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Who should own guns in America? (All)

"[W]hereas, 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; nor does it follow from this, that all promiscuously must go into actual service on every occasion. The mind that aims at a select militia, must be influenced by a truly anti-republican principle; and when we see many men disposed to practice upon it, whenever they can prevail, no wonder true republicans are for carefully guarding against it."
Richard Henry Lee, Letters from the Federal Farmer, 1788

"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason
Co-author of the Second Amendment
during Virginia's Convention to Ratify the Constitution, 1788

"The people are not to be disarmed of their weapons. They are left in full posession of them."
Zachariah Johnson
Elliot's Debates, vol. 3 "The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution."

"Firearms stand next in importance to the constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence Ã¢â‚¬Â¦ from the hour the Pilgrims landed to the present day, events, occurences and tendencies prove that to ensure peace security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable Ã¢â‚¬Â¦ the very atmosphere of firearms anywhere restrains evil interference Ã¢â‚¬â€ they deserve a place of honor with all that's good."
George Washington
First President of the United States

"The great object is that every man be armed." and "Everyone who is able may have a gun."
Patrick Henry
American Patriot

"Those who hammer their guns into plowshares will plow for those who do not."
Thomas Jefferson
Third President of the United States

"The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that Ã¢â‚¬Â¦ it is their right and duty to be at all times armed; Ã¢â‚¬Â¦ "
Thomas Jefferson
letter to Justice John Cartwright, June 5, 1824. ME 16:45

"The best we can help for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed."
Alexander Hamilton
The Federalist Papers at 184-8

"The supposed quietude of a good man allures the ruffian; while on the other hand arms, like laws, discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as property. The same balance would be preserved were all the world destitute of arms, for all would be alike; but since some will not, other dare not lay them aside...Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them." Thomas Paine

"A militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves..." Richard Henry Lee (taken from Letters from the Federal Farmer to the Republic, Letter XVIII, May 1788.

"...the people are confirmed by the next article in their right to keep and bear their private arms" Philadelphia Federal Gazette, June 18, 1789, Page 2, Column 2; Article on the Bill of Rights

"And that the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the Press, or the rights of Conscience; or to preven the people of the United State, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms;..." Samuel Adams - quoted in the Philadelphia Independent Gazetteer, August 20, 1789; "Propositions submitted to the Convention of this State"

"The greatest danger to American freedom is a government that ignores the Constitution." Thomas Jefferson

"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

"The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion." Edmund Burke, British Statesman, 1784

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin

"If you wish the sympathy of the broad masses, you must tell them the crudest and most stupid things." Adolph Hitler

"Our main agenda is to have all guns banned. We must use whatever means possible. It doesn't matter if you have to distort the facts or even lie. Our task of creating a socialist America can only succeed when those who would resist us have been totally disarmed." Sara Brade, Chairman of Handgun Control Inc; The National Educator, January 1994, Page 3.

“The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of “liberalism”, they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened. I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democratic Party has adopted our platform.” (1944 speech by Norman Matton Thomas, candidate for US President).

Defining Religion in US Constitution (All)

We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God." - James Madison

John Adams, Signer of the Declaration of Independence; One of Two Signers of the Bill of Rights; Second President of the US: “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made for only a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

James Wilson, George Washington's appointment to the Supreme Court: "Christianity is part of the common-law."

John Q. Adams: "The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were . . . the general principles of Christianity."

Noah Webster, publisher of The American Dictionary of the English Language: "Almost all the civil liberty now enjoyed in the world owes its origin to the principles of the Christian religion."

