From the March 2006 Idaho Observer:

Whose 2nd Amendment rights shall not be infringed?

Norman David Somerville is serving time in federal prison for violating some gun law though he did not use guns in the commission of a real crime. Is he "guilty" of a criminal act or wrongfully imprisoned? The answer depends upon whether or not the U.S. Constitution is the law of the land and if the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution confers individuals’ rights to keep and bear (possess) firearms or grants a collective right for the states to keep, bear and possess firearms. In pursuit of a definitive answer for contemporary times, Somerville has been methodically building a portfolio of evidence to prove his belief that the Second Amendment confers an individual right for citizens to keep, possess and bear arms. He has organized an impressive compilation of his evidence into a bound volume. Soon, he plans to forward copies of the evidence to members of the federal judiciary. But first, he wants to collect from members of Congress their answers to a simple question: "Whose rights to keep and bear arms are guaranteed by the Second Amendment: Those of law-abiding citizens individually or those of the states generally?" We have been corresponding with Somerville on this project and his plans have been carefully considered. We expect a definitive point of law will result from this 2nd Amendment project where previous attempts have merely generated political opinions.

THE UNMISTAKABLE TYRANNY PROJECT

This project aims to reconcile the difference between what our U.S. congressmen, U.S. senators, U.S. presidents, history books and media commentators over the first 150 years or more of our national history have said regarding the meaning of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution versus what the federal judges are now claiming. Is the Second Amendment conferring an "individual" right to the People, or is it granting a "collective" right to the states and NO RIGHTS whatsoever to the People to possess arms? Please contribute to this project by writing ALL U.S. senators and representatives in your state and ask them the following question:

"Does the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution confer an individual right to the People to keep and bear (possess) firearms or does the Second Amendment only grant to the several states a collective right to keep and bear (possess) firearms?"

Please forward good quality copies of your query letters and the congressional reply letters to:

N. David Somerville

c/o PO Box 940

Worthington, Ohio 43085.

Your reply will be used as evidence to resolve this question. Anyone who already has a letter from a U.S. senator or representative which clearly states that the Second Amendment confers an individual right to the People is urgently requested to send good quality copies to the address indicated. Please do your part to contribute to this project to restore the rights granted to the People. Your efforts will benefit all the People. Thank you for your Patriotism.

~Norman David Somerville

[Note: This letter, on Idaho Observer letterhead, was also sent 3/13/06 to the rest of the Idaho congressional delegation: Sen. Mike Crapo, Rep. Butch Otter and Rep. Mike Simpson. (DWH)]