--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [The disarming of citizens] has a double…" description: "\"[The disarming of citizens] has a double effect, it palsies the hand and brutalizes the mind: a habitual disuse of physical forces totally destroys the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/joel-barlow-39317_bearing-arms_the-disarming-of-citizens-has-a-double-e_640598.png" --- # \[The disarming of citizens\] has a double effect, it… ![“[The disarming of citizens] has a double effect, it palsies the hand and brutalizes the mind: a habitual disuse of physical forces totally destroys the moral [force]; and men lose at once the power of protecting themselves, and of discerning the cause of their oppression.” quote by Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/joel-barlow-39317_bearing-arms_the-disarming-of-citizens-has-a-double-e_640598.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/joel-barlow-39317_bearing-arms_the-disarming-of-citizens-has-a-double-e_640598.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/joel-barlow-39317_bearing-arms_the-disarming-of-citizens-has-a-double-e_640598.png) > “\[The disarming of citizens\] has a double effect, it palsies the hand and brutalizes the mind: a habitual disuse of physical forces totally destroys the moral \[force\]; and men lose at once the power of protecting themselves, and of discerning the cause of their oppression.” [Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When people are denied physical agency, their moral strength erodes, leaving them vulnerable and unable to recognize oppression. **In simple terms:** Loss of physical power weakens moral resolve and awareness. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal agency and critical awareness. Themes freedom agency morality oppression self‑defense Mood defiant reflective urgent Type philosophical political motivational When to use this quote - self‑defense training - community organizing - education on civil rights - personal fitness - mindfulness practice Key Concepts political philosophy psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals rebuild moral strength after disempowerment? - What practices sustain both physical and mental agency? A Different Perspective Without mental resilience, physical empowerment alone may not prevent oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bearing arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bearing-arms/) [Brutalizes Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutalizes-mind-5143571/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Disarming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disarming/) [Disarming Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disarming-citizens-5143569/) [Discerning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discerning/) [Disuse Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disuse-physical-923166/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Gun control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-control/) [Gun rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-rights/) [Habitual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habitual/) [Hand Brutalizes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hand-brutalizes-5143570/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Loses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loses/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) [Physical force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-force/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Right to bear arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-to-bear-arms/) ## Related quotes > [A habitual disuse of physical forces totally destroys the moral; and men lose at once the power of protecting themselves, and of discerning the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/a-habitual-disuse-of-physical-forces-totally-destroys-the-moral-and/) [Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) > [It is my hope that as the Negro plunges deeper into the quest for freedom and justice he will plunge even deeper into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-my-hope-that-as-the-negro-plunges-deeper-into-the-quest-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When men abandon reason, physical force becomes their only means of dealing with one another and of settling disagreements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/when-men-abandon-reason-physical-force-becomes-their-only-means-of/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Public Opinion... an attempt to organize the ignorance of the community, and to elevate it to the dignity of physical force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/public-opinion-an-attempt-to-organize-the-ignorance-of-the-community/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [We must meet hate with love. We must meet physical force with soul force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/we-must-meet-hate-with-love-we-must-meet-physical-force-with-soul/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The new way of thinking, spawned by the cognitive revolution, shows strong promise. Reversing previous doctrine in science, the new paradigm affirms that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-wolcott-sperry/the-new-way-of-thinking-spawned-by-the-cognitive-revolution-shows/) [Roger Wolcott Sperry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-wolcott-sperry/) > [The moral absolute should be: if and when, in any dispute, one side initiates the use of physical force, that side is wrong -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-moral-absolute-should-be-if-and-when-in-any-dispute-one-side/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [You must consider that there is opposition from other human beings and also non-physical forces that don't want you to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-must-consider-that-there-is-opposition-from-other-human-beings/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Man has become a superman ... because he not only disposes oinnate, physical forces, but because he is in command ... olatent forces in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/man-has-become-a-superman-because-he-not-only-disposes-oinnate/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/again-and-again-we-must-rise-to-the-majestic-heights-of-meeting/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There are those who will seek to block you. There are also non-physical forces. To win in the world of enlightenment, it is necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-those-who-will-seek-to-block-you-there-are-also-non/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I do believe that where there is a choice between cowardice and non-violence I would advise violence. Thus when my eldest son asked me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-believe-that-where-there-is-a-choice-between-cowardice-and-non/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Hold the period of youth sacred to education, and the period of maturity, when the physical forces begin to flag, equally sacred to ease…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/hold-the-period-of-youth-sacred-to-education-and-the-period-of/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [All the reasons which made the initiation of physical force evil, make the retaliatory use of physical force a moral imperative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/all-the-reasons-which-made-the-initiation-of-physical-force-evil-make/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) ## More by Joel Barlow > [In raising a people from slavery to freedom, you have called them to act on a new theatre; and