United States Supreme Court, 1844: Vidal v. Girard's Executors (43 U.S. 126, 132) - Justice Joseph Story delivered the Court's opinion. The case was about Stephen Girard (a deist from France) who had moved to Philadelphia, PA and later died there. In his will, he left his entire estate, which was valued at over $7 million, to establish an orphanage and a school. The catch was that "no religious influence be allowed". The city rejected this proposal with their lawyers declaring the following: "The plan of education proposed is anti-Christian and therefore repugnant to the law...The purest principles of morality are to be taught. Where are they found? Whoever searches for them must go to the source from which a Christian man derives his faith - the Bible...There is an obligation to teach what the Bible alone can teach, viz. a pure system of morality...
Both in the Old and New Testaments (religions instruction's) importance is recognized. In the Old it is said, "Thou shalt diligently teach them to thy children," and the New, "Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not..." No fault can be found with Girard for wishing a marble college to bear his name for ever, but it is not valuable unless it has a fragrance of Christianity about it."

The United States Supreme Court rendered its UNANIMOUS opinion in the above case as follows: "Christianity...is not to be maliciously and openly reviled and blasphemed against, to the annoyance of believers or the injury of the public...It is unnecessary for us, however, to consider the establishment of a school or college, for the propagation of...Deism, or any other form of infidelity.
Such a case is not to be presumed to exist in a Christian country....Why may not laymen instruct in the general principles of Christianity as well as ecclesiastics...
And we cannot overlook the blessings, which such [lay] men by their conduct, as well as their instructions, may, nay must impart to their youthful pupils. Why may not the Bible, and especially the New Testament, without note or comment, be read and taught as a divine revelation in the [school] - its general precepts expounded, its evidences explained and its glorious principles of morality inculcated?...
Where can the purest principles of morality be learned so clearly or so perfectly as from the New Testament?
It is also said, and truly, that the Christian religion is a part of the common law of Pennsylvania.

Robert E Lee, August 1865 - speaking to his former chaplain, John Williams Jones, in regards to the latter's speaking at Washington College in Lexington, VA (later to become Washington and Lee University):
“Oh, doctor, if I could only know that all the young men in this college were good Christians I should have nothing more to desire.
I wish, sir, to thank you for your address. It was just what we needed. Our great want is a revival which shall bring these young men to Christ.
I should be disappointed, sir, and shall fail in the leading object that brought me here, unless these young men all become Christians; and I wish you and others of your sacred profession to do all you can to accomplish it.
We poor sinners need to come back from our wanderings to seek pardon through the all-sufficient merits of our Redeemer. And we need to pray earnestly for the power of the Holy Spirit to give us a precious revival in our hearts and among the unconverted.

John Adams, June 28, 1813 in a letter to Thomas Jefferson:
The general principles, on which the Fathers achieved independence, were the only Principles in which that beautiful Assembly of young Gentlemen could be united. And what were these general Principles? I answer, the general Principles of Christianity, in which all these Sects were United: And the general Principles of English and American Liberty, in which all those young Men United, and which had United all Parties in America, in Majorities sufficient to assert and maintain her Independence.
Now I will avow, that I then believe, and now believe, that those general Principles of Christianity, are as eternal and immutable, as the Existence and Attributes of God; and that those Principles of Liberty, are as unalterable as human Nature and our terrestrial, mundane System.
Again United States Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story:
"The real object of the First Amendment was not to countenance, much less to advance Mohammedanism, or Judaism, or infidelity, by prostrating Christianity, but to exclude all rivalry among Christian sects [denominations] and to prevent any national ecclesiastical patronage of the national government.

Just to let you know, this is just a sampling of the Christian views of our Founding Fathers and those leaders who followed for over a hundred years. They deliberately created a Christian nation. If you want to be Buddhist, Muslim, Atheist, etc, there are other countries whose religions are these. Our nation was created to favor Christians and Christians are always to be in power in America. If you don't like it, leave and go to one of those other countries. I'm sure they will be more than happy to take you. But don't expect to have a say in how you are governed. Those rights are only derived from the Bible. Only Christianity gives you the wisdom and strength to self-govern. If you can not control your own soul and body, you have no right to even think about self-government. Self-control and self-government always go hand in hand. It is impossible to have one without the other.