Should I Have a Gun? Presidents Washington, Madison & Jefferson Think So!
@mythociate (21437)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
November 24, 2012 6:09pm CST
'What? Oh no they did not!' I hear you thinking (or is that just myself & the Voices 
), but The Presidents said so in the following statements:
"Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence. From the hour the Pilgrims landed, to the present day, events, occurrences and tendencies prove that to ensure peace, security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable. The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that's good." -- George Washington, Commanding General of the Continental Army, Father of Our Country and First President of the United States, Address to the 2nd Session, 1st Congress, 1789.
"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." -- Thomas Jefferson, Author of The Declaration of Independence, and President of the United States.
"The highest number to which a standing army can be carried in any country does not exceed one hundredth part of the souls, or one twenty-fifth part of the number able to bear arms. This portion would not yield, in the United States, an army of more than twenty-five or thirty thousand men. To these would be opposed a militia amounting to near half a million citizens with arms in their hands, officered by men chosen from among themselves, fighting for their common liberties and united and conducted by governments possessing their affections and confidence. It may well be doubted whether a militia thus circumstanced could ever be conquered by such a proportion of regular troops. Besides the advantage of being armed, it forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of. The governments of Europe are afraid to trust the people with arms. If they did, the people would surely shake off the yoke of tyranny, as America did. Let us not insult the free and gallant citizens of America with the suspicion that they would be less able to defend the rights of which they would be in actual possession than the debased subjects of arbitrary power would be to rescue theirs from the hands of their oppressors. -- James Madison, principal author of Constitution, principal writer of The Federalist Papers, President of the United States, Mainstream Revolutionary and Militant.
And other government-officials agreed:
"What, Sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. ...Whenever Governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins." - Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Member of the Constitutional Convention, spoken during floor debate over the Second Amendment, I Annals of Congress at 750, August 17, 1789
"It is not the function of the government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error." -- U.S. supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson
Now I really-really don't want to--really--but Oklahoma (the state I'm in) DID legalize 'open carry' (and I'm not talkin` `bout liquor). And I know I'll never be "licensed" to (due to the fact that they're not even sure how I'm still alive), but necessity may soon outgrow the limits of 'license!' (according to the officials above)
Help me remember why not!
), but The Presidents said so in the following statements:
"Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence. From the hour the Pilgrims landed, to the present day, events, occurrences and tendencies prove that to ensure peace, security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable. The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that's good." -- George Washington, Commanding General of the Continental Army, Father of Our Country and First President of the United States, Address to the 2nd Session, 1st Congress, 1789.
"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." -- Thomas Jefferson, Author of The Declaration of Independence, and President of the United States.
"The highest number to which a standing army can be carried in any country does not exceed one hundredth part of the souls, or one twenty-fifth part of the number able to bear arms. This portion would not yield, in the United States, an army of more than twenty-five or thirty thousand men. To these would be opposed a militia amounting to near half a million citizens with arms in their hands, officered by men chosen from among themselves, fighting for their common liberties and united and conducted by governments possessing their affections and confidence. It may well be doubted whether a militia thus circumstanced could ever be conquered by such a proportion of regular troops. Besides the advantage of being armed, it forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of. The governments of Europe are afraid to trust the people with arms. If they did, the people would surely shake off the yoke of tyranny, as America did. Let us not insult the free and gallant citizens of America with the suspicion that they would be less able to defend the rights of which they would be in actual possession than the debased subjects of arbitrary power would be to rescue theirs from the hands of their oppressors. -- James Madison, principal author of Constitution, principal writer of The Federalist Papers, President of the United States, Mainstream Revolutionary and Militant.
And other government-officials agreed:
"What, Sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. ...Whenever Governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins." - Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Member of the Constitutional Convention, spoken during floor debate over the Second Amendment, I Annals of Congress at 750, August 17, 1789
"It is not the function of the government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error." -- U.S. supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson
Now I really-really don't want to--really--but Oklahoma (the state I'm in) DID legalize 'open carry' (and I'm not talkin` `bout liquor). And I know I'll never be "licensed" to (due to the fact that they're not even sure how I'm still alive), but necessity may soon outgrow the limits of 'license!' (according to the officials above)
Help me remember why not!1 person likes this
1 response
@chrystalia (1208)
• Tucson, Arizona
25 Nov 12
Our Founders were big on the whole 2nd Amendment thing--an armed people is a free people. I own 2 weapons myself--an M-1 Garand, a Mosin Nagant Sniper, and a very unusual 20 gauge 3 shell shotgun, modified for the Spanish Revolution in 1923, from a Mauser. They are all older than me (thankfully), all work well. And they are for hunting food-- I don't shoot things I won't eat, or wear 
. The other half and the boys have an arsenal between them. All my personal defense weapons are, shall we say, more unusual.
Thomas Jefferson, by the way, almost LOST us the revolution-- read a book called Washington's War when you get the chance.
As to why not? Like I said, my philosophy is simple-- If I'm not eating it or wearing it, I won't kill it-- unless I absolutely have to. I'm a very pacifist agoraphobic-- every time in my life where I was forced to defend myself that I remember (and the ones I don't according to the other half and my boys) I tried to be polite. I tried to disengage. I pointed out, 3 times, that the other party involved was being anti-social and unproductive. When they just refused to be reasonable--I had to get rude. And in every case, neither the other half nor my boys could effectively demonstrate to me that having a handgun in my possession would have resulted in a different outcome in any substantive way. So I don't have one.
. The other half and the boys have an arsenal between them. All my personal defense weapons are, shall we say, more unusual.
Thomas Jefferson, by the way, almost LOST us the revolution-- read a book called Washington's War when you get the chance.
As to why not? Like I said, my philosophy is simple-- If I'm not eating it or wearing it, I won't kill it-- unless I absolutely have to. I'm a very pacifist agoraphobic-- every time in my life where I was forced to defend myself that I remember (and the ones I don't according to the other half and my boys) I tried to be polite. I tried to disengage. I pointed out, 3 times, that the other party involved was being anti-social and unproductive. When they just refused to be reasonable--I had to get rude. And in every case, neither the other half nor my boys could effectively demonstrate to me that having a handgun in my possession would have resulted in a different outcome in any substantive way. So I don't have one.
@mythociate (21437)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
25 Nov 12
Good stuff.
Reminds me why I get frustrated with people who think they have to "fight" S-T-N. Umm, hello? The guy's NAME is 'Adversary'; you 'fight' him, THAT MEANS HE WON! (i.e. he wants nothing more than for you to 'fight' him)
@chrystalia (1208)
• Tucson, Arizona
25 Nov 12
Actually, he wants to be able to talk people into siding with him. Never hurts to have company when you're causing problems. The doings of Angels are a personal interest of mine, for various reasons, and he's still a member of the Elect in that regard.
@mythociate (21437)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
29 Nov 12
I thought he was more about getting people to be AGAINST G*D (and--if that means they're 'on his side'--the better to solidify power against G*d).
Same reason The Joker won't ever just kill BatMan---he could blow up the whole world, if he wanted to; but he won't, because then he wouldn't have any more fun 
