Date: 11 Nov 94 18:47:36 GMT
From: [REDACTED] at [gonix.com] (Mike Riddle)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns
Subject: NRA Statement on Militia
Summary: NRA Statement on Militia


Date: Fri, 11 Nov 1994 12:58:45 -0500
>From: [a--er--s] at [gatekeeper.nra.org] (NRA Alerts)
>To: Multiple recipients of list <[r k ba alert] at [mainstream.com]>
Subject: INFO: NRA CITIZEN MILITIA STATEMENT

November 10, 1994

                   CITIZEN MILITIA STATEMENT

The Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association of America
has not adopted a formal policy regarding the formation of citizen
militia groups, such as has occurred in numerous states. However, by
its Bylaws and policies the NRA strongly supports the Constitution of
the United States, and the Second Amendment to that document, which
guarantee the right of citizens to participate in militia for proper,
lawful and constitutional purposes.  Although the NRA has not been
involved in the formation of any citizen militia units, neither has
the NRA discouraged, nor would NRA contemplate discouraging, exercise
of any constitutional right.    
 
It is the NRA's view, based on law (Article I, section 8 of the U.S.
Constitution; Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 311(a)), court precedents,
and legal and historical interpretation, that all able-bodied
persons, explicitly those between the ages of 17 and 45, are members
of the Federal unorganized militia, except members of the organized
state guards (for example, State Defense Forces which exist in about
two dozen states), the National Guards of the various states (which
also serve as a part of the National Guard of the United States, a
military reserve subject to nationalization by the President of the
United States), and certain government officials.  An "organized
citizen militia" must be created under the constitution itself and/or
the laws of a state.

Title 10, U.S.C., clearly affirms the existence of the citizen
militia; it is little changed since the original Militia Act of 1792
(except for the addition in this century of recognition of the third
type of militia, the Federally supported National Guard, in addition
to the enrolled and unenrolled militia).  

Further, the individual right to own firearms is guaranteed by the
Constitution, but the right to own firearms is not at all dependent
upon the militia clause.  The militia clause of the Second Amendment
merely adds to the reason for the right, which is a common law right
rooted in the right of protection of self, family and community.  
    
The Second Amendment guarantees an individual's right to arms;
participation in a citizen militia organization does not make that
right more valid nor any stronger.
--
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