"Sir, it is true that republics have often been cradled in war, but more often they have met with a grave in that cradle. Peace is the interest, the policy, the nature of a popular Government.   War may bring benefits to a few, but privation and loss are the lot of the many.   An appeal to arms should be the last resort, and only by national rights or national honor can it be justified."

The League of the South gives its unequivocal support to the people's right to keep and bears arms as articulated in the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and in the various state constitutions.  Our Founders understood that the right of the citizenry to possess and use firearms was a necessary means of self-protection, a fundamental right that came from our Creator.

While firearms have always been used for hunting and sporting purpose, they were, according to the Founders, to be used, if necessary, by law-abiding citizens primarily to check the rise of tyrannical government. For this purpose, our forefathers affirmed the necessity of well-regulated, State-controlled militias comprised of ordinary citizen-soldiers.

Today, the American Empire seeks to create a monopoly over the legitimate use of force.  By creating large standing armed forces, coupled with some 80,000 well-armed Federal agents and a federalised National Guard, the central government has at its disposal massive firepower that could, upon declaration of some national emergency and martial law, be used against its own citizenry.   In fact, history shows that large standing military (and paramilitary) forces have most often been employed against domestic, rather than foreign, "enemies."   After the debacles at Waco and Ruby Ridge, the League of the South places little trust in the central government's ability (or desire) to use its armed forces in a responsible manner.

The League is quick to draw a distinction between legitimate militias that operate under State authority and private militias comprised of hotheaded, Rambo types that are answerable to no duly-constituted civil authority.   Lacking political control and regulation by the governments of the Sovereign States, these private militias often advocate "offensive" actions against whomever they deem as their enemies. We do not deny that under the Constitution private citizens have the right to arm themselves and to peaceably assemble. Therefore, we have no problem with those "militias" that are made up of law-abiding citizens and whose main purpose is defensive (i.e. to protect their lives, liberties, and properties).

George Mason wrote about the time the Bill of Rights was ratified: "I ask, sir, what is the militia?  It is the whole people. . . . To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."  Compare the words of this statesman with those of our current crop of politicians, both Democrat and Republican, and you will see how low we have sunk in terms of our willingness to defend our ancient liberties.

It must be remembered that there was virtually no "militia movement" (of either the good or bad sort) in the United States until after the Federal excesses at Waco and Ruby Ridge.  Therefore, contrary to the various "militia watchdog" groups, the federal government -- and not those who decided to join militias -- is responsible for creating the current crisis over the Second Amendment. Various Federal gun control laws, which the League opposes, make it clear that Washington, DC, fears firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens. Governments that disarm their citizens do so as a prelude to depriving those citizens of civil and political rights.

There is simply no way that today's liberal socialists and false conservatives will ever concede that the people have a right to defend themselves against tyrannical government, and anyone who says that we do will be branded as a "right-wing extremist."  Nonetheless,  the League of the South stands firm in its defense of our God-given right to keep and bear arms and to assemble peaceably to defend our liberty.  We will continue to oppose all attempts to curtail or to eliminate altogether the right to self-protection through the lawful and moral use of firearms. Remember, the 1968 Gun Control Act was based on Hitler's Nazi gun control legislation of the 1930s.  The League will not only continue to oppose gun control efforts; we will support  the "right to carry," reciprocity laws, and other pro-active legislation that protects our right to firearm self-defense.  Ideally, these safeguards should exist at the state and local levels.

The League of the South welcomes into its ranks those men and women who stand for the honourable principles of their forefathers. To us, "gun control" means a steady aim and  the ability to hit your target. The Founders would, we believe, applaud our position.