Gun control advocates often cite the phrase “well regulated militia”, making the argument that ordinary citizens are not members of the U.S. Armed Forces and therefore 2nd Amendment rights do not apply. To fully understand the rights guaranteed to the citizenry by the 2nd Amendment, I think it’s important to define “Militia”.
Wikipedia defines “militia” as “a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. ”
In 2008, the Supreme Court decided that the right to keep and bear arms as it is stated in the 2nd amendment applies to the individual. I believe that means “citizenship” in and of itself and qualifies the individual as a member of a “well regulated militia”. It is therefore a right of the people that the government cannot regulate either at the federal, state, or local level.