Resolved: That the United States undervalues an individual’s right to own and bear arms when balanced against the greater social needs of society.
Topic Symposium at NYU - April 8th
Early Bird Debates (location TBA) - April 29th
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A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.
--- Thomas Jefferson to Peter Carr, 1785. The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, (Memorial Edition) Lipscomb and Bergh, editors.
To suppose arms in the hands of citizens, to be used at individual discretion, except in private self-defense, or by partial orders of towns, countries or districts of a state, is to demolish every constitution, and lay the laws prostrate, so that liberty can be enjoyed by no man; it is a dissolution of the government. The fundamental law of the militia is, that it be created, directed and commanded by the laws, and ever for the support of the laws.
---John Adams, A Defence of the Constitutions of the United States 475 (1787-1788)
S: (adj) social, societal (relating to human society and its members) "social institutions"; "societal evolution"; "societal forces"; "social legislation"
http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=social
a definition of the components of a society.
http://www.theblessingsofliberty.com/articles/article11.html
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms..disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed one." - Thomas Jefferson quoting Cesare Beccaria, Criminologist in 1764. That was 230 years ago. -Thomas Jefferson
http://www.fightthebias.com/Quotes/thomas_jefferson.htm
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.-Thomas Jefferson
http://www.fightthebias.com/Quotes/thomas_jefferson.htm
Main Entry: un·der·val·ue
Pronunciation: \-ˈval-(ˌ)yü\
Function: transitive verb
Date: 1599
1 : to value, rate, or estimate below the real worth 2 : to treat as having little value
"Don't think of it as `gun control', think of it as `victim disarmament'. If we make enough laws, we can all be criminals."-Jeff Snyder
"The possession of arms by the people is the ultimate warrant that government governs only with the consent of the governed."
Jeff Snyder
"Probably fewer than 2% of handguns and well under 1% of all guns will ever be involved in a violent crime. Thus, the problem of criminal gun violence is concentrated within a very small subset of gun owners, indicating that gun control aimed at the general population faces a serious needle-in-the-haystack problem."
Gary Kleck, "Point Blank: Handgun Violence In America"
"No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms (within his own lands or tenements)." --Thomas Jefferson: Draft Virginia Constitution (with his note added), 1776. Papers 1:353
"None but an armed nation can dispense with a standing army. To keep ours armed and disciplined is therefore at all times important." --Thomas Jefferson to -----, 1803. ME 10:365
Undervalue-to have insufficient regard or esteem for; hold too low an opinion of.
right- a moral, ethical, or legal principle considered as an underlying cause of truth, justice, morality, or ethics.
The National Rifle Association is the largest gun rights lobbying organization in the United States. From 1997 through 1998, their political action committee gave $1,330,111 to Republicans and $285,700 to Democrats. (10)
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