Useful Quotes: (for banning handguns)

Handgun-Free America ^

[mc5cents]

Great compilation of quotes GunRunner. Thanks. Bookmarked for posterity.

[marktwain]

"Ultimately, a civilized society must disarm its citizenry if it is to have a modicum of domestic tranquility of the kind enjoyed by sister democracies such as Canada and Britain. Given the frontier history and individualist ideology of the United States, however, this will not come easily." - Charles Krauthammer, columnist, "Disarm the Citizenry".

This quote is from an article where he praises the "Assault Weapon Ban", because, while it does nothing to reduce crime, it gets Americans used to the idea that the government should decide who has guns or not.

He gives no rational for his statement that a civilized society must disarm its citizenry. A clear current counterexample is Switzerland.

This statement flys in the face of most of history, where many civilizations started down the road to tyranny after they disarmed their citizens.

Machiavelli (a source I rate higher than Krauthammer) says in The Prince "When you disarm your subjects, however, you offend them by showing that either from cowardliness or lack of faith, you distrust them; and either conclusion will induce them to hate you"

[Imagine]

Civilian Employees of the goverment are obvious -- after all, they ARE working a 35 or 40 hour week, aren't they? This includes teachers as well, however, the protection of tenure for all teachers should be eliminated forthwith, and the requirement that teachers be educated and proficient in the area they are teaching should not only be expected, but mandated.

[Hot Tabasco]

I thought it was a good point but wonder what some counter arguments are?

All the arguments by the founding fathers explaining in depth their logic behind the 2nd Amendment can be found in the Federalist Papers.

[Swordmaker]

If the founding fathers were writing the bill of rights today, I'm certain that we would find the following: "Any individual whose housing, food or medical treatment is subsidized by the state or whose children is supported by allowances provided by the state shall be prohibited from voting in any local, state or federal election." Or something to that effect...

Actually it WAS there! The original franchise was limited to Property Owning Men... hardly people who would be dependent on the government for the support of their children. Note that this was before the concept of corporate welfare, crop subsidies, oil depletion allowances, etc., was created making even property owners capable of getting government support.

[m1911]

Not by the Constitution. Franchise was generally left to the states, at least until the 14th amendment when denying it to males over 21 would reduce representation. Later the 19th Amendment overrode any state laws against women voting, then the boomers moved the age to 18. The original Constitution and Bill of Rights are pretty silent about who will be allowed the vote.

[Imagine]

Yes, I am aware of the property owning requirement. Today, I'd be happy to see one have to bring in their W2 statement to prove gainful employment for the year before they could vote. We simply have too many sponges living in this country because it's easier to go ask for food and shelter than is is to get up in the morning and go to work.

[IYAS9YAS]

Not true in every case. I am a civilian employee of the government at state level. I do not vote to raise taxes. I know how things work. The less everyone has to spend because of taxes, the less revenue everyone makes (including the state). Those who say their budgets can't be cut anymore have never had to eat Top Ramen for a month straight to get by.

[JavaTheHutt]

"The strongest reason for people to retain the right to keep and bare arms, is as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." --Thomas Jefferson

[m1911]

Another one from last night. It's been busy lately.

[CodeToad]

An old thread but timeless. We’re right back at this again.