Edward Abbey Quote

"The tank, the B-52, the fighter-bomber, the state controlled police and the military 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, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government—and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws."

by:	Edward Abbey (1927-1989) American author and essayist
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Categories:	Guns, Military, Police
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Democracy is a weapon of dictators, despots, and all else that is antithetical to freedom, liberty, law, and inalienable rights. I gave it 5 stars because I'm sure his reference was to a natural law, constitutionally limiting, representative of We The People republic, instead of a democracy. I also intend on being an outlaw, hopefully without the rifle.  -- Mike, Norwalk      1
Exercising your Rights as enshrined by the Second Amendment does not make you an outlaw...it stands you in opposition of the Outlaws. In fact it is the very reason the Second Amendment was created in law.  -- J Carlton, Calgary
Carlton thanks, very accurate. The only law that, in fact exists is that of natural law. The other forcefully applied philosophies of tyranny (falsely and deceptively associated to law) are not law. My outlaw reference was to the non-law: 'Positivist Law' and 'Legal Realism' - both philosophically dishonest criminal applications called law (inclusive of B-52s, state controlled police, etc.). That is the criminal application that I intend to be out of ;-)  -- Mike, Norwalk
-- walter2ponies, thief river falls
he was a socialist (Wikipedia) therefore very likely believed those with guns were outlaws.  -- abby
AND, by being a law abiding individual (according to the law of nature and nature's God), I am intrinsically a philosophical outlaw to Legal Positivism and Legal Realism.  -- Mike, Norwalk
-- Mary - MI
I understood your meaning Mike. ;-) Just wanted to add some perspective for others.  -- J Carlton, Calgary
As it happens - the incumbent government very easily gets to turn the Nation's military and police against its own citizenery - in the event of an ugsurge by the latter - that - even when it is a rightful one. So , the licensing of guns to the general citizenery will certainly go towards checking any illegitimate use of force by the incumbent government.  -- Vedapushpa, Bangalore - India
-- Vedapushpa, Bangalore - India
OBVIOUSLY HE BELIEVED PEOPLE WITH GUNS WERE OUTLAWS, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHY HE SAYS THE EXACT FUCKING OPPOSITE OF THAT IN THE QUOTE.  DID YOU EVEN FUCKING READ IT?  -- RICH, EAST BUMFUCK

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