"Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American ... the unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people."
by:
Tench Coxe
(1755-1824) American political economist
Date:
20 Feb 1788
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Reader comments about this quote:
 -- Logan, Memphis, TN      
YESS!!
 -- Mike, Norwalk     
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     -- P.M., KS      
     -- Anonymous, Reston, VA US      
    Nuff said.
     -- Mike, Mount Holly, NC     
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    Golly gee, look who just doesn't trust up common folks...and it was not our founding fathers....but those who would be our rulers today. Thanks Reston for making so obvious how you really feel about the rest of us. As one said "Me thinks he does protest too much."
     -- Michael , Houston, TX     
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    Give Reston a break. He is obviously traumatized.
     -- David L Rosenthal     
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    Thank you Reston, don’t be intimidated by those less fortunate – it’s good to know other civilized people exist. How about a third amendment to change the second amendment – in the US more people are killed with their own guns. Who supplied Iran with the materials to build their nuclear plant? And who supplied Iraq with chemical weapons? You are the hypocrites not the Liberals.
     -- Robert, Sarasota     
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    Why Robert...."less fortunate?" "Civilized?" Of whom do you speak? Certainly not those with who are having a friendly discussion with....brotherhood of man and all that. Goodness, that is pretty condescending. Surely you didn't mean it that way did you? I always thought liberals had a high regard for discussion, differing opinions, open expression, innate value, different cultures, etc...or is that just for folks that agree with you? Or anyone who is anti-America..but maybe I repeat myself. What do you think? (Pssst. Don't look now..but something is showing).
     -- Michael , Houston, TX     
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    Isn't it funny how liberals can never stay on point and must resort to more unprovable or twisted non-facts to divert attention. What does it mean "more people are killed with their own hand guns"? More than what? Has anyone heard a liberal give an alternate meaning to the second amendment or that no individual has the right to protect himself? Hmmm, maybe American liberalism is founded on unfounded emotional rhetoric and twisted fairytales? I don't know, because the Constitution along with its authors later commentaries seem to me to be very clear.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    Its funny to me to see these people get so worked up about the ownership of guns. They claim that no guns = peace. I seem to remember there were no guns not that long ago, and war was made with swords and arrows. And before the swords, sticks and rocks. What a fantasy world they live in to think that weapons are what make war. Pens aren't responsible for mispelled words. Guns aren't to blame for murder or war.
     -- Anonymous, Raleigh, NC     
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    The attempt by liberals or conservatives to protect people from themselves by anything other than a proper education is an arrogant ideal. It is time we stopped trying to use government to help people -- if you want to help them, help them youselves if they will let you. Enough of this high and mighty BS. Freedom to choose and take your lumps -- that is Liberty. Stop passing laws for the masses to control the behavior of the fringe -- it always backfires (as is the real intent of the Establishment).
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    Who supplied Iran with the materials to build their nuclear plant?..........Russia. And who supplied Iraq with chemical weapons?...........Germany, France. Robert seems to prefer that more people were killed with criminals' guns.
     -- Ken, Allyn, WA     
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    What is truly stupid is the polarized name calling as if that explains all we need to know about our future enemy of the state thanks to the successful brainwashing,"jews are bad" "kill the nigger" ,"torch the arab" work the same way as our current programming, ie:liberal/conservative. Those who follow that no-brain rhetoric are truly the Niggers of those fascist idiots running our nation and Constitution into the ground as they get richer on our nickel. They have succeeded in separating and turning us against our neighbor as some kind of enemy, when in fact it just may be that money grubbing, backroom payoff politician in DC that will laugh at the idiot slaves trying to lynch each other as our tax dollars pay for our own internment camps after the next bogus Cheney designed "terrorist" act emergency. Wake up citizens of America: One day when the "national guard' is shooting at your children under orders of "Homeland Security" or FEMA, you may just thank the patriot who is covering your ass with his illegal assault weapon while GW's hired mercenaries are busy raping your wife or burning your child (not just some worthless Iraqi,huh?), whether that patriot be liberal or conservative.
     -- Dave, Sacramento,CA     
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    Hey Dave....wow! Chill a bit. And you are exactly right... GWB and Cheney burned out the Branch Davidians in Waco and shot the innocent in Ruby Ridge and sent Elian Gonzales back to a communist dictatorship... Oh...that was before them (unless you believe in time warps).... Go ahead and tell me just what FACTS you have to support the allegations you have made... Just one or two would be nice... or are you just paranoid and spouting rhetoric?
