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Photographer

(1,142 posts)
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 01:47 AM Aug 2016

The Real Meaning Of One Of The NRA’s Favorite Mottoes….’Molon Labe’

Molon Labe has become one of the favorite phrases of hard-core 2nd Amendment people who are paranoid that the government is coming to take their guns.

So what in the world is Molon Labe? Don’t feel bad if you don’t know. Unless you are a paranoid gun lover you’ve likely never heard the phrase.

Molon Labe is a classical Greek phrase meaning “Come and take [them].” And 2nd Amendment enthusiasts have adopted the phrase as a way to stand up to their imagined threat of the government coming to take away their guns.






Retired Army officer Allen West is a former Republican Congressman. He’s also one of those paranoid gun lovers. And he loves talking about Molon Labe.

In October West gave a speech in Florida where he explained just where the phrase came from. He told the story “of the 300 Spartans who fought to the death against an army of 10,000 Persians at the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C.” And then he asked the audience, “What is your Thermopylae? Where will you take a stand?”

The obvious implication is that gun lovers must stand up to the government.

Molon Labe is attributed to Spartan King Leonidas who defiantly stood up to an order by the Persian King requiring his Greek army to give up their weapons. He was trying to defend the Greek cities against an invasion by the Persians at a place called Thermopylae. And, even though the Greek army was massively outnumbered, they still stood firm and responded with Molon Labe.

So now, all these years later, gun lovers have adopted the phrase as their own. They are determined to never give up their guns and are challenging the government to just dare and try to confiscate their beloved weapons. Never mind that the government is not coming for their guns. They remain defiant and paranoid just the same.

http://samuel-warde.com/2016/08/real-meaning-one-nras-favorite-slogans-molon-labe/

32 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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The Real Meaning Of One Of The NRA’s Favorite Mottoes….’Molon Labe’ (Original Post) Photographer Aug 2016 OP
Crackpots abound. Rex Aug 2016 #1
Dorks. Who's coming to take them? No one. kysrsoze Aug 2016 #2
But the myth of gun confiscation is great for gun $ales! Beartracks Aug 2016 #7
We ARE coming for their guns! Nevernose Aug 2016 #3
I hope all Conservative Patriotic Americans Heed your advice! n/t n2doc Aug 2016 #9
I'll be bringing my good friend Gort along with me on my gun confiscation rounds. hunter Aug 2016 #32
But but but how could Hillary take their guns when Obama already did? Oh wait... onecaliberal Aug 2016 #4
DH wanted to sell a hunting rifle Freddie Aug 2016 #5
I keep trying to ask them one simple question... MirrorAshes Aug 2016 #6
Alan West/Glenn Greenwald connection.... msanthrope Aug 2016 #8
they believe the government wants to take them, thanks to Feinstein and other extremists Amishman Aug 2016 #10
OFc ourse she was only referring to "assault weapons" re: the '94 band...but knew that lame bill jmg257 Aug 2016 #14
Moron Lambs. HughBeaumont Aug 2016 #11
Seriously! I have never seen a more paranoid, immature, delusional group of nutcases in my life! smirkymonkey Aug 2016 #23
See how well it worked out for Lavoy Finnicum? RandiFan1290 Aug 2016 #12
We? You were there in a law enforcement capacity? Marengo Aug 2016 #31
Wonder if the writer knows molon labe has nothing to do with the NRA??? ileus Aug 2016 #13
OK, you win: You know more about the NRA than the rest of us do. Paladin Aug 2016 #19
It made for a pretty good movie - very interestingly done. nt jmg257 Aug 2016 #15
Does the Moron Lobby realize that in the movie SwankyXomb Aug 2016 #16
My counter motto is "Melt 'em" Stinky The Clown Aug 2016 #17
Cold dead hands? OK. mwrguy Aug 2016 #27
As I recall those 300 died. flamin lib Aug 2016 #18
Pentagon. I think Americans fantasizing about the US govt killing its citizens is... cherokeeprogressive Aug 2016 #28
Hey, things worked out real well with the folks at Ruby Ridge, Branch Dividian, Republic of Texas, flamin lib Aug 2016 #29
IF gun nuts weren't so nutty, and didn't care if they were turned in, would there be a push to have jmg257 Aug 2016 #20
I think I'm gonna call my penis that. Iggo Aug 2016 #21
Molten Lube?? Eleanors38 Aug 2016 #22
Today's a-hole "Open Carry" & 2A /chickenhawks want guns in Penny's/Ross/Starbucks UTUSN Aug 2016 #24
I see that on old, crappy pickups around here all the time. Nac Mac Feegle Aug 2016 #25
For some reason the 300 are legend ornotna Aug 2016 #26
Or that they lost to a MUCH freer society. LeftyMom Aug 2016 #30
 

Rex

(65,616 posts)
1. Crackpots abound.
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 01:56 AM
Aug 2016

They think Reagan was a real cowboy and that their 'way of life' is under mortal threat. These are the folks Trump was talking to.

Beartracks

(12,814 posts)
7. But the myth of gun confiscation is great for gun $ales!
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 04:10 AM
Aug 2016

For the NRA to always push this myth shows who they really work for. The gun lobby doesn't represent the interests of gun owners nearly so much as they represent the interests of gun manufacturers.

