Great Seal > Constitution > Bill of Rights (opinion) "A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." The focus of this sentence is clearly the security of a free State, which would be threatened if the people could not be formed into a well regulated militia with the firearms necessary to ensure their security. But our security can also be threatened by too many guns. If the Founding Fathers were here today, they would find the proliferation of guns and gun-related violence unacceptable. Especially since they also included a key clause in the U. S. Constitution that says the United States shall protect its citizens against violence (Article IV, Section 4). Therefore, to ensure our security – the goal of the Second Amendment – a balance must be achieved between not enough and too many firearms. The origin of the language used in the Second Amendment is found in the March 23, 1775 resolution of the first Continental Congress: "a well regulated militia, composed of gentlemen and yeomen, is the natural strength and only security of a free government." Again, this resolution was made to ensure "the security of a free government" by establishing a well regulated militia. Today, how is our security improved by tens of thousands of individuals with assault weapons? (NOTE: the Second Amendment says "arms" – not armory, army, or armada.) By cherry picking the Second Amendment to focus on gun ownership, the leadership of the National Rifle Association ignores the Founding Fathers' rationale for the Amendment. And what's so "well regulated" about the current gun situation in America? It is weakly regulated. The original use of the term needs to be understood. What did George Washington mean by well regulated? April 18, 2004 Associated Press report by Dan Nephin Vice President Dick Cheney was greeted by a standing ovation and chants of "four more years" at the National Rifle Association's 133rd annual convention on Apr. 18, 2004. John Kerry, in a statement issued before Cheney's address, said "most voters don't know that (Bush and Cheney) are standing against major police organizations and breaking their promise to renew the assault weapons ban, which helps keep military-style assault weapons out of the hands of criminals and terrorists." Earlier in the day, Tom Mauser, whose son, Daniel, was killed with an assault weapon in the Columbine High School killings five years ago, tried to enter the convention hall, seeking to urge Cheney to support extending the assault weapons ban. Mauser was turned away by a security guard as several conventioneers applauded. A couple of conventioneers yelled, "Get a life" and "Vote for Bush." Constitution | Great Seal Back to Great Seal Sightings.