John Ings wrote:
On Sun, 16 May 2004 10:12:30 -0400, Jeff Wisnia
wrote:

That rifle hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or labourer's
cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays
there.
- George Orwell

I see the meaning of those two sentences as saying that if the
government continued to act in a democratic fashion and did not become
repressive, there would be no need for the citizenry to rise up and use
those arms "on the wall" to overthrow it.

But that's not how Orwell meant it! The intended purpose of that
GOVERNMENT ISSUE gun was for a Home Guard member to use on German
invaders, not his own government.

As I see his meaning too.
It's clearly not referring to the govermnment issuing guns to be used
if the citezenry need to overthrow it.