     -- Michael, Houston, TX     
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    Well Michael, after 10 years in covert ops abroad, I became an EMT who last year decided to go help the injured and elderly after Katrina, since I was in the area for a series of training sessions. Packed with supplies and one cameraman we headed into the 9th ward zone when lo and behold a "Blackwater Security" (look it up Michael) hired hand gave us a choice of our bodies filled with his auto HPMKp5 bullets or our money, medical supplies and ID's, I guess those dying old folks might have been a "terrorist" threat, hey maybe they neede our ID's for the next charade, besides Blackwater was going to spend our money on cheetos for them or else we were dead meat victims "of Katrina", what an easy choice, sorta like voting, sure brings a smile to my face to realize that we are gonna bring that form of democracy to the world. Now as for the Halliburton contract passed last year for the Immigration centers, one of them is in your dear old state of Texas and you might just be visiting soon if you're not on our side. I've seen it from both sides of the fence, maybe I just need to vacation in Hawaii, oh, but wait, the DoD has a thirty mile valley of bunkers filled with NBC variants just waitng for use on our home soil, and not even my best friend, who talks with Dick every month, as he likes to be called on the telephone, can get the clearance to broach the subject, I've seen it. Mike, I feel for you, you seem to be pretty smart and I know you can find a lot of info on your own, but I dare say that we the people are up the proverbial s___ creek on this one, just be prepared for the worst and keep your family close, because the "need" to unify the thinking people thru a mass cataclysmic catastrophe is becoming more than neccessary in the minds of the power holders. Your body or mine has utterly no importance in this quest to our dear "leaders". The unbelievable is only believable if you survive, but for the most part it's too late, so Mike just be near your family, buy a new truck and imagine a happy world where our tax dollars pay for drinks with tiny umbrellas insted of being used to incinerate children and their mothers. Try a little fun info exploration, start the fun by reading up on the background and current dilemma posed by depleted uranium. It's a wonderous journey filled with surprise, on second thought, Mike, just go out and buy that new truck and forget anything that might scare the kids before mom and dad go up in smoke, til then shop,shop,shop. I know I will!
     -- Dave, Sacramento,CA     
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     -- Anonymous      
    In this age of Imperial Government and public school indoctrination few recall the words of our founders. In a better world we would hear of the words of Mr. Coxe and our other founders with our mother's milk. Instead they spoon feed us collectivist and communist slop about hope and change. It's a d*** shame.
     -- Doug, Newark, NJ     
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    ONE thing, basically we are ALL Americans here aren't we? If some aren't, you ain't got nuthin ta say. The rest of ya ALL I've seen want freedom. WE HAVE NOTHING to fear, IF we stand together. Yep, things are only as good as we make it. LET us try, {and I'm at fault too} to fight the injustice, and not each other. But, as on another post, where one feels arms are not a man's right, he, with respect, does not think like me. I mean no man harm, but will defend myself from any man. Our enemy in the USA, are not us of like mind, but those foreign to our land.
     -- Kimo, lahana     
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    While many are aware of where our history is leading, too many fear it and are ill prepared to deal with it. Focus is the key. When fear turns to anger, and it will, it is my hope that people are prepared to channel that anger in the right direction.
     -- J Carlton, Calgary     
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    Those wonderful lawyers who populate the Congress simply do not trust the American people and why anyone, except a liberal, would trust them is a mystery.
     -- jim k, Austin,Tx     
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    We need to take the initiative, now, to asure that our roghts remain -- in the future: The Plan for the Restoration of Constitutional Government - Abbreviated Version http://www.outpost-of-freedom.com/blog/?p=365
     -- Gary, Los Molinos, Calif.     
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    It's the government that fears guns in the hands of the people. They have brainwashed our school children into thinking that gun-owners are sickos who need to be rehabilitated. A few more genertions and the schools will have done their job and there will no longer be anyone with freedom and liberty in their hearts alive. I'm glad I won't be around to see that happen.
     -- GunnyCee, Durham     
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    It's amazing how most here just fall in the same hole as they dig for others - what ignorance... Secondly, God has nothing to do with it! At least he used the word "Militia". I respectfully plead my previous comment.
     -- RBESRQ     
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    Robert of Sarasota, how many people are SAVED from murder by having their own guns?...how many people are SAVED by intimidating robbers and murders from commiting the crime by carrying guns? Apparently, we are actually more fortunate than you. I hadn't heard of Tench Coxe before this quote was sent out...he sounds interesting. Thanks, Liberty Quotes!
     -- Arthur, Yorkshire, New Hampshire     
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    Robert of Sarasota, murderers are murderers. If they weren't allowed to have guns, they'd just find something else. We have a RIGHT to own guns. What if we didn't have guns to protect us from these murders?
     -- Arthur, Yorkshire, New Hampshire     
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    Anonymous in Raleigh, WELL SAID!!!!!!!!
     -- Jenni, Walton     
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    Robert, Sarasota....The reason that more people in the U.S. are killed by their own guns is because of suicides. In 2005, suicides accounted for 55% of gun deaths. And they did not commit suicide because of the gun, it was just the way they chose to do it. People that want to kill themselves are not going to give up on the idea just because some government says they can't have a gun. They, like criminals, don't care about governments, laws, or justice; they only care about themselves. They're going to end their own lives whether they have a gun or not. Force cannot prevent suicide, if anything, it will only increase it.
     -- Publius     
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