User:AndrewLynn/sandbox

Web Page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

Original Text: (b) The prefatory clause comports with the Court’s interpretation of the operative clause. The “militia” comprised all males physically capable of acting in concert for the common defense. The Antifederalists feared that the Federal Government would disarm the people in order to disable this citizens’ militia, enabling a politicized standing army or a select militia to rule. The response was to deny Congress power to abridge the ancient right of individuals to keep and bear arms, so that the ideal of a citizens’ militia would be preserved. Pp. 22–28.[147][148]

Correction: I think the word "ideal" should be changed to "idea" in the last line of the paragraph.

Thank you.