Some people may not know this but on top of 2A at the Federal Level there all 50 states go further to define explicitly the right to defend yourself in their constitutions. A lot of these states are violating their own state constitutions which is a violation of civil rights and the states own residents should sue at a state level.
Some states like California only defend the right in the home:
Article I, Section 12
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, in the home, shall not be infringed.
Here is a list of all states that have a right to self-defense in their constitutions:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
The right to self-defense is a fundamental right that is recognized by the United States Constitution and the constitutions of all 50 states. This right allows individuals to use force to protect themselves from harm, including deadly force if necessary. The specific laws governing self-defense vary from state to state, but the general principle is that individuals have the right to use force to protect themselves from harm, even if that means using deadly force.
Here are the states and territories that do not have a right to self-defense in their constitutions:
- District of Columbia
- Guam
- Puerto Rico
- U.S. Virgin Islands
The District of Columbia is a federal district and is not a state. Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are U.S. territories and are not states. These jurisdictions do not have their own constitutions and are subject to the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Constitution does not explicitly mention a right to self-defense. However, the Supreme Court has ruled that the right to self-defense is a fundamental right that is protected by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.