of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions; To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress. With obvious purpose to assure the continuation and render possible the effectiveness of such forces, the declaration and guarantee of the Second Amendment were made. It must be interpreted and applied with that end in view (Hibbits)."
The Brady Center uses the fact that the Supreme Court ruled that Miller's shotgun was not for a militia-type purpose and that it therefore was not protected by the Second Amendment as part of their argument that the Second Amendment doesn't guarantee the right to own and carry firearms. The Supreme Court further explained that at the time the Second Amendment was adopted, Congress favored using the civilian population as the state militia for national defense rather than building an army of professional soldiers. The purpose of the Second Amendment was to support the national defense. Therefore, the only purpose for which owning and carrying a gun is protected under the
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