Quotation: "The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it."

Variations:

1. "The people will not understand the importance of the Second Amendment until it is too late."

Sources consulted: (searching for the phrase "second amendment")

1. American Founding Era Collection
2. Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series
3. Works of Thomas Jefferson (Ford)
4. Writings of Thomas Jefferson (Lipscomb & Bergh)
5. Quotable Jefferson (Kaminski)

Earliest known appearance in print: 2007^[1]

Earliest known appearance in print, attributed to Thomas Jefferson: See above.

Comments: We currently have no evidence that Thomas Jefferson said or wrote, "The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it" or any of its listed variations.

- Anna Berkes, 10/14/10