Claims that Thomas Jefferson said, “The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it,” receive scrutiny in a recent Snopes fact-check. Despite widespread sharing on social media, including posts by public figures, researchers find no documentary evidence to substantiate this quotation’s attribution to the Founding Father.
The earliest known mention of a similar phrase appears in a 1994 letter to a South Carolina newspaper, suggesting the quote may stem from a paraphrase rather than a direct citation from Jefferson’s writings. This investigation not only highlights the ongoing spread of questionable quotes but also raises the significance of accurate historical attribution in public discourse during heated debates over gun rights.
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