[prottog]

> And it's a "well regulated militia", not a free for all.

I think it's intended to be closer to the latter than the former.

The text of the second amendment is: "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".

If as an analogue you said, "A well stocked Library being necessary to the education of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Books, shall not be infringed", would you support the idea that only accredited librarians could have books?

Besides, the "militia" includes every able-bodied male between 17 and 45.

[anonymouskimmer]

As I said below, this really depends on whether "the people" was intended as singular, or plural.

In the bill of rights itself we have two very similar amendments (the 1st and 2nd) that are phrased differently despite being about universal rights. And unfortunately the 1st has often enough been interpreted by the courts as a collective right, not a singular right, and that can't all hang on the collective meaning of the word "assemble". "or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"

> Besides, the "militia" includes every able-bodied male between 17 and 45.

Under current federal statute, but this can easily be changed.