Charlton Heston Political Quotes

Charlton Heston Political Quotes

“As NRA president he is perhaps best known, while raising an antique Sharps Rifle over his head at the 2000 NRA convention, for saying that presidential candidate Al Gore would take away his Second Amendment rights “from my cold, dead hands”.

“… Mr. Clinton, sir, America didn’t trust you with our health-care system. America didn’t trust you with gays in the military. America doesn’t trust you with our 21-year-old daughters, and we sure, Lord, don’t trust you with our guns.”

“… Now his positions track the N.R.A.’s. Trigger locks? “A ludicrous invention. If you can’t put it on a weapon without taking the bullets out, why put it on?” A five-day waiting period? “It’s hard for me to accept that a guy says, ‘I’m going to kill that s.o.b., but, darn, I have this five-day waiting period.’ He probably still wants to kill him after five days.” Ban Saturday-night specials? “The black and Hispanic women who clean office buildings until 3 a.m. and then walk home ﾖ of course, they want a handgun in their purse.” Limit purchases to one gun a month? “It’s the camel’s nose in the tent. Look at Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, Idi Amin ﾖ every one of these monsters, on seizing power, their first act was to confiscate all firearms in private hands. …”

“… The Founders’ intent in framing the Second Amendment is perfectly clear and undeniable. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “No man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.” Some anti-gun elitists declare this notion outdated. However, many constitutional scholars from this country’s most prestigious universities agree that the Founders’ intent is clear and irreversible: To “keep and bear arms” is a right for all law-abiding citizens. …” – NY Times

“… There’s no such thing as a good gun. There’s no such thing as a bad gun. A gun in the hands of a bad man is a very dangerous thing. A gun in the hands of a good person is no danger to anyone except the bad guys. …” – Meet the Press 1997

Charlton Heston Political Views

Charlton Heston (born October 4, 1924) is an Academy Award-winning American film actor noted for heroic roles and his long involvement in political issues. Heston was born John Charlton Carter in St. Helen, Michigan to Lila Charlton and Russell Whitford Carter. He was raised in the north woods of Michigan, where he enjoyed hunting, shooting, and fishing.

In his earlier years, Heston was a Democrat, campaigning for Presidential candidates Adlai Stevenson in 1956 and John F. Kennedy in 1960. A civil rights activist, he accompanied Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights march held in Washington, D.C. in 1963. In 1968, following the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Heston appeared on The Joey Bishop Show and, along with fellow actors Gregory Peck, Kirk Douglas and James Stewart, called for gun controls to be introduced by Congress. Heston later changed his stance and was elected President of the National Rifle Association of America.

In the 1980s, however, Heston began to support more conservative and libertarian positions on such issues as affirmative action and gun rights. He has campaigned for Republican candidates and Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

Heston has been harshly criticized by advocates of gun control. Michael Moore interviewed Heston in his home in the 2002 documentary film Bowling for Columbine asking questions of him regarding NRA meeting being held in Denver, Colorado in April 1999, shortly after the Columbine high school massacre in nearby Littleton.

He is also an opponent of abortion and gave the introduction to a pro-life documentary by Bernard Nathanson called “Eclipse of Reason” which focuses on late-term abortions.

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