Civilian weaponry doesn't stop or prevent the government from taking rights. Civilian weapons do, however, provide civilians with means to defend themselves from a tyrannical government. The framers of the Constitution felt that civilian gun ownership was necessary to serve as a blockade between themselves and those who wish to do them harm. Those wishing to infringe upon the right to bear arms are seen as threatening the civilian population by slowly and methodically disarming it. Before you go and say, " [b] But guise, you can't do anything against tanks, and infantry,artillery, etc etc."[/b] We could , we can, and most likely will should such a government try to come to power. The US has arguably the mightiest military force the world has aver seen, and while greatly lethal against organized military installations like a normal country, it is highly ineffective against guerrilla warfare tactics. Want proof? Look no further than the Vietnam War. What a miserable failure that was.