On Fri, 4 Sep 2009 17:39:26 -0600, Steve Ackman
wrote:


If not, what are you going to do with your gun to "steer [the politicians]
with a firmer hand"?

I didn't write that, nor did I explicitly agree with
it. I merely pointed out that in your ideal world,
such would not protected by the 1st Amendment.


......The British ministry have so long hired their gazetteers to repeat
and model into every form lies about our being in anarchy, that the
world has at length believed them, the English nation has believed them,
the ministers themselves have come to believe them, & what is more
wonderful, we have believed them ourselves. Yet where does this anarchy
exist? Where did it ever exist, except in the single instance of
Massachusetts? And can history produce an instance of rebellion so
honourably conducted? I say nothing of it's motives. They were founded
in ignorance, not wickedness. God forbid we should ever be 20 years
without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, & always well
informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented in proportion to
the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under
such misconceptions it is a lethargy, the forerunner of death to the
public liberty. We have had 13. states independent 11. years. There has
been one rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century & a half
for each state. What country before ever existed a century & a half
without a rebellion? & what country can preserve it's liberties if their
rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the
spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them
right as to facts, pardon & pacify them. What signify a few lives lost
in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to
time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. It is it's natural manure. "


Thomas Jefferson, November 13, 1787






"First Law of Leftist Debate
The more you present a leftist with factual evidence
that is counter to his preconceived world view and the
more difficult it becomes for him to refute it without
losing face the chance of him calling you a racist, bigot,
homophobe approaches infinity.

This is despite the thread you are in having not mentioned
race or sexual preference in any way that is relevant to
the subject." Grey Ghost