Second Amendments Documents Book now available
Elderslie Press, which is the publishing imprint of our magazine contributing editor Harwood Loomis, has announced the publication of a major collection of historical documents that, together, help to understand the genealogy and meaning of the Second Amendment. This book was a huge research undertaking, which came about because there are so many misunderstandings and misconceptions about the origins and the true meaning of the Second Amendment … even among pro-gun people.
Beginning with the Magna Carta, Mr. Loomis uses the text of actual historical documents to trace the gradual transition of England from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy, and to show how the English system of parliamentary government evolved. How many Americans know, for example, that the British had a bill of rights a century before the drafting of the American Bill of Rights? The Framers of the American Constitution knew -- they were, after all, British subjects, and many of them were lawyers, so they certainly knew the history of individual rights in England. In fact, a key factor that led to the American Revolution was the realization by the colonies that they were not being allowed the same rights that English citizens at home were being given.
After tracing the origins of the Bill of Rights, Mr. Loomis then adds post-Revolutionary texts to document the evolution of "gun rights" and limitations in American history. Is the National Guard really the militia of which the Second Amendment speaks? This book includes the multiple versions of the Militia Acts, as well as the several versions of the National Defense Acts that created the National Guard and made the National Guard an integral part of the Army of the United States. He also includes the National Firearms Act of 1934, the Gun Control Act of 1968, and the infamous Miller decision by the Supreme Court.
Mr. Loomis has also found and included two influential but little-known documents that both explain why the Second Amendment means that the right to keep and bear arms is an individual right. The first is a 1982 report created by a joint Congressional subcommittee; the second is a massively footnoted 2004 report written by the Department of Justice at the request of the Attorney General. If you have ever needed a source for documentation on the right to keep and bear arms, the 2004 DOJ report has the citations … and Mr. Loomis has assembled most of the documents referred to in that report into this book.
For anyone who has questions about the Second Amendment, or who needs better documentation to refute the arguments of gun control activists, this book is a one-stop library of essential references pertaining to the Second Amendment.
Available now in paperback from Amazon at
https://www.amazon.com/Right-Keep-Be...s=books&sr=1-1
and also from Barnes & Noble at
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the...=9781736443439
Mr. Loomis asked us to note that the price should be $29.99 on both sites. Currently, the Barnes & Noble site is showing $24.99 -- we don't know if you can actually buy it for that price, but it's worth a try.
Mr. Loomis has indicated that a hardcover edition should be available soon, through Barnes & Noble. He said he is also working on an e-book version, but that won't be available for "awhile" due to technical issues.
For the M1911.ORG Team,
The Rule Keeper
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