President John Adams on Second Amendment

[DonaldBabbett]

"Arms in the hands of individual citizens may be used at individual discretion for the defense of the country, the overthrow of tyranny or in private self-defense."

[erik_26]

"Arms in the hands of individual citizens may be used at individual discretion for the defense of the country, the overthrow of tyranny or in private self-defense."

I agree!

[Mach 1]

AGREE!!

Only a criminal a tyrant or would-be "victim" would disagree

[Fastattack]

Or a liberal ...

[Dano3467]

John Adams was not appreciated enough IMO...

So thanks from me & mine Mr Adams

[ICONIC]

Adams may agree with you on 2a, but he also passed the alien and sedition acts which made it illegal to criticize the govt and president. I wonder how many on this forum would be in jail

[DonaldBabbett]

Adams may agree with you on 2a, but he also passed the alien and sedition acts which made it illegal to criticize the govt and president. I wonder how many on this forum would be in jail

I don't believe it was the scope of this Act to subvert the First Amendment right to free speech and freedom of the press but more of an early-history form of immigration control for the sake of national security.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_and_Sedition_Acts

[puoersoff]

well done,Only a criminal a tyrant or would-be "victim" would disagree,thanks

[Jimi Jah]

No one cares what a bunch of dead white guys said.

[????? ????]

What's the source for this quote? While I have no doubts about the positions of many of the Founding Fathers and Framers of the Constitution regarding the Second Amendment, a lot of quotations attributed to them at just too perfect and are fabricated. It doesn't help the cause to just make stuff up, like anti-gunners do all too often.

[herdafer]

"To suppose arms in the hands of citizens, to be used at individual discretion, except in private self-defense, or by partial orders of towns, countries or districts of a state, is to demolish every constitution, and lay the laws prostrate, so that liberty can be enjoyed by no man; it is a dissolution of the government. The fundamental law of the militia is, that it be created, directed and commanded by the laws, and ever for the support of the laws." (John Adams, A Defence of the Constitutions of the United States, 475 [1787-1788])

[15thaf5thbw]

No one cares what a bunch of dead white guys said.

This is an amazing statement. You sir have discovered and proclaimed exactly why our country is in such deep $h!t. Thank you for your keen insight.

[TNP'R]

This is an amazing statement. You sir have discovered and proclaimed exactly why our country is in such deep $h!t. Thank you for your keen insight.

Truth.

[madjack956]

Im thinking ol' Jimi Jah was just being sarcastic.

[CSACANNONEER]

I am proud to say that I am related (distantly) to John Adams!