From the Radio Free Michigan archives ftp://141.209.3.26/pub/patriot If you have any other files you'd like to contribute, e-mail them to bj496@Cleveland.Freenet.Edu. ------------------------------------------------ On 1/27/95 a posting indicated an intended boycott of the Whitehouse Forum on Compuserve by our brothers embattled there. I urge all members of Compuserve, indeed, all patriots everywhere, to enter the fray - do not boycott -- show the Whitehouse Forum the strength of our numbers and demonstrate the strength of truth contained in the absolute intent of our Founding Fathers in their drafting of the Second Amendment. Do your research and argue your points with valid Constitutional Law interpretations. Everyone should read 'That Every Man Be Armed' by Stephen P. Halbrook published by the Independent Institute, 134 98th. Ave., Oakland, CA 94603. This book is available through NRA publications request. We all must educate ourselves to the truth and use that information to combat the ignorance of those who would allow governments to dictate what freedoms we may enjoy. As a beginning, here is some ammunition for the fight: 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. ____ Amendment II The Constitution of the United States of America For those who would argue the above is subject to interpretation as to who/what constitutes the Militia, I offer the following evidence of intent by those who were most intimately involved in drafting the 2nd. Amendment; and of those who have made serious interpretive decisions based upon well informed Constitutional Law. AND FOR ALL THOSE WHO WOULD ARGUE THAT THE SECOND AMENDMENT IS FOR PROTECTION OF RECREATIONAL HUNTERS' RIGHTS -- PLEASE READ ON .... "No free government was ever founded, or ever preserved its liberty, without uniting the characters of citizen and soldier in those destined for the defense of the State. Such are a well regulated Militia, composed of the freeholders, citizen, and husbandman; who take up arms to preserve their property, as individuals, and their rights as freemen." ____ James Madison United States Congress, 1779 Bill of Rights Ratification "The militia is the natural defense of a free country against sudden foreign invasions, domestic insurrections, and domestic usurpations of power by rulers. It is against sound policy for a free people to keep up large military establishments and standing armies in time of peace, both from the enormous expenses with which they are attended, and the facile means which they afford to ambitious and unprincipled rulers, to subvert the government, or trample upon the rights of the people. The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of the republic, since it offers a strong moral check against usurpation and arbitrary power of the rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them." ____ Justice Joseph Story United States Supreme Court 1811 - 1845 The right of a citizen to bear arms, in lawful defense of himself or the State, is absolute. He does not derive it from the State government. It is one of the 'High Powers' delegated directly to the citizen by the United States Constitution, Amendment II, and "is excepted out of the general powers of government". A law cannot be passed to infringe upon it or impair it, because it is above the law, and independent of the law-making power. ____ Texas Supreme Court Decision 1859 Cockrum vs State of Texas "And that the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms....." ____ Samuel Adams United States Congress, 1779 Bill of Rights Ratification "The right of self-defense is the first law of nature. In most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Whenever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited; liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction." ____ Justice George Tucker Virginia Supreme Court 1803 "The power of the sword is in the hands of Congress? My friends and countrymen, it is not so; for the powers of the sword are in the hands of the yeomanry of America from sixteen to sixty. The Militia of these free commonwealths, entitled and accustomed to their arms, when compared with any possible army, must be tremendous and irresistible. Who are the Militia? They are not ourselves as politicians and lawmakers. They are those who have elected us into our positions and entrusted us with the power of preserving and carrying out their wishes. Congress has no power to disarm the Militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American. The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the Federal or State governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people." ____ Tench Cox's Letter to James Madison During Adoption of the Bill of Rights in United States Congress 1779 "Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. When you give up that force, you are ruined." ____ Patrick Henry 1779 No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. ____ Amendment XIV The Constitution of the United States of America Those who would oppose these principals and argue that persons in support of them are "radical gun nuts" or "extremist", etc., etc., ad infinitum; they must be categorized as falling into one of the following categories: 1) Ignorant beyond belief of the history of governmental abuse against the common populace of nations. 2) Have an agenda to destroy the freedoms upon which this Nation was founded; therefore must be considered enemies of the United States of America. 3) Uninformed and perhaps intelligent enough to exercise a change of mind after having objectively considered these issues. **** The Tree of Liberty is nourished by the blood of Patriots******** _____Thomas Jefferson ------------------------------------------------ (This file was found elsewhere on the Internet and uploaded to the Radio Free Michigan archives by the archive maintainer. 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