“Law is often nothing but the tyrant’s/governments will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.”

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. So reads the Second Amendment from the United States of America’s sacred Constitution.

America is unlike any other country on the face of the planet. We have documents protecting the right of the people. These rights cannot be taken away. Sadly, however, states across the country are in the process of violating that document, and ultimately violating We, the People as well. When progressive liberals see the 2A, they only see the first part about the militia.

NRA’s Second Amendment Trike

Their next sentence is usually: “Well, are you a part of a well regulated militia? No? Then you don’t need a gun!”

For some reason, as with most things, people are only willing to read the first part of something, believing that they have a solid understanding of it. In reality, the whole sentence must be read in order to get a clear picture. You can’t have the first part about the militia without also having the part about the right to bear arms not being infringed. Besides, we ARE the militia, if we are able.

Adams Arms SF 308

They go hand in hand, and one cannot be taken away from the other. But just in case there is some confusion, we always have something else to fall back on, when talking about the Second. We can learn what was meant when the people who wrote the Second Amendment penned it, by reading other documents they also wrote. Let’s consider what some of our founding fathers said about the right of the people to keep and bear arms:

• Thomas Jefferson, author of Declaration of Independence, Continental Congressman, former VP, 3rd President:

1. “No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.” (Jefferson Papers, p. 334, C.J. Boyd, 1950)
2. “The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” (Thomas Jefferson Papers p. 334, 1950)
3. “And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms…The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” Letter to William S. Smith 13 Nov 1787 (Jefferson, On Democracy p. 20, 1939; Padover, editor)
4. “I have a right to nothing which another has a right to take away.” (letter to Uriah Forrest, 1787, Jefferson Papers, 12:477)
5. “Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add ‘within the limits of the law,’ because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.” (letter to Isaac Tifany, 1819)

Valmet in .223

• George Mason, Virginia Delegate to Constitutional Convention, wrote Virginia Delegate of Rights:

1. “I ask, Who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers.” (Jonathan Elliot, The Debates of the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution, [NY: Burt Franklin,1888] p.425-6)
2. “Forty years ago, when the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British Parliament was advised…to disarm the people; that it was the best and most effectual way to enslave them; but that they should not do it openly, but weaken them, and let them sink gradually, by totally disusing and neglecting the militia…” (In Virginia’s Ratifying Convention, Elliot p.3:379-380)
3. “The militia may be here destroyed by that method which has been practiced in other parts of the world before; that is, by rendering them useless – by disarming them.” (Elliot, p. 3:379-80)
4. “I consider and fear the natural propensity of rulers to oppress the people. I wish only to prevent them from doing evil.” (In Virginia’s Ratifying Convention, Elliot p.3:381)

• John Adams, signer of Declaration of Independence, Continental Congressman, former Vice President, second President:

1. “Arms in the hands of citizens (may) be used at individual discretion…in private self-defense…” 1788(A Defense of the Constitution of the Government of the USA, p.471)

• Sam Adams, Signed Declaration of Independence, organized the Sons of Liberty, participated in Boston Tea Party, Continental Congress, Governor of Massachusetts

1. “And that the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press, or the right of conscience; or to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms; …or to prevent the people from petitioning , in a peaceable and orderly manner; or to subject the people to unreasonable searches and seizures of their persons, papers or possessions.” (Debates of the Massachusetts Convention of 1788, p86-87

• James Madison, Drafted Virginia Constitution, Member of Continental Congress, Virginia delegate to Constitutional Convention, named “Father of the Constitution”, author of Federalist Papers, author of the Bill of Rights, Congressman from Virginia, Secretary of State, 4th President

1. “Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation.. (where) ..the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.” (Federalist Papers #46)
2. “I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”

There are plenty of other quotes, as well. If you’re interested in more, I found a lot of them here on this website, and there are plenty more to choose from–some of them are excellent.

As you can see, the militia was meant to be the people. The people are to prevent tyranny and are also allowed to protect themselves with their own arms. Some of them went as far as to say that only free people can bear arms, and once that is taken away they’re no longer a free people. However, as James Madison, the 4th President said above, there are more instances of taking away freedoms that are silent and gradual, rather than suddenly and all at once.

AK-47 for good measure

Each time a state or Barry O’ passes a new gun-control measure, it is a gradual encroachment upon our freedoms. When will it end? When will enough be enough? Sound Off,  and let us know what you think in the comments below.