Hey all! Hope everything is well in your world at the present moment. I know that I have not been very active since joining but I would like to share a piece of writing with you guys regarding my views on the proposed Assault Weapons Ban. It is a fairly long read but any positive feedback or constructive criticism on the writing would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance. Anyway, here goes.....
An Armed Society Is a Polite Society
Long post but HELL YA!!!
The most common usage of the word “assault” is in its verb form which means to make a physical attack on someone or something. Since verbs are action words the gun control argument is rendered moot by the simple fact that no inanimate object has the capacity to commit assault. Placing labels on something as if it can commit an action on its own is nothing short of asinine. The function of a modern sporting rifle (AR-15) is the exact same as a Ruger Mini-14 which fires the exact same round and functions in the exact same way. The only distinction between the two is the way they look. Senator Dianne Feinstein has already admitted that her proposed “Assault Weapons Ban” will ban the sale, possession, manufacture and transfer of certain firearms based on looks alone. Does this not sound the absolute definition of ridiculous? You can have the one with a wood stock but not the one with a plastic stock, even though they do the exact same thing. It sounds pretty silly does it not?
The previous assault weapons ban that ran from September, 13th 1994 to September, 13th 2004 is the same thing being proposed as of now, and it did not ban any firearms. It only banned certain features of the firearm. The list includes the magazine capacity, threaded muzzle, bayonet lug and collapsing stock. These features were banned but the weapons themselves were still available. The ONLY thing this accomplished was driving up prices, increase in black market activity and increased difficulty for the manufacturers of these items. This is another thing that the proposed assault weapons ban will adversely affect. Jobs! By reducing what can be produced and forcing the manufacturer to re-tool and/or entirely phase out certain operations we will then be faced by an increase in unemployment. In an already fiercely competitive job market we cannot economically support any more unemployed Americans. Not to mention that the only other citizens to be affected by these laws will be those who have the intentions of following them. In many states it is illegal to text while driving yet every day we see people breaking that law. The only thing that stands to be accomplished by making something illegal is to increase criminal activity.
There are many people killed each year with baseball bats but there is no proposal to ban them. Why? Probably because so many honest and law abiding citizens enjoy them for sport. The same can be said of firearms. Even though the 2nd amendment was not written with hunting or sport in mind, but rather as a means of defense against an out of control tyrannical government. The beauty of the 2nd amendment is that we will never need it until someone tries to take it away. There are many purposes of a firearm. They can be used for hunting, sport and defense. It is not the fault of the people who cry for stricter gun control laws but more on the part of sensationalist news reporting. Triumph does not sell as well as tragedy which is why it is a constant stream of news when something terrible happens with a firearm, but it is barely an honorable mention when an individual defends themselves or others with one. The reason we are having these conversations is because of a national tragedy at a school and the perpetrator is essentially the only person whose name is known. This shameful reporting playing to the frail emotions and weak sense of self in the American populous is the reason these despicable monsters become overnight celebrities.
Some places are now enacting rules that allow teachers to carry a firearm concealed to class for a measure of protection, and it is an excellent idea provided it is done correctly. If someone chooses to carry a firearm and they pass the background check to obtain that license then they should also be required to go through classroom and range training prior to carrying their arm. Also it would not hurt to have them qualify twice a year or even quarterly to prove that they are defensively competent with it. The argument here is the stricter gun control regulations are not the answer to the problems we face.
