Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 beta 3/9/83; site tellab1.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!houxm!ihnp4!tellab1!heahd From: heahd@tellab1.UUCP (Dan Wood) Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: Re: Guns and the Constitution Message-ID: <343@tellab1.UUCP> Date: Thu, 26-Jul-84 10:23:19 EDT Article-I.D.: tellab1.343 Posted: Thu Jul 26 10:23:19 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 28-Jul-84 20:34:41 EDT References: <527@ucla-cs.ARPA> Organization: Tellabs, Inc., Lisle, Ill. Lines: 40 Thomas Jefferson was this country's ambassador to France while the Constitution was being framed and had very little input except for his letters to his friend Madison. I've herd TJ quoted many times as *advocating* a revolution every 20 years, 7 years, and other intervals. I don't believe he ever said any such thing. I think his sentiments are best expressed by the following quote from the Declaration of Independence. (these lines are basically the same from TJ's first draft to the final printed version so I think they express TJ's thoughts and not those of congress.) "Prudence indeed will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light & transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, & to provide new guards for their future security." Mr. Jefferson felt that the best way to prevent tyranny was education. That's why he founded the University of Virginia. He was always an advocate of free public education. Now, back to the right to keep and bear arms. As pointed out in an earlier article, the Constitution's main concern was with maintaining a militia. However, if you examine any past or present dictatorship you will find that they always disarmed the populace in order to prevent violent overthrow. You must admit that a well armed people are much harder to maintain a dictatorship over. My opinion is that people who claim that times have changed and that the right to keep and bear arms is no longer relevant because we have a standing army are wrong. The right to keep and bear arms is very important to keeping our freedom. You say you want a revolution? Well, OK. DW @ ...!ihnp4!tellab1!heahd P.S. Registration of fire arms is a great aid to the government when it decides to confiscate them.