-Caveat Lector- www.devvy.com/arm.html#SOFC It's no accident that a country can be most free and most armed Charley Reese of The Sentinel Staff Published in The Orlando Sentinel, Jan 31 1999 Do you believe that people have a right to overthrow the government with force and violence? If you say no, then you need to study your American history. The basic premise of the American Revolution, beautifully spelled out in the Declaration of Independence, is that people have not only the right but, under certain circumstances, the duty to overthrow a government. Let's examine what is the true American philosophy as spelled out in that document. In the first paragraph, it is stated that "laws of nature and of nature's God" entitle people to assume a separate and equal station among the powers of the Earth. In other words, self-determination. In the second paragraph the basic premises of the Revolution are laid out: 1. All men are created equal and endowed by God with unalienable rights; 2. governments are instituted to secure these rights; 3. the only just authority of any government is the consent of the governed; 4. when any form of government becomes destructive of these ends (protecting rights and governing only by consent), people have a right to alter or abolish it. The third paragraph states that it is prudent not to change governments for light or frivolous reasons, but when a long train of abuses and usurpations show a clear design to reduce people to despotism, " . . . it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such a government." When you understand this, then it becomes crystal clear why the right of private citizens to keep and bear arms is included in the Bill of Rights. A just government, securing the people's rights and acting with their consent, has no need to fear an armed citizenry. James Madison, in refuting a European friend's pessimistic view of America, boasted, "unlike your governments, we are not afraid for our citizens to have arms." I have called the right to keep and bear arms the canary of American liberty because when government seeks to disarm its citizens, it plainly intends to take away their freedom. No movement in America should so alarm Americans as the gun-control movement, because its true aim has nothing to do with crime but everything to do with disarming honest and decent Americans. Machiavelli, the first and smartest of the political advisers, once said of the Swiss that they were "the most armed and most free people in Europe." That is still true. And it is no accident that liberty and private arms co-exist in the same country. A small percentage of people will abuse the right to keep and bear arms, just as all rights and privileges are abused. So what. A little crime is a small price to pay for freedom. Many wise men have warned that those who prefer security to liberty will lose both. You think that criminals are bad? You don't know what bad is until you're the victim of a criminal government. You should talk to people who have lived under criminal governments and survived before you swallow the bilge being poured down your throat by Handgun Control Inc. and its lapdogs in the press. And remember, rights come from God, not from government. The Constitution does not grant anyone any rights. It merely acknowledges already-existing rights. The American citizen does not owe the government for his rights. The government owes him the duty to protect his rights. We are a free people by the grace of God. We are governed with our consent for the sake of convenience. Too many politicians are arrogant to suit me. They should remember that not all Americans have been Europeanized. The flame of liberty may be turned low, but it has scorched more than one despot and can flame forth again. [Posted 01/30/1999 6:54 PM EST] DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
