By MARJORY C. DIEHL Once upon a time in the 1770s a group of
intelligent men decided to write a group of rules for a new
country they would call The United States of America. They were
not only statesmen, they were also politicians which had a lot
to do with the final results of the paper they presented to the
Continental Congress for adoption. They thought the most
important issues of the time were freedom of speech and freedom
of religion. The next thing to concern them was the right - and
necessity - to bear arms. Without a standing army, civil defense
was the work of civilians. Of course everyone was not included.
There were certain rules. You must be a freeman (not a woman!)
of good character, white, and a landowner. And what was your
choice of weapons? You might own a set of dueling pistols to
protect your honor, in case anyone besmirched it. Hamilton and
Burr stood on a hill and took potshots at each other and we all
know what happened to Hamilton, don't we? Or you could own a
musket to shoot the Briti