Val, the 2nd Amendment has two concepts. The first, having to do with Militias, refers to civilian militias. There was no National Guard when the 2nd Amendment was written. Its purpose is to protect against government tyranny.
The second concept, "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed", is what provides for individual citizens to bear arms to protect their life and property. This is what allows RMW 1 to protect his boat from criminals.
The 2nd Amendment is both a collective right of the civilian population to form a militia and an individual right to keep and bear arms to protect private interests. The language "the rights of the people shall not be infringed" is used through out the Bill of Rights and this language has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court as being an individual right. Over time there has been a distinction drawn regarding military weapons like fully automatic assault rifles which have been banned since the early 1930s. There are also Constitutional provisions against using Federal troops and weapons against citizens, which has been violated in the past by both political parties. But RMW was not a vigilante, he did not have a military weapon and he was protecting his freedoms under the Constitution.
I would think that you left Russia because of a tyrannical government that persecuted your family, stole your property, maybe killed your family members or relatives and did not provide you individual protections. If there were a Constitution and a Bill of Rights in Russia that included a 2nd Amendment, you would probably still be in Russia. Russia is your home, your birthplace and the foundation of all of your early traditions and values. You did not leave Russia willingly, you left because of its government. America has benefitted from people like you coming here for freedom. This site is full of people just like you who love their homeland but want to be free. Supporting our Constitution and Bill of Rights is a responsibility we all share and if we do so, this country will be our last stop on our search for freedom.

RMW, for the record, the courts have upheld that if a man's domicile is his boat, he has every legal right to protect it, as it is his home, more so than just a "standard" piece of presonnal property.

Buckie, I think you're one of my new board demi-gods: ever consider using some paragraph inserts so you may elevate yourself to full-god status? (I still want to nominate that thread you had about Milfoil for "Post of the Year"!)

Baitrunner, No, I did not take your post as a slight but thank you for your concern and courtesy.

I too was thinking about the 4th and the situation that RMW 1 was confronted with. Sure seems they go hand-in-hand.

Supreme court? That sounds great! But, no thank you. I am going to retire in a short time and unless I am fishing or cutting firewood, I don't plan on doing much of anything except target shooting.

DB, If he expected you to take care of him, he must have been a liberal Democrat!

By the by, I, too, am always collecting and splitting firewood for the old woodstove. While I'm getting a little "long in the tooth" for splitting, it is great exercise, and a good way to vent frustrations; especially after reading some of the drivel here!