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the “ORIGINAL” Second Amendment debaters

Something “Original” (You’ll Get the Pun in a Minute) about the Second Amendment



For the past several weeks, I have been looking for something original to say about the gun control debate. It has been beyond frustrating to watch the progressives yet again attempt to strip the American public of our right to self-defense. The problem is, everybody else is talking about this, too, including a whole bunch of people who are far more skilled than I at communicating their views on this issue.

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But it came to me tonight: I can say something “original” by going back to our country’s origins. First some background: When I’m in a really bad mood and need to feed uplifted, I get on YouTube and watch a series of Second Amendment supporters—Larry Pratt, Jesse Ventura, Ted Nugent, Ben Shapiro, etc., etc.—absolutely DESTROY Piers Morgan and his illogical anti-gun rants. I think what I enjoy most about this is when Morgan asks each debate opponent, “Give me a good reason why a person would need an AR-15 assault rifle?” This is a setup question by Morgan, because (1) he already knows the answer, as he gets the same one each time, and (2) he actually thinks the answer sinks his opponent’s argument. The answer, of course, is this: “It’s the best weapon to defend oneself against government tyranny.” Morgan always has the same response to this answer: “Do you know how foolish you sound right now?” Morgan is actually naïve enough and has such a poor understanding of history that he believes governments never turn on their own citizens in such a way that would require those citizens to defend themselves with arms. Further, he is certain that the fifty or sixty people watching his program consider anybody that holds this view to be certifiable loons. Actually, he could be right about this last bit (but do any of us really care what the fifty or sixty people watching his program think?). Having said that, let’s see what those who gave us the Second Amendment, the “ORIGINAL” Second Amendment debaters, thought about this idea of one’s government turning upon its own citizens: "A free people ought to be armed." George Washington "To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."George Mason "To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." Richard Henry Lee "Arms like laws discourage and keep the invader and the plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. The balance of power is the scale of peace."Thomas Paine "Firearms stand next in importance to the constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence...the very atmosphere of firearms anywhere restrains evil interference — they deserve a place of honor with all that's good."George Washington "Those who hammer their guns into plowshares will plow for those who do not."Thomas Jefferson "Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed, as they are in almost every country in Europe." Noah Webster "What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance. Let them take arms." —Thomas Jefferson "Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined... The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone who is able might have a gun." Patrick Henry “The strongest reason for people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”Thomas Jefferson "The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them."Joseph Story And now a quote from a more recent American politician: "The right of the citizens to bear arms is just one more guarantee against arbitrary government, one more safeguard against the tyranny which now appears remote in America, but which historically has proved to be always possible." Hubert H. Humphrey (D), Vice President under Lyndon Johnson And finally, a quote from the other side of the debate: "This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future!"Adolph Hitler So although Piers Morgan, in his limited view of history (or at least a view so skewed by progressive ideology that it no longer bears a resemblance to reality) and his naïve acceptance of the beneficence of government, cannot fathom the American government turning on its own people, the Founding Fathers of this country certainly did. I guess what we have to ask ourselves is, whose worldview do we trust more? Hint: anybody who chooses Morgan deserves to be asked his favorite question, “Do you know how foolish you sound right now?


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Mike Jensen -- Bio and Archives

Mike Jensen is a freelance writer living in Colorado.  He received his M.A. in Professional Writing from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he wrote his first book, Alaska’s Wilderness Highway.  He has since published Skier’s Guide to Utah along with humor, travel, and political articles for various magazines and newspapers.  He is married with five sons, and spends his free time at a remote cabin in the Colorado Rockies.


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