Judge Sotomayor's approach to the 2nd Amendment is not just off base in that she thinks it is not a fundamental right. She seems to also think it is granted by the 2nd Amendment, not enumerated by it.

Rights are not given to us by the government, to be taken away at will. Those are privileges. Rights are inherent. They exist whether government recognizes them or not. They only count if we stand up for them. In the end, it is not a right if you're not willing to die for it. Because if you're not willing to die to protect it, then you have agreed that the government can take it away, and have turned it into a privilege yourself.

That doesn't mean we go to the wall over every infringement. In a constitutional republic, we have other means and they should be exhausted. The Declaration of Independence recognizes this basic fact. It was only after long suffering and years of failed attempts at redress before such a drastic step was taken.

So I'm not saying we pick up our AKs and roar into Washington every time Schumer or Feinstein says something stupid. There are plenty of armchair ninjas to hold down that fort. :-)