Never assume that simply having a gun makes you a marksman. You are no more armed because you are wearing a pistol than you are a musician because you own a guitar.
Jeff CooperRead
That is why our masters in Washington are so anxious to disarm us. They are not afraid of criminals. They are afraid of a populace which cannot be subdued by tyrants.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a fear of disarming the population to prevent tyranny, emphasizing the importance of a free and armed citizenry.
Jeff Cooper's quote highlights the notion that those in power are more afraid of a populace that can resist oppression than of criminals. It suggests that the disarmament of citizens is a strategy employed by tyrants to maintain control and suppress dissent, framing the right to bear arms as a critical defense against tyranny and an essential element of a free society.
Themes
TyrannyFreedomDisarmamentResistanceOppression
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on gun control, one might quote this to emphasize the importance of the right to bear arms.
More from Jeff Cooper
All quotes →Similar quotes
To gain a crown by fighting is great, to reject it divine.
Friedrich SchillerRead
It is the first law of practical courage. To be in the weakest camp is to be in the strongest school.
Gilbert K. ChestertonRead
Today we did what we had to do. They counted on America to be passive. They counted wrong.
Ronald ReaganRead
Martyrdom does not end something, it only a beginning.
Indira GandhiRead
When cowardice is made respectable, its followers are without number both from among the weak and the strong; it easily becomes a fashion.
Eric HofferRead
I worked through cancer twice. I probably worked through it too much the last time. This time, I found myself saying, 'Well, I don't feel well. I think I'll take the day off.' I think I did that even a little bit more than I needed to.
Molly IvinsRead