If I have the right to bear arms why can't I have an rocket launcher or M-16?

It seems that I should be able to have the best arms technology affords me, what about felons don't they have rights as well?

And what about Satan worshipers? Don't they have the right to animal/human sacrifices?
None of our rights are absolute. Each one of them is weighed against the public good and balanced against the good that having the right produces. . Even our freedom of speech can be infringed upon in some rare cases.
You can have them, you just will get arrested.
The second amendment to the Constitution reads:

'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.'

If you want to tote a rocket launcher or an M-16, join a well regulated militia (e.g. the Military) and protect our freedoms.

And to answer your satanist question... Go ahead and have your animal/human sacrifices, but be prepeared to deal with the potential of animal cruelty/murder charges.
u can have a M-16 and not get in trouble my uncle has like 3 of them
When will Americans sit down and really read their own Constitution. It does not say what the NRA says it does, or at least only in part. They have successfully lied to you over these many years about your so-called right to bear arms.
Don't believe me - read it for yourself - if you can.
felons lost their rights when they committed the crime.

And lets be for real. What would you do with a rocket launcher except put your eye out with it...
Because the government wants to slowly remove your ability to defend yourself from the government that gave you the right in the first place.

If you can not change the constitution, warp the meaning until it means what you want.
just what would you need a rocket launcher and m 16 for if yu could get one. quail hunting?
Are you nuts or born without brains, it sounds like both to me!
Do you know how to launch a rocket or M-16. Be honest , do
you.
No felons do not have the right to bear arms in most cases. At least they cannot buy new weapons.

Satan Worshipers have the same rights that all American Citizens have in the US. Our constitution provides for freedom of religion without persecution. They do not however have the right to animal sacrifice due to animal rights and animal cruelty laws.

as far as automatic weapons, you do have the right to own them for specific uses, but not to just carry around in your car. Missle launchers and other high explosives has restrictions on them barring them from privte ownership in most cases. Collectors though can own in some cases.
You can't own anything that is illegal. Automatic weapons of any kind are illegal. You have the right to bear [legal] arms.

And no, they don't. The LAW protects humans and animals.

It doesn't matter what you think you have a right to - the law must be kept. period.


Answers:
The right to bear arms is a collective right, not an individual right, so the government can place some restrictions on it for public safety and welfare.

As to your question on religion, expression (whether religious or otherwise) can also be limited. However, the Supreme Court has struggled with questions like animal sacrifice. They have upheld some laws banning animal sacrifice, usually only if they were not specifically passed targeting a religious group. But our government goes further than any other government in the world to allow religious freedom. Certain Indians who have proven that it is part of their religious culture are allowed to smoke illegal drugs, for example.
America gives you the right to bare arms, but within certain guidelines. For instance, they won't let you have something like an M4A1, as that weapon is used mostly for war or larger arms battles. Remember the north hollywood shoot out, 2 men armed with AKs on full auto and 200 round drums, they held an entire PD for awhile. Automatic weapons can do allot of damage. One person could cause havok on a major scale, the governmet thinks thats too much power for a private citizen to have. And they might be right. Because a plan ol ak can go through most standard police body armor (3A and lower), and I don't think they'd be too happy if we had weapons that could penetrate their vest with little problem. They give us pea shoots like handguns. And not to say handguns cant and don't kill. But if we had automatic weapons, all the handgun deaths would have been on a much larger scale.
because you don't have any rights, there just fakes
Here now is a question that creates many more questions. By removing the right to own a rocket launcher or fully automatic firearm the government sets precedence that allows them to further thwart our rights concerning weapons. If everyone who owned guns were responsible with them then none of us would need to worry about the safety of our children because the neighbor has a rocket launcher. I personally would be concerned about some of my neighbors reasons for owning that type of weapon. The question is simply this: Do we, as the people of the United States, allow total freedom to the right bear arms even if that right endangers the well fare of the people as a whole? The 2nd amendment was created so that the people could have the weapons needed to overthrow a too powerful central government if force was necessary. For the people to raise against a tyrannical government or a government that refused to be subject to the will of the voting people. Our government wishes to remove that right and one would need to question why they would want for that?
Understanding our rights is not just understanding the words. It's about understanding the reasoning behind them. I know you're joking but I just thought I would throw my 2 cents in.

And felons lose many of their rights. They violated the sanctity of a nation that afforded rights to them special rights in the first place and part of society's punishment is taking some of their rights away.
Your cutesy examples of 'firearms' are actually indiscriminate weapons. There's a thin line between how accurate you can be with a rocket launcher or a fully automatic M-16 and a semi-automatic pistol or rifle.

BTW, you CAN own an M-16. It's called an AR-15, and you simply can't own the fully automatic version. I believe you can own it with a three-shot burst, though.

As far as felons, it's probably only because someone convicted of a violent crime can reasonably be suspected of doing it again.

As for those poor Satan worshipers, you're talking about a public-health issue in many cases. Proper storage of freshly butchered meat is important, after all.