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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.