============

Nevernose

(13,081 posts)
3. We ARE coming for their guns!
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 02:24 AM
Aug 2016

It's scheduled for November 8th. Everybody's talking about it. It's been on the radio and Glen Beck and other good news sources. SWAT will come to be house, knock on the door, and if nobody's home, they'll come in and seize any guns found. They estimate they can confiscate as much as two-thirds of American firearms.

So if you cherish your second amendment rights above all others, STAY HOME ON NOVEMBER 8TH and protect yourself from Obama-Clinton tyrrany by hunkering down and protecting what you've got! Clinton's goon squads are coming -- even Rush Limbaugh says so -- so TRUE PATRIOTS and people who know that CLINTON IS THE LITERAL DEVIL and know that OBAMA IS THE FOUNDER OF ISIS need to STAY HOME on November 8th and protect themselves.

hunter

(38,313 posts)
32. I'll be bringing my good friend Gort along with me on my gun confiscation rounds.
Sat Aug 13, 2016, 01:06 AM
Aug 2016


Spot too.



Spot's only bad habit is that he tends to eat people who shoot at him. This gives him gas. Dragon burps and farts are not funny.

And I'll probably vote for Hillary at every polling place we pass.

There will be no stopping us.

It will be a great day.

Freddie

(9,267 posts)
5. DH wanted to sell a hunting rifle
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 03:32 AM
Aug 2016

He no longer uses. He got a great price for it from one of his co-workers who said "I better do this while I can before Obama makes it impossible to buy a gun." DH said nothing and took his $$.

MirrorAshes

(1,262 posts)
6. I keep trying to ask them one simple question...
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 03:35 AM
Aug 2016

Do they really believe they could win a war against the United States government, even with all their big shiny guns? The military still has... you know... drones, smart bombs, artillery, etc.

The idea that they'd actually fight the war they so often claim to want is a joke.

What they really want, I think, is an excuse to shoot liberals. Ideological cleansing.

I'm going to keep pushing them. From a distance anyway, 'cause them folks be crazy.

Amishman

(5,557 posts)
10. they believe the government wants to take them, thanks to Feinstein and other extremists
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 06:32 AM
Aug 2016

We can't get anything passed and the paranoids on the other side stay fired up because a very small very vocal minority who really do want to take their guns.

Senator Feinstein's 'America turn them all in' comment may be one of the most damaging gaffes in modern US politics.

jmg257

(11,996 posts)
14. OFc ourse she was only referring to "assault weapons" re: the '94 band...but knew that lame bill
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 07:35 AM
Aug 2016

was all she could realistically hope for.

 

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)
23. Seriously! I have never seen a more paranoid, immature, delusional group of nutcases in my life!
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 07:50 PM
Aug 2016

What is with these people? Why do they effing think they need a goddamn gun wherever they go? What a miserable way to live. I will never, ever get it.

I am just so thankful that I live in an area of the country where I have never seen anyone carry a gun in public besides the police and where people here are strongly for gun control laws.

ileus

(15,396 posts)
13. Wonder if the writer knows molon labe has nothing to do with the NRA???
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 06:41 AM
Aug 2016

Not taking up for the NRA but you can't just make shit up and call it truth.

Stinky The Clown

(67,800 posts)
17. My counter motto is "Melt 'em"
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 08:53 AM
Aug 2016

I know it will never happen in my lifetime, but that's my gunz hardon. Melt them down to slag. Every fucking one of them.

flamin lib

(14,559 posts)
18. As I recall those 300 died.
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 10:29 AM
Aug 2016

I guarantee the result would be the same because the Pentagon has one thing that a bunch of out of shape wanna be heroes playing with guns in the woods doesn't.

It's called Command ans Control. All the lopsided armament not withstanding the ability to see the field of battle and control the forces on it is paramount to success. These poor bastards couldn't even use a cellphone without calling in a HARM missile.

 

cherokeeprogressive

(24,853 posts)
28. Pentagon. I think Americans fantasizing about the US govt killing its citizens is...
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 11:49 PM
Aug 2016

As fucked up as any "gun nut", whatever the fuck that is, could possibly be.

You think that in an all-volunteer force there would be a large number of people eager to push a button and vaporize their fellow citizens? If you're correct, the military sure has changed since I was in it.

flamin lib

(14,559 posts)
29. Hey, things worked out real well with the folks at Ruby Ridge, Branch Dividian, Republic of Texas,
Sat Aug 13, 2016, 12:24 AM
Aug 2016

and the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Article III, Section 3. Read it.

As for when I was in the Army all my buttons had US on them, not some fantasy patriot movement and an all volunteer army is more likely to follow orders than one made up of short timers like me.

If you don't know what a "gun nut" is you need to educate yourself, son.

jmg257

(11,996 posts)
20. IF gun nuts weren't so nutty, and didn't care if they were turned in, would there be a push to have
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 11:47 AM
Aug 2016

Last edited Fri Aug 12, 2016, 08:36 PM - Edit history (1)

them do so?

All of them? Any of them? Only certain ones?

Nac Mac Feegle

(971 posts)
25. I see that on old, crappy pickups around here all the time.
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 11:14 PM
Aug 2016

I'm pretty sure it's pronounced " Moron Inside". It even looks like the first generation Intel Pentium 'warning label.'

(To all the non-nerds out there: The original Pentium microprocessors from Intel had a 'bug' in them that caused math errors.)


ornotna

(10,801 posts)
26. For some reason the 300 are legend
Fri Aug 12, 2016, 11:25 PM
Aug 2016

They seem to forget to mention the 4000+ other Greeks that were there. There is a reason they are called gun nuts.

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