide security, don't they? Aren't they always armed while they're providing security? Think about any security guard you can think of ...... aren't most of them armed? If they're not, they can't really provide much security now, can they!

Security guards - armed. Police officers - armed. FBI - armed. Secret Service - armed.

Security - arms. Arms = security.

Wow!

So a well regulated militia (the whole people of a state) being necessary to the security (24/7) of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

I'm not a lawyer, nor have I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express lately ...... I think the founders were simply being clear about what they meant.

Shall. Not. Be. Infringed.

pm