Do You Have a Right to Self-Defense?

People ask, why am I opposed to Obama? Here's one: nominating a justice to the Supreme Court who doesn't believe in an individual's right to self defense.

Judge Sonia Sotomayor is asked if she sees the right to personal self-defense. She doesn't see it; doesn't see a case where the Supreme Court has addressed that. Now that's just a little slippery of her, isn't it? Just because the Supreme Court hasn't had to address it doesn't mean that it is not part and parcel of the agreed upon social contract (The US Constitution). Maybe the Supreme Court hasn't addressed it because no one was foolish enough to question it.

We have had, for the last several generations, a concerted, and quite silly argument against the Right to Bear Arms. And yet through Rebellions (Whisky) and Civil War we maintained -- until the Progressive Era -- a Right to Bear Arms. Now we get a Supreme Court justice who doesn't believe in Americans having a Right to Defend themselves.

That the said Constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press or the rights of conscience; or to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms ... "
-- Samuel Adams, Debates and Proceedings in the Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,

"The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed."
-- Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers

"No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."
-- Thomas Jefferson, Proposal Virginia Constitution, 1 T. Jefferson Papers,

" ... to disarm the people - that was the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
-- George Mason, 3 Elliot,

"And that the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress ... to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms.... "
--Samuel Adams

Of course to Sotomayer, and her ilk, these statements mean nothing. The only thing that matters is what can be parsed from earlier Supreme Court decisions. As there was a Protestant Revolution in the 16th C there will be a Constitutional Revolution. We must reinclude "Original Intent" or there will be no constitution left to defend.