President Reagan' belief in our right to defend..
 

ourselves and our families. Here is his quote;

"There are those in America today who have come to depend absolutely on government for their security. And when government fails they seek to rectify that failure in the form of granting government more power. So, as government has failed to control crime and violence with the means given it by the Constitution, they seek to give it more power at the expense of the Constitution. But in doing so, in their willingness to give up their arms in the name of safety, they are really giving up their protection from what has always been the chief source of despotism � government. Lord Acton said power corrupts. Surely then, if this is true, the more power we give the government the more corrupt it will become. And if we give it the power to confiscate our arms we also give up the ultimate means to combat that corrupt power. In doing so we can only assure that we will eventually be totally subject to it. When dictators come to power, the first thing they do is take away the people's weapons. It makes it so much easier for the secret police to operate, it makes it so much easier to force the will of the ruler upon the ruled." Ronald Reagan
Column published in Guns and Ammo (1975-09-01

Re: President Reagan' belief in our right to defend..
 

That sounds about right.

Re: President Reagan' belief in our right to defend..
 

Great post! Thanks for that. :)

Re: President Reagan' belief in our right to defend..
 

This is pretty fkn ironic considering how much Reagan expanded government.


I'm not gonna look past the fact that Ray-gun is a major tool just because he supports gun rights.

Re: President Reagan' belief in our right to defend..
 

Supports gun rights?

He signed the machine gun ban into law and his administration was responsible for the ban on CCW in national parks. He was as anti-gun as any politician can be.

Re: President Reagan' belief in our right to defend..
 

No one implied he didn't do exactly the opposite. That does not nullify the truth of the statement. IMO there was an early Reagan and a late Reagan. Curious as to when the statement was made. Probably early before the Alzheimers was induced or onset. The disease was easily detectable early in the second term.

Not to defend his actions, only to shed some light on the situation.

Re: President Reagan' belief in our right to defend..
 

I think "late Reagan" was post assassination attempt. I think he got the message.

Re: President Reagan' belief in our right to defend..
 

Why did he allow the NFA registry to be closed?

He talked liberty, but he didn't walk liberty.

Re: President Reagan' belief in our right to defend..
 

Re: President Reagan' belief in our right to defend..
 

It's the truth in the message that is important. It is the truth that people need to understand and defend.