People you or others didn't know were pro gun!

General General Discussion
1

I recently learned that MLK owned a gun and was pro self defense. That was news to me, even though I have read on the topic for some time. That got me to thinking about a list of those people others (especially the anti crowed) are surprised to learn are/were in fact pro self defense/pro gun.

A list of those people would be useful with quotes (especially with cites!) very useful. Here’s mine:

“Though defensive violence will always be ‘a sad necessity’ in the eyes of men of principle, it would be still more unfortunate if wrongdoers should dominate just men.” - St. Augustine A.D. 354-430

“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.” – The Dalai Lama, (May 15, 2001, The Seattle Times) speaking at the “Educating Heart Summit” in Portland, Oregon, when asked by a girl how to react when a shooter takes aim at a classmate

“Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest.” -Mohandas K. Gandhi

“I have been repeating over and over again that he who cannot protect himself or his nearest and dearest or their honor by non-violently facing death may and ought to do so by violently dealing with the oppressor. He who can do neither of the two is a burden. He has no business to be the head of a family. He must either hide himself, or must rest content to live for ever in helplessness and be prepared to crawl like a worm at the bidding of a bully.” - Mahatma Gandhi (Young India, 11-10-1928, p342)

“Finally, I contended that the debate over the question of self-defense was unnecessary since few people suggested that Negroes should not defend themselves as individuals when attacked. The question was not whether one should use his gun when his home was attacked, but whether it was tactically wise to use a gun while participating in an organized demonstration.” - “Where Do We Go From Here:Chaos or Community?” by MLK Jr.

“As we have seen, the first public expression of disenchantment with nonviolence arose around the question of “self-defense.” In a sense this is a false issue, for the right to defend one’s home and one’s person when attacked has been guaranteed through the ages by common law.” - “Where Do We Go From Here:Chaos or Community?” by MLK Jr.

Who else would you and or the anti types be surprised to learn are/were not sheep and knew non violence does not = victim?

BTW, MLK applied for a CCW after his house was bombed and was turned down by the (racist) authorities. He was also a Republican…

2

I was going to say that Ghandi never ruled out a violent revolt as a possible solution to GB’s occupation. In fact Ghandi considered violent revolution as the next step after all peaceful means had been exhausted. Your quote above by him illustrates this to a degree.

3

I have always believed that no day is a wasted day so long as you have imparted knowledge to another or learned something new yourself. Good Post…I learned something today.

4

MLK was also a registered Republican.

My only gripe with him was his stance on Vietnam. He was spot-on on race.

5

Not all of these people are well known, but they were important and influential men in their day…

“The right of self-defense is the first law of nature”. – St. George Tucker (1752-1827)

“An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it”. – Col. Jeff Cooper (1920-2006)

“Congress has no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American”. – Tench Coxe (1755-1824)

“In these modern times, many men are wounded for not having weapons or knowledge of their use”. – Achille Marozzo (1484-1553)

“The Second Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances where all other rights have failed – where the government refuses to stand for reelection and silences those who protest; where courts have lost the courage to oppose, or can find no one to enforce their decrees. However improbable these contingencies may seem today, facing them unprepared is a mistake a free people get to make only once." – Justice Alex Kozinski, US 9th Circuit Court, 2003

“One of the greatest delusions in the world is the hope that the evils in this world are to be cured by legislation”. – Thomas B. Reed (1839-1902)

“Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes”. – Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)

“We should not forget that the spark which ignited the American Revolution was caused by the British attempt to confiscate the firearms of the colonists”.
– Patrick Henry (1736-1799)

“A sword is never a killer; it is a tool in the killer’s hands”. – Lucius Annaeus Seneca, aka Seneca the Younger (4 BC-65 AD)

6

Great topic.

Not a big surprise, but I have read in several instances that Winston Churchill would not leave the house without a 1911 given to him by Eisenhower. I have searched pretty extensively, but unfortunately have not found anything to substantiate this.

7

Over the years, I’ve shot with, trained, and done demos for some people you would never believe are pro gun, and love shooting. A short list here, more on my blog where I recently hightlighted this subject;

Joan Lunden -(Good Morning America)-sent an entire Coors Light truck full to my command one day.

Paul Dejoria (Paul Mitchell)- would rountinely send pallets of hair care stuff for the wives, of course, some of the guys used them too.

Philipp Meyer (the next Steinbeck, Faulkner-author of ‘American Rust’)- just went through Tac 2 pistol, and can rock with a handgun.

Kelsey Grammer (yes, Fraiser Krane loves guns and the military) - is supposedly the leader of the ‘Friends of Abe’-group of hollwood actors who are pro-gun, pro-military.

8

“If a thief in the night should be struck such that he die, there shall be no blood shed for his.” - Exodus 22: 2

This is why Jesus on numerous occasions, uses the expression, “God’s kingdom will come like a thief in the night.” He COMMENDS the law of Exodus as good & right; that even as His hearers prepare for the thief in the night, he warns them, be that much MORE prepared, for the advent of God’s kingdom.

9

The Master and Inventor of Jeet Kune Do, Bruce Lee, carried a gun in his brief case or bag when he was still alive.

10

His suicide not withstanding, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana was a huge gun nut and was rumored to have quite a collection at the time of his death.

In an interview with Rolling Stone (much to their shock and disdain) he confessed to being an excellent shot and enjoying shooting as his favorite hobby.

11

George Orwell wrote:

“That rifle hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or labourer’s cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there.”

More here.

12

Kelsey Grammer is very pro-military and a gun supporter, but I thought Gary Sinise was the leader of FoA?

13

President John F. Kennedy - Life Member of the NRA.

A far cry from his brother Teddy…

14

If I am not mistaken, JFK owned both an AR-15 and an M-1 Garand.

WillBrink, this is a great thread! I love hearing historical quotes like these.

15

The last Democrat worth a shit IMHO. Decorated WWII Veteran, NRA life member, avid gun owner, etc. A far cry from what we have today indeed.

16

Is Jon Voight pro gun?

17

Jon Voight for sure, and loves the mil. I forgot about him. My former teammate Tiny started as an extra on the first Transformers. He soon got a role as one of the Rangers (the big guy with the tats).

He became close with Jon and remains good friends with him.

KL Davis - yes, its either Sinise or Grammer, not positive which one.

18

The girl from Pineapple Express is a huge gun advocate, NRA member. She was talking about how it’s stupid for a girl to live alone in L.A. without a gun.
May not be a huge star but I thought it was cool she was so vocal about it.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1720028/

19

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher.

20

Oh yeah that’s right. I forget which show my wife was watching but my ears perked up when I heard them talking about they have “springfields”. My first thought, well 1911 or XD?