it is a necessary part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/in-raising-a-people-from-slavery-to-freedom-you-have-called-them-to/) [Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) > [“Almighty Freedom! give my venturous song The force, the charm that to thy voice belong; Tis thine to shape my course, to light my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/almighty-freedom-give-my-venturous-song-the-force-the-charm-that-to/) [Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) > [I sing the sweets I know, the charms I feel, my morning incense, and my evening meal, the sweets of hasty pudding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/i-sing-the-sweets-i-know-the-charms-i-feel-my-morning-incense-and-my/) [Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) > [There are many advantages in their being accustomed to the use of arms, and no possible disadvantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/there-are-many-advantages-in-their-being-accustomed-to-the-use-of/) [Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) > [How could you fear a dearth? Have not mankind tho' slain by millions, millions left behind?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/how-could-you-fear-a-dearth-have-not-mankind-tho-slain-by-millions/) [Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) > [The fine arts, both in those who cultivate and those only who admire them, open and expand the mind to great ideas. They inspire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/the-fine-arts-both-in-those-who-cultivate-and-those-only-who-admire/) [Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) > [He who thinks to save anything by his religion, besides his soul, will be a loser in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/he-who-thinks-to-save-anything-by-his-religion-besides-his-soul-will/) [Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) > [The danger (where there is any) from armed citizens, is only to the \*government\*, not to \*society\*; and as long as they have nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/the-danger-where-there-is-any-from-armed-citizens-is-only-to-the/) [Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) > [A habitual disuse of physical forces totally destroys the moral; and men lose at once the power of protecting themselves, and of discerning the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/a-habitual-disuse-of-physical-forces-totally-destroys-the-moral-and/) [Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) > [It is because the people are citizens that they are with safety armed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/it-is-because-the-people-are-citizens-that-they-are-with-safety-armed/) [Joel Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) [Explore all 11 Joel Barlow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/) ## More Bearing arms quotes > [If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/if-in-the-opinion-of-the-people-the-distribution-or-modification-of/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [As civil rulers, not having their duty to the people duly before them, may attempt to tyrannize,... The people are confirmed by the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tench-coxe/as-civil-rulers-not-having-their-duty-to-the-people-duly-before-them/) [Tench Coxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tench-coxe/) > [What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/what-country-can-preserve-its-liberties-if-its-rulers-are-not-warned/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A sword by itself does not slay; it is merely the weapon used by the slayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-sword-by-itself-does-not-slay-it-is-merely-the-weapon-used-by-the/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [For an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/for-an-unarmed-man-may-be-attacked-with-greater-confidence-than-an/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The possession of unnecessary implements makes difficult the collection of taxes and dues and tends to foment uprisings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toyotomi-hideyoshi/the-possession-of-unnecessary-implements-makes-difficult-the/) [Toyotomi Hideyoshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toyotomi-hideyoshi/) > [My great objection to this government is, that it does not leave us the means of defending our rights, or of waging war against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-henry/my-great-objection-to-this-government-is-that-it-does-not-leave-us/) [Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-henry/) > [Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [We can't be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-can-t-be-so-fixated-on-our-desire-to-preserve-the-rights-of/) [William J. 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Can it be supposed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-beccaria/the-laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are/) [Cesare Beccaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-beccaria/) > [If gun laws in fact worked, the sponsors of this type of legislation should have no difficulty drawing upon long lists of examples of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-hatch/if-gun-laws-in-fact-worked-the-sponsors-of-this-type-of-legislation/) [Orrin Hatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-hatch/) > [A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/a-well-regulated-militia-being-necessary-to-the-security-of-a-free/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [To disarm the people... was the best and most effectual way to enslave them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/to-disarm-the-people-was-the-best-and-most-effectual-way-to-enslave/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) [Browse all 107 Bearing arms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bearing-arms/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[The disarming of citizens] has a double effect, it palsies the hand and brutalizes the mind: a habitual disuse of physical forces totally destroys the moral [force]; and men lose at once the power of protecting themselves, and of discerning the cause of their oppression.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joel Barlow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/the-disarming-of-citizens-has-a-double-effect-it-palsies-the-hand-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bearing arms" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/the-disarming-of-citizens-has-a-double-effect-it-palsies-the-hand-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/joel-barlow-39317_bearing-arms_the-disarming-of-citizens-has-a-double-e_640598.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/joel-barlow-39317_bearing-arms_the-disarming-of-citizens-has-a-double-e_640598.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c7/joel-barlow-39317_bearing-arms_the-disarming-of-citizens-has-a-double-e_640598.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[The disarming of citizens] has a double effect, it palsies the hand and brutalizes the mind: a habitual…” — Joel Barlow", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joel Barlow", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-barlow/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "[The disarming of citizens] has a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/the-disarming-of-citizens-has-a-double-effect-it-palsies-the-hand-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-barlow/the-disarming-of-citizens-has-a-double-effect-it-palsies-the-hand-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```