Founding Fathers Thought That ...

"Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." (James Madison, The Federalist Papers #46 at 243-244)

 

"The Constitution shall never be construed... to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms." (Samuel Adams, Debates and Proceedings in the Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 86-87)

 

"Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence .. From the hour the Pilgrims landed, to the present day, envents, occurrences, and tendencies prove that to insure peace, security, and happiness, the rifle and the pistol are equally indispensable...The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor witha all that is good". (George Washington)

 

"A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball and others of that nature, are to violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be the constant companion of your walks". (Thomas Jefferson, Encyclopedia of T. Jefferson, 318 [Foley, Ed., reissued 1967])

 

"No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms". (Thomas Jefferson, Proposal Virginia Constitution, 1 T. Jefferson Papers, 334, [C. J. Boyd, Ed., 1950])

 

"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determinede to commit crimes...Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage then to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man". -- Jefferson's "Commonplace Book," 1774-1776, quoting from On Crimes and Punishment, by criminologist Cesare Beccaria, 1764 - Thomas Jefferson