[fortysomething]

Good question, Chris!

Seems to me that we are currently on the up side of the political cycle concerning the RKBA/2A. I say this because of the increase in shall issue RTC states and the stand-your-ground laws that are currently in the works.

That said, the real work has just begun if we are to maintain or improve what we have 20 years (or even 50 years) down the road. Education will be the key to overcoming the antigun rhetoric.

I too am optimistic. Complacency, however, is potentially the biggest enemy. Ben Franklin is attributed as saying, “a Democracy will vote away its rights.” To ensure that this does not happen we must keep up the good fight.

40

 

[Captain Crunch]

I'm No Prophet, But....

It all depends on who's sleeping in the White House on the night of January 20th, 2009.

 

[Team American]

And it only takes one (or two) crazed whack-o's (think: Columbine) to set our pro-gun agenda back, at least temporarily.

But I do think we have the momentum right now...:hand10:

 

[TonyW]

I guess I'm kind of a pessimist. I see too many in our country, and western society in general, as being anti-everything that leads to people having the right to protect themselves and those they love. How many people, governments and other forces (media, private organizations) are out there that seem hell-bent on taking away the personal freedoms that so many have fought to earn and keep? Our right to own, keep and carry weapons for self-defense is tied up with a host of other cultural issues and attitudes and I don't know if Americans are willing to fight to keep those rights anymore. Too many in our society are fat, lazy and self-interested. And I'm not particularly talking about their waist line there, we have become a group of people that if it isn't easy, if it can't be solved in a short time (by the next commercial break) or if it is going to cut into our play time we don't want any part of it.

But folks like those here and in organizations like the Buckeye Firearms Association http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/modules.php?name=News&new_topic=12 do give me some hope.

 

[QKShooter]

The Possible New Face

in the S.C.O.T.U.S. offers a glimmer of hope.
A little ray of sunshine.
I keep on thinking that some sort of legal precedent has been set by allowing LEO reciprocity.

I am thinking that perhaps & maybe the Supreme Court will eventually rule on the question:
Do retired Law Enforcement persons have MORE of a right to nationwide personal self~protection than Non LEO Americans?

Have LEOs been given more of a right to better combat random possible "incidents of terror" than ordinary citizens?

Does a retired LEO from Pennsylvania have more of a right to save lives and terminate a Terrorist Sniper in (Pick Another State) than the average citizen?

Interesting questions.

 

[500Mag]

As an optimist I want to see total reciprocity thru all states - no need for one's own state permit plus others, to just try and ''cover bases''.

For that to happen there needs to be a liscensing system in place along the lines of driving, which at this point I'm all for under the right conditions. It can't take 4 years to get a liscense, can't cost $200, etc. etc.

Personally though, I feel if you have the legal standings to own a firearm then that should be allowed to carry one ANYWHERE. No test, no fees, just don't screw up.

 

[Scott]

Chris,

No help here. We are losing the battle just at the time it appears that we are winning. Here is why I think that.

1) Many folks energized by the legislative fights to get shall-issue in their home states are tired and they have won that battle. Without another battle to keep them in the fight they will go back to sleep.

2) Encroachment. Hunting is down, because of encroachment. Shooting facilities are being run out of areas or just shutting down because of encroachment. Many towns and cities will absolutely not approve shooting facilities within their borders. Some go so far as to prohibit them by ordinance.

3) This is the BIG Enchilada here folks. The youth. We are losing the youth. What most kids know about guns comes from video games, movies and their teachers. As gun owners and firearms enthusiats we must get involved with youth shooting programs. Without any exposure to law abiding gun owners, and the shooting sports today's youth will grow up without any knowledge of guns and will vote to ban them. After all they got along all their lives without guns, why would anyone need them.

So get involved with the youth. YHEC, Jakes, air gun competitions (college scholarships are available), shotgun sports (college scholarships are available), rimfire events, BSA merit badge counselor et. al. Otherwise in about 20-30 years we will find ourselves losing everything we have gained in the last 10 years or so.

-Scott-

 

[Ghost Rider]

Years ago, I applied for a Concealed Carry Permit. I went thru a background check, got fingerprinted, waited, and finally got a cute little laminated sealed card that I have to carry wherever I go, packing or not, just so I can show a LEO this cute little card if I am ever stopped for speeding. (After I warn him/her that I am carrying.) A few years later, the first permit expired. I was re-fingerprinted (fingerprints must have changed over the years), I repaid for another application and got yet another cute little laminated sealed card that I have to carry just so I can show it to a LEO if I am ever stopped for speeding.

All of this for something that I feel was a right given us by the Constitution, signed and approved a little over two hundred years ago.

Does the local newspaper need permission from the local police department before they can publish a newspaper? Does the editor have to go thru a background check first? Amendment I.

Does a woman need permission from the local police department before she can vote? Is she fingerprinted first? Amendment XIX.

Then why do I need permission from the local police department before I can protect my family and myself against someone wanting to hurt or kill us? Just for a couple of dollars maybe? Amendment II.

And then I have to prove to some jury that the violence I used to save us wasn't excessive... (?)

 

[TonyW]

So much for making anyone feel better.........

:image035:

 

[gddyup]

We must all continue to fight. Regardless of how we feel and what we see or hear, we must continue to fight if we want to keep our rights. Yeah, you're right...we shouldn't have to fight to keep out rights but when faced with the consequences of not doing that, we lose. Jion your local RKBA chapters whatever they may be. A few dollars in membership a year helps keep them fighting. Join the NRA even if you don't totally agree with their methods or actions. Sometimes you have to give a little to get a little. Always try and introduce someone to shooting. Bring a friend to the range and pay their way the first time they go shooting with you. The more people we get into this ideal the better of we'll be.

 

[raevan]

keep up the good fight. However it wouldn't do any harm in adding to your 'collection' and stocking up on ammo. Get a few emergency waterproof cases in case the collection has to be burried for a future revolution if the anti's win. Be a good scout, be prepared.

 

[P95Carry]

Scott - you pretty much nailed a fair bit of my thinking.

Re the youth thing - I agree - even youngsters and hunting is showing depressing signs. I am all but ