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Politics : Just the Facts, Ma'am: A Compendium of Liberal Fiction -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lazarus_Long who wrote (43101)	12/13/2005 8:44:34 PM
From: TimF	Respond to of 90947

Did not Jefferson intend that 2nd amendment to allow citizens to overthrow a tyrannical gov't and restore republican gov't? And if the US Army has artillery pieces, grenades and nukes, and the air force has jets, missiles, and nukes, how can you really have any hope of doing that? If gun ownership is widespread and the population strongly opposes the government (enogh to kill and die in large numbers in actions against the government) than it will be hard for the government to operate. Look at Iraq. Take away some of the heavier stuff the insurgency has but also take away the forign forces supporting Iraq's government. Even if the insurgency can't take down the government it can perhaps cause Iraq to split or otherwise take large areas away from the control of the government. The US military is a long stronger than the Iraqi military but the US is bigger in size and population. The Iraqi insurgency has heavier weapons than just rifles, shotguns and pistols, but I imagine a serious American insurgency could get some heavier stuff as well, and we already have hundrends of millions of firearms. Also if the population was so much against the government some of members of the army, police, federal agencies, ect would probably also be against the government. Possibly even openly (whole units defecting to the other side), or at least covertly (let them take some weapons and supplies or refraining from making a serious effort to track down the insurgents) Also the thought is to deter an attempt to impose opressive government as much as it is to defeat such an attempt. But suppose the tyrant bribes them? This has happened often enough in world history. Or convinces them he is absolutely right? Hitler did. What then Hitler actually had a good deal of support among the general population even before he was in power. If the population and the army and the security organizations and the police support you it will be hard to overthrow you. Maybe assasinate you but if the government is not totally dependent on the specific leader someone else just grabs the structure and runs with it. Tim

To: Lazarus_Long who wrote (43101)	12/13/2005 8:55:29 PM
From: ManyMoose	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 90947

The Second Amendment is clear evidence that our government can be trusted, much like the requirement that the Commander In Chief is an elected civilian. As long as we have the Second Amendment, we are safe. We do not need individual ownership of WMD, nukes, stealth bombers, and so forth because of that. Precisely because we have the Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment, we can sleep at night knowing your doomsday scenario will never come to pass. Did not Jefferson intend that 2nd amendment to allow citizens to overthrow a tyrannical gov't and restore republican gov't? And if the US Army has artillery pieces, grenades and nukes, and the air force has jets, missiles, and nukes, how can you really have any hope of doing that?