-Caveat Lector-
On 25 Sep 2001 at 13:59, William Shannon wrote:
. * Webster's Dictionary, 1913 [underlining added]. **
> > Roget's Thesaurus, 1911, search results for "somber"
[underlining
> > added].
> >
>
> Now it appears that the somber reaction of President Bush is
perhaps more
> revealing than at first glimpse. If the President "briefly turned
somber"
> and "spoke briefly and somberly about the terrorist attacks," then
the
> reporters were describing both his demeanor and speech as being
shadowy,
> obscure, dark, unreal, without light, and suspicious. Was this a
mistaken
> word of description, or were they accurately reporting what they
saw and
> observed?
>
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary
I guarantee this is more current than the 1913 version you quoted.
I'm sure it isn't news to you that the meanings of words changes
over time.
Main Entry: som·ber
Variant(s): or som·bre /'säm-b&r/
Function: adjective
Etymology: French sombre
Date: 1760
1 : so shaded as to be dark and gloomy
**2 a : of a serious mien : GRAVE b : of a dismal or depressing
character : MELANCHOLY c : conveying gloomy suggestions or
ideas **
3 : of a dull or heavy cast or shade : dark colored
- som·ber·ly adverb
- som·ber·ness noun
My assessment is that the writer was describing his speech and
demeanor as serious, grave (maybe even melancholy). --
Best Wishes
Men are whipped oftenest who are whipped easiest. -Fredrick
Douglass
Most people who are murdered worldwide each year did not have
access to
a firearm. Be safe, pick one up today & join the NRA!
Most reporters are very sympathetic to gun-control agendas and will
skew
or lie outright about facts to promote them. - DENNIS CAUCHON,
USA TODAY
No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.
-Thomas Jefferson, Proposed Virginia Constitution (1776).
No kingdom can be secured otherwise than by arming the people.
The
possession of arms is the distinction between a freeman and a
slave. He
who has nothing, and who himself belongs to another, must be
defended by
him, whose property he is, and needs no arms. But he, who things
he is
his own master, and has what he can call his own, ought to have
arms to
defend himself, and what he possesses; also he lives precariously,
and
at discretion.
-James Burgh, Political Disquisitions: Or, an Enquiry into Public
Errors, Defects, and Abuses, London, 1774
None but an armed nation can dispense with a standing army. To
keep ours
armed and disciplined is therefore at all times important.
-Thomas Jefferson, Third President of the United States, 1803
Not everyone with a gun is a bad guy. Not everyone without one is a
good guy. A bad guy without a gun can still do a hell of a lot of
damage. A good guy without a gun can't always stop it from
happening.
- Arthur C. Clarke & Michael Kube-McDowell in The Trigger, 1999,
p. 441
(paperback edition)
One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have
occasion for
them.
-Thomas Jefferson, Third President of the United States To George
Washington, 1796
One of the ordinary modes, by which tyrants accomplish their
purpose
without resistance is, by disarming the people, and making it an
offense
to keep arms. -Joseph Story, U.S. Supreme Court Justice, 1811 -
1845
People who object to weapons aren't abolishing violence, they're
begging
for rule by brute force, when the biggest, strongest animals among
them
were always automatically 'right.' Guns ended that, and social
democracy
is a hollow farce without an armed populace to make it work.
-L. Neil Smith, _The Probability Broach_
Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.
-Mao Tse-Tung (1893-1976)
Q. What do you call a society where the government has all the
guns?
A. A "police state".
Quemadmoeum gladis nemeinum occidit, occidentis telum est ("A
sword is
never a killer, it's a tool in the killer's hands")
~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca "the younger" ca.(4 BC - 65 AD)
R.J. Rummel's book, Death by Government (ISBN 1-56000-145-3),
reveals
that during the 20th Century, in countries where "only the police and
military" may own military-style assault weapons, about 4,650
innocent
citizens were killed PER DAY by their OWN police and military.
Hmmm....
Even after adjusting for the fact that the U.S. is only about 1/25th
the
world population, and even if you include all other firearms (which
are
much more commonly used by criminals than the 'evil' assault
weapons), a
20th Century Earthling still was about five times more likely to be
killed by his government, than by a criminal. Failure to grasp this
simple truth reveals that the "enlightened" among us who want to
compromise, and develop "reasonable" further gun control laws...
~ Anonymous
Rifles, muskets, long-bows and hand-grenades are inherently
democratic
weapons. A complex weapon makes the strong stronger, while a
simple
weapon -- so long as there is no answer to it -- gives claws to the
weak. ~ George Orwell
Taking a long view of history, we may say that anyone who lays
down his
arms deserves whatever he gets. -Jeff Cooper
That don't bring nobody to mind. A funny lip?" --someone.
"Wasn't always like that. I shot 'im in it." --John Wayne.
"In the lower lip? What was you aimin' at?" --someone.
"His upper lip." --John Wayne.
-from _True Grit_
[The American Colonies are] all democratic governments, where
the power
is in the hands of the people and where there is not the least
difficulty or jealousy about putting arms into the hands of every man
in
the country. [European countries should not] be ignorant of the
strength and the force of such a form of government and how
strenuously
and almost wonderfully people living under one have sometimes
exerted
themselves in defense of their rights and liberties and how fatally it
quarrels, wars and contests with them.
-George Mason, United States Congress
>From Remarks on Annual Elections for the Fairfax Independent
Company
quoted from the Papers of George Mason, 1725-1792 edited by
Robert A.
Rutland, 1970
The balance of power is the scale of peace. The same balance
would be
preserved were all the world destitute of arms, for all would be alike;
but since some will not, others dare not lay them aside. Horrid
mischief
would ensue were one half the world deprived of the use of them;
the
weak would become prey to the strong. - Thomas Paine
The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they
be
properly armed.
-Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers at 184-8.
The Constitution of most of our states, and of the United States,
assert
that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by
themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.
-Thomas Jefferson, Third President of the United States
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.
-James Madison, United States Congressman, The Federalist #46
The danger (where there is any) from armed citizens, is only to the
government, not to the society; as long as they have nothing to
revenge
in the government (which they cannot have while it is in their own
hands) there are many advantages in their being accustomed to the
use of
arms and no possible disadvantage.
-J. Barlow, Advice to the Privileged Orders in the Several States of
Europe: Resulting From the Necessity and Propriety of a General
Revolution in the Principle of Government, 1792
The great object is that every man be armed and everyone who is
able may
have a gun.
~~Patrick Henry
Virginia Convention on the ratification of the Constitution.
The gun-control movement is driven by raw emotion. Facts are
irrelevant.
Logic is spurned. Utter nonsense is solemnly intoned. It's little
wonder
that our most emotive president has made gun control his signature
domestic issue. ~ Don Feder
The people are not to be disarmed of their weapons. They are left in
full
possession of them.
--Zachariah Johnson
3 Elliot, Debates at 646.
The right of bearing arms for a lawful purpose is not a right granted
by
the Constitution; neither is it in any manner dependent upon that
instrument for its existence. -U.S. vs Cruikshan
The right of self-defense is the first law of nature; in most
governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right
within
the narrowest possible limits...and [when] the right of the people to
keep and bear arms is, under any color or pretext whatsoever,
prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of
destruction.
-George Tucker, Virginia Supreme Court Justice
In I Blackstone COMMENTARIES Sir George Tucker Ed., pg. 300
(App.),
1803
The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been
considered as the palladium of the liberties of a republic; since it
offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary
power
by rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the first
instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them.
- Joseph Story in his noted work, - "Commentaries on the
Constitution."
The right of the people to keep and bear arms has been recognized
by the
Central Government; but the best security of that right after all is,
the military spirit, that taste for martial exercises, which has always
distinguished the free citizens of these states...Such men form the
best
barrier to the usurpation of the liberties of America.
-Gazette of the United States, October 14, 1789
The 2nd amendment was never intended to allow private citizens to
'keep
and bear arms.' If it had, there would have been wording such as
'the
right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.'
-Ken Konecki, July 27, 1992
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, proposed Virginia constitution, June 1776.
1 Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 (C. J. Boyd, Ed., 1950)
The supposed quietude of a good man allures the ruffian; while on
the
other hand, arms like laws discourage and keep the invader and the
plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as
property.
The same balance would be preserved were all the world destitute
of
arms, for all would be alike; but since some will not, others dare not
lay them aside...Horrid mischief would ensue were one half the
world
deprived the use of them.
-Thomas Paine, "Thoughts on Defensive War," Pennsylvania
Magazine, July,
1775.
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...
-Noah Webster
An Examination into the Leading Principals of the Federal
Constitution
Proposed by the Late Convention, 1787
The tank, the B-52, the fighter-bomber, the state contolled police
are
the weapons of dictatorship. The Rifle is the weapon of
democracy...
If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the
police, the secret police, the military, and the hired servants of our
rulers. Only the government and a few outlaws. I intend to be
among
the outlaws. -Edward Abbey.
The underlying principle behind today's government is guys with
guns.
The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere
restrains evil
interference -- they deserve a place of honor with all that is good.
-George Washington, First President
They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety.
-Benjamin Franklin, Statesman and Inventor, 1759
This declaration of rights, I take it, is intended to secure the people
against the maladministration of the Government, if we could
suppose
that in all cases, the rights of the people would be attended to, the
occasion for guards of this kind would be removed. Now, I am
apprehensive, sir, that this clause would give an opportunity to the
people in power to destroy the Constitution itself. They can declare
who
are those religiously scrupulous, and prevent them from bearing
arms.
-Elbridge Gerry, Signer of Declaration of Independence,
Massachusetts
Congressman, Vice President (1813-1814) Speaking on the 2d
Amendment
(I Annals of Congress), August 17, 1789
This week's "Hyper-Hypocrisy" Award: "A 48-year-old mother has
been
convicted of shooting a man she mistakenly thought murdered her
son.
The jury found Barbara Graham guilty on various charges, including
aggravated assault with intent to kill." --Washington Post
**Nowhere
in the article did the Post mention that Ms. Graham was a speaker
at
the "Million Mom March" opposing handguns!02/09/01
Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in
such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force
which our enemy can send against us. Beside, sir, we shall not fight
our
battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of
Nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us.
-Patrick Henry (1736-1799) in his famous The War Inevitable
speech,
March 1775
We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control.
We're bending the law as far as we can to ban an entirely new class
of
guns. - Rahm Emmanuel
What a crazy world we live in! Trying to treat addiction as a legal
problem, and trying to treat criminal misbehaviors using guns as a
medical problem! Beam me up, Scotty. Ain't no intelligent life down
here. --Julie Cochrane
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.
-Elbridge Gerry, Signer of Declaration of Independence,
Massachusetts
Congressman, Vice President (1813-1814)
Spoken during floor debate during States ratification of the Second
Amendment., August 17, 1789
When asked how he felt about shooting the perpetrator, the
homeowner
responded, "I feel bad. I should have gotten the other one too!"
When the Cambrian measures were forming,
they promised perpetual peace,
They swore, if we gave them our weapons,
that the wars of the tribes would cease.
But when we disarmed they sold us
and delivered us bound to our foe,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings
said: 'Stick to the Devil you know.'
- Rudyard Kipling "The Gods of the Copybook Headings"
You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can with a
kind
word alone. -Al Capone (1899-1947)
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