George Washington: "Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence."
James Madison: "The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation ... (where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms."
Alexander Hamilton: "If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is no recourse left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense which is paramount to all forms of positive government."
Richard Henry Lee: "To preserve liberty it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
Tench Coxe: "Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American. ... The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people."
George Mason: "Who are the militia? They consist of the whole people, except a few public officers."
Noah Webster: "The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword, because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops."
John Adams: "Resistance to sudden violence, for the preservation not only of my person, my limbs, and life, but of my property, is an indisputable right of nature which I have never surrendered to the public by the compact of society, and which perhaps, I could not surrender if I would."
Samuel Adams: "And that the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the Press, or the rights of Conscience; or to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms."
Benjamin Franklin: "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Thomas Jefferson: "No man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."
"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms... disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes... Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."
"And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
David Houle: "Today, 100 million American gun owners killed no one."
Jesus, according to Luke:22:36: Then said he unto them, ...and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
h/t McMike
9 comments:
The sad thing is that the current administration have no respect for the framers of the Constitution. Heck, they don't even respect the Constitution itself. Until we get rid of the bunch of bleeding heart liberals that are in there now we face an uphill battle.
In the Bill O'Rielly interview before the superbowl when asked is it disconcerting that so many people hate you? Oh, Obama said, I don't really think they hate me. Are you fricking kidding me? Worst prestdent ever!!!!
www.olhardireito.blogspot.com for more US politics
...and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
Or two.
I've only checked the George Washington quote, and it appears to be urban legend. The others probably are as well.
Anybody can attribute anything to anybody and give a source for it, but that doesn't make any of it true. The most common case is point are references to scriptures - when you try and find the quote in the bible, it isn't there.
Go to the kitchen, Skippy, and find a grain of salt. Take it.
The scripture is accurate.
Skippy
Anonymous 9:37,
Here is a link to the scriptures quote to help you out a little.http://bible.cc/luke/22-36.htm
Dear Skippy and Standing Strong:
You obviously didn't read my post very well.
I didn't say your biblical quote was inaccurate. I checked it out, and verified it, as a matter of fact - before I posted my comment.
My comment was directed to the quote attributed to George Washington.
My reference to many quotes attributed to the bible (again, not yours) that you find on the Internet cannot actually be found on the Internet in any version of any bible.
Someone decides to make a political point and cites a verse from the bible, i.e., Genesis 23:12 or whatever) to give it the appearance of validity (if not the direct, true and unalterable word of god). If you actually look up Genesis 23:12, the quote is no where to be found.
The point of my post was that you, Skippy, were making a political point regarding the right to bear arms, and lead it off with a statement allegedly made by George Washington. It was supposedly said in his address to the first Congress (his inaugural address?). I also found it attributed to his second inaugural address.
The verbiage and style of the "quote" did not reek of 1776. It sounded modern. So I read the first address from George's own notes, and the quote was not there. When I Googled the statement, all I got were hits from websites that indicated it has been attributed to Washington, but there is no written record of his ever having said it; i.e., urban legend.
So, in conclusion, if you want to be taken seriously, you should at least research what you're using to support your position, and see if it's true.
I own several guns (grew up with them in fact) and am licensed to carry a concealed weapon (which I hardly ever do). I wouldn't want to give them up, and if a law was passed requiring me to do so, I probably wouldn't comply.
On the other hand, I see no reason for ordinary citizens (read "criminals") to have access to assault weapons, either semi or full auto.
I think the best way to get around the problem is to follow Chris Rock's advice: make bullets illegal.
Anonymous 9:37
And here's another example: the quote attributed to George Mason (I also found it attributed to Tench Coxe)
In an address to the Virginia Ratifying Convention of 1788, Mason is said to have said:
"No man has a greater regard for the military gentlemen than I have. I admire their intrepidity, perseverance, and valour. But when once a standing army is established, in any country, the people lose their liberty. When against a regular and disciplined army, yeomanry are the only defence — yeomanry, unskillful & unarmed, what chance is there for preserving freedom? Give me leave to recur to the page of history, to warn you of your present danger.
Recollect the history of most nations of the world. What havock, desolation, and destruction, have been perpetrated by standing armies? An instance within the memory of some of this house, — will shew us how our militia may be destroyed. Forty years ago, when the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British parliament was advised by an artful man, [Sir William Keith] who was governor of Pennsylvania, to disarm the people. That it was the best and most effectual way to enslave them. But that they should not do it openly; but to weaken them and let them sink gradually, by totally difusing and neglecting the militia. [Here MR. MASON quoted sundry passages to this effect.]
This was a most iniquitous project. Why should we not provide against the danger of having our militia, our real and natural strength, destroyed?
June 14
Mr. Chairman — A worthy member has asked, who are the militia, if they be not the people, of this country, and if we are not to be protected from the fate of the Germans, Prussians, &c. by our representation? I ask who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers. But I cannot say who will be the militia of the future day. If that paper on the table gets no alteration, the militia of the future day may not consist of all classes, high and low, and rich and poor; but may be confined to the lower and middle classes of the people, granting exclusion to the higher classes of the people.
If we should ever see that day, the most ignominious punishments and heavy fines may be expected. Under the present government all ranks of people are subject to militia duty."
So he was an advocate of NOT having a formal army to protect the nation and to this end, the ordinary people must remain armed to ensure the Federal government does not enslave them.
And what's the chance of that happening? Really.
If every American had an assault rifle, and kept it in his closet until the Feds descended upon us, then yeah, we should all have them, assuming our government would do such a thing. And we know from (recent) past experience the combined force of our army, navy, marines and air force cannot put down an armed insurgency, even in backward countries where they're fighting with sticks.
Oh, hell - maybe every man, woman and child over the age of nine should be REQUIRED to carry an AK-47 slung over their shoulder whenever they leave the house. We could even provide them with designer bandeleros so they look nice. Yeah, that's it ... that oughta work.
And even your biblical reference, in support of the right to bear arms, is taken out of context.
Refer to http://www.answering-islam.org/Authors/Arlandson/luke_22_36.htm
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