Famous Patrick Henry Quote 

"Are we at last brought to such a humiliating and debasing
degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our own
defence? Where is the difference between having our arms in our
own possession and under our own direction, and having them under
the management of Congress? If our defence be the_real_object of
having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more
propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?"

by:
Patrick Henry
(1736-1799)
Source:
June 9, 1788, in the Virginia Convention on the ratification of the Constitution,
in_Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution,_
Jonathan Elliot, ed., v.3 p.168 (Philadelphia, 1836)
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Reader comments about this quote:
This is foolish - there is definitely a need to read history books on the subject. If there is a need to use guns against the government then would the last person please switch out the light - really...
 -- Robert, Sarasota		 
Remember, they were talking about muzzle loaders (e.g. hunting riffles/shotguns, etc) not about cannons (e.g. bazookas, machine guns, rocket launchers, etc)...
 -- Anonymous, Reston, VA US		 
The 2nd Amendment was not put there for crime. It was put there so people could match the fire power of any tyrannical government. Patrick Henry's comments convey this critical point.
 -- Peter, Detroit		 
Robert and Anonymous do not appear to have the least idea why the Second Amendment was insisted upon. Government CANNOT be trusted therefore the people MUST have the inalienable Right to Keep and Bear Arms. I wonder just how both of the above non-enlightened persons would handle an oppressive government; about what we have today! My answer to both of them is, "Stay out of my line of fire!"
 -- d daxx, novi, michigan		 
Simply put, the Bill of Rights was amended to the Constitution to specifically reserve certain rights of the People -- like the right to speak and think for oneself and to defend oneself from the government when necessary. The state militias were to be more powerful than any federal army. The 2nd Amendment reserves the People's right to possess cannons, missiles, machine guns -- everything -- not just for defense against the government, but in case the People need to defend themselves against other foreign enemies, too. What if Washington were blown off the map? Why can't the rest of the States defend themselves? The People must remember that it is their own responsibility to defend their rights on all fronts. We have been forewarned by the founders that the we must honor and respect one another, for Liberty can only survive when Love, Truth, and Courage finally reign within us.
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
A one from myself, one: a state (or ruling society) that does not trust it's people to bear arms is conspiring against them. Why else would they be so afraid.
Fact is, he's right and politicians should be fearing being shot or cut for violating the constitution not being refused campaign funds from a power broker. I also never saw the constitution allowing a private guard provided by the government to the politician when no one else did, except for a defence attorney of their choice and a right to bear arms as well as the other constitutional stuff. Rousseau was right when he said that freedom can only exist when the law (Constitution is the top ranking law) is applied to all INDIVIDUALS.
On the matter of individual freedom, the independent candidate has more debating rights then the collective one (partisan).
 -- Gölök Zoltán Leenderdt Franco Buday, Vancouver, GVRD(Paine Cnty), Coastal Lwr Mainland BC(State of Neo Sumer), U.S. of Eh!		 
Reston--YOU IDIOT!!
 -- Michael , Houston, TX		 
brilliant man and brilliant work i dont think he would have voted for this labour government. in any of its silly context
 -- Anonymous		 
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