How do the rules of English inform understanding of one of our language's most disputed sentences?

Question

Yes, historical context is important, but forget it for a moment. Taken at face value, what does the text mean? > 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. Is the leading clause an essential modifier or an absolute phrase? **This is not a political question!** Justify your answer with appeals to rules of English usage. What say you, grammarians?

Answer 1

The 18th-century comma style confuses things a bit. If we ignore it we have an absolute participial phrase equivalent to an adverbial causal clause: "Since a well-regulated Militia is necessary to the security of a free State," [therefore] etc.

So the participial phrase is both absolute (having its own subject and predicate) and an essential modifier (giving the reason for the article).