Overshadowed by the events in Connecticut there has recently been another tragic shooting in nearby New York in which a deranged man set fire to his home to lure firefighters so that he could kill them. Two firefighters were killed and another two injured in the line of duty. The assailant left behind a note claiming that he wanted to do what he enjoyed the most, which was killing people. This monster had been released from federal prison in 1998 after serving a 17 year sentence for the bludgeoning death of his 92-year-old Grandmother, for which he was only convicted of manslaughter. His weapon of choice…..A Hammer!! First of all, why was this man only charged with Manslaughter? Secondly, why was he released from prison after being sentenced on the conviction of such a heinous crime? Those questions being asked allow me to address his most recent actions in which his weapon of choice was an AR-15. Now since he had been convicted of a felony he was legally barred from obtaining ANY firearm, let alone an AR-15. I now ask a third question surrounding this incident. If he was legally barred from obtaining firearms then how do we suppose he went about acquiring such weaponry? Could it be the fact that no one with ill intent in their heart will follow the laws of man? This is very simple really. Regardless of the legality of an item criminals will find a way to either procure or manufacture it. The man may commit the crime but we make only the object serve the sentence.
To those who claim that we are no longer living in the “Wild West” the fact is that it could not be further from the truth. We are not as civilized as we would like to think. It matters not how many paved roads, technological advancements or high rise buildings there are to disguise the blood thirsty intent of the American populous, the fact remains that regardless of the tools used, if an individual wishes to cause harm to others they will find a way. Again, it matters not the legality by which the item was obtained because the criminal cares very little for the law. They have decided to severely injure or kill other human beings which happens to be illegal so restricting access of certain items as if they are the ones committing these heinous acts of violence again only serves to adversely affect the law abiding citizens who wish nothing more than to remain peaceful in their daily lives. As a firearm owner and advocate for the right of self-defense I wish that there were no need for firearms at all but that simply is nothing more than a utopian fantasy. The reality is that guns exist and bad people exist. Bad people will get their hands on firearms while the good law abiding citizens who fasten their seatbelt and drive the speed limit are left defenseless. I have to ask this question. If your significant other worked in a bad neighborhood and had to walk multiple blocks back their car each night would you want them armed with 911 on speed dial or a properly concealed weapon to ward off any attackers? A self-defense weapon in the hand is there on demand, whereas the police could be miles away. Law enforcement is reactive and being prepared for what may come is proactive.
If we look at the past twenty years all mass shootings, with the exception of one or two isolated incidents, have occurred in “gun free zones” because that is where the shooter will face the least opposition. Have we ever heard of a spree killer going into a firing range, gun show, gun shop or police station? Not at all because they know that in those places people have the means to defend the area and the shooters do not want that. What they want are easy targets who have been stripped of their means to fight back. I know! The big question here is “Why am I ignoring the fact that Fort Hood was a military base?” Well I am not ignoring it and I will address it accordingly. Being a military base, the soldiers at Ft. Hood were not armed. The reason being is that they treat the base as their home and have their weapons locked in a community safe. On the battlefield they are able to remain on guard for whatever may come but on the home front they are just as defenseless as many people would want you and I. How is the military supposed to protect us from a foreign invasion if they cannot protect themselves from one within our borders?
When running away from evil ceases to be an option then it is not only the right of the legally armed citizen to protect themselves and their brethren, but it also becomes their duty. We have a major obligation to protect one another. Some of us have heard that we win the fight by not being there, but sometimes that simply does not fall into the realm of possibility. Situational awareness is our best friend in these situations and if we can get out of it safely without firing a shot then that is excellent, but there are times in which we must use deadly force. Is it the preferred method of stopping the fight? Of course not! Any reasonable firearms advocate will tell you that they would rather it end without bloodshed but we know that there is always the chance that we simply cannot deter the criminal with the mere presence of opposition. As I mentioned earlier, in a utopian society we would not have a need for such items but the fact remains that evil exists and we cannot reason with evil. We must show force and demonstrate that we are willing to use that force should it become necessary. Evil men prey on the weak and defenseless. This ensures that their job remains easy and free of risks. If we arm ourselves and train properly then we present a high risk career choice for those evil men. Remember, in the interest of the preservation of life and limb we must never forget the following phrase. Refuse to be the victim cowering in the corner and instead choose to be the victor triumphing over evil!!
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What happened to "..... shall not be infringed."
Originally Posted by BefallenSoul
