If the "Founding Fathers" had known what was going to happen.......NO AMENDMENT 2...

[bucolic_frolic]

3. The right to self-defense was a known issue during the Enlightenment as far back as Hobbes

Surely there were criminals in the cities in the 1700s, and self-defense was necessary in rural areas against hostile natives and wildlife.

That amendment has been parsed and parsed.

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

The militia part we understand. Firearms kept at home and subject to call-up to defend the country. Arms is a broad term, and capitalized. Wonder what THAT meant. In the broadest sense arms could mean anything, from steak knives to mace to battle-axe to shoulder fired rocket launchers to tanks.

So we're left with "keep and bear". Keep. Own. Bear. A show of force against criminality. The Enlightenment mind took a very positive view of human nature. Arms would be used for good things, to keep peace, to apprehend criminals. Note they didn't say "use". So it was meant as deterrent rather than unregulated license. There's the problem. We're past deterrent. We're into anarchy and malice.
Hope some judge draws that distinction sometime.