"Every citizen should be a soldier.
This was the case with the Greeks and Romans,
and must be that of every free state."
by:
Thomas Jefferson
(1743-1826), US Founding Father, drafted the Declaration of Independence, 3rd US President
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Both the Greek and Roman Empires collapsed - too many wars, too much militarism and soldiering!
 -- Werner		 
Citizen = Militia, as in "A well regulated Militia, ... the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." The 2nd Amendment
 -- Joe, Rochester, MI		 
Too much militarism & soldiering, Werner (you Socialist)? Yes! Get the U.S. out of the U.N. Protect our country, but stop invading others (i.e. Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.).
 -- Anon, Michigan		 
With pen, voice or sword the American Revolution must be sustained and even repaired. The enemies of the Constitution like that Governor General who calls himself a President (Bush Jr.) is a greater threat and terrorist than Bin Laden, after all who is trying to scare Americans into surrendering their freedoms for a little security the most? Well they live in Washington and take orders from number 10 in London, they must be.

--Gölök Zoltán Leenderdt Franco [Mes(-)Van Dongen] Buday
 -- Gölök Zoltán Leenderdt Franco [Mes(-)Van Dongen] Buday, Vancouver, GVRD(Paine County), BC/Lower Mainland (State of Neo Sumer), US of Eh!(USoA)		 
I agree with Jefferson.Every American citizen Must be a soldier if we are to recusitate the Bill of Rights and keep the US Constitution alive for our posterity.All American Patriots must come together.For it is the true American Patriot who is responsible for securing the blessings of liberty for all Americans and for our posterity.
 -- CAP		 
By this quote, Jefferson seems to imply that every citizen should contribute to society. He is just using the examples of Greece and Rome for when citizens contributed -- not saying every citizen ought join the militia...
 -- anony, mous		 
This quote is in reference to the militia-- all males over the age of 18 were part of the local militia-- if you decided to not be a part of the militia or to not own a gun for your own protection, you had to pay a special tax for someone else to protect you. Societies of the past have not crumbled because they have all been able to personally protect themselves-- but crumble when only a few select are allowed to "protect" society (police, cia, fbi, military, etc.) while the rest are helpless. Criminals will always have a gun-- even if all the laws in the world are passed against such-- that's what a criminal IS: someone who flaunts society's laws. Arms-controlling laws only make honest people honest, while disabling them to protect themselves from the dishonest.
 -- Logan, Memphis, TN		 
Jefferson does't imply squat! He meant exactly what he said. Anony, mous is an idiot, and a moral welfare recipient, like Gook head from fantasyland, and Werner. It is the ignorant fools like you three who twist the meaning of words to suit their own agendas who seek to destroy this country. Joe, CAP, & Logan you are quite right. The collapse of our country will not be just because of too many economic welfare recipients, but the number of moral welfare recipients. Jefferson invaded the Islamic Fascists and we must continue to take the fight to others. The alternative is to fight here. I choose to fight in their yard not mine. The IRS infringes on more rights in a day than the President and the Patriot Act their collective existences. Get real, get a life and accept the fact you get to say the stupid things you do only because of people like me who carry your water for you.
 -- helorat, Milton		 
Bang on Helorat!! (Even if you are an aviator.) I am an Infantryman, currently in the employ of the US Army - but I was an Infantryman before I was in the US Army and I will be one after I retire. And I am busily engaged in my spare time in educating and training the next generation of Infantrymen. Greater love has no man then he who would lay down his life for his buddy.
 -- Eric Engstrom, Wichita, KS		 
I'd love to see a law requiring adult to carry at least a handgun. I believe violent crime would decrease. If violent crime skyrockets, then abolish the second amendment and take all guns away, even from police, FBI, etc.
 -- Joe, Rochester, MI		 
I have always tried to be a law abiding citizen, but when a handgun is required of all adults I will become a lawbreaker. I have not needed one since WWII as a soldier.
 -- Jack, Green, OH		 
"Every citizen should be a soldier...." is pretty clear, join the "well regulated milita" if you want to run aound with guns, but don't expect to just be a cowboy with your six shooter or play spy with your hidden gun, be a man and join the army... nothing here says private joes get to play their little boy games... its time for you to grow up and face the real world. (An helorat, you don't carry my water at all little boy... thankfully men like Jack have done so in our past, and continue to today!) This quote makes sense, but gets a thumb down due to the twisting and misinterpretation that little boys put it to today.
 -- Anonymous, Reston, VA US		 
Joe from MI has a good point.
 -- Jack, Ulster Park, NY		 
Every citizen should be a soldier means that they should be prepared and capable of defense. There was no regulated militia. I don't think everyone should be required to carry a weapon, but I believe that weapons training should be available as an elective at our schools, like hunter's safety, not required but an available option. But giving guns to people to protect themselves doesn't work very well if they aren't properly trained in handling them.
 -- mar, wisconsin		 
Jefferson was very smart. When every citizen IS a soldier , there is NO need for a mercenary army ( read: paid soldiers ) which were then , and are now, used by the wealthy to further their moneyed interests . Every citizen fights for protection of his rights and property ( he freely does this ), paid soldiers fight for the men or corporations which pay them.
 -- daniel, az.		 
I have dedicated a web page to this quote. Every American should have rudimentary soldier skills and materials. Even if you pile layers of laws and protection over it power ultimately resides with those that have guns, in America that is supposed to be the people. This is the ONLY way for us to be free. visit everycitizenasoldier.org
 -- Currahee, Biloxi		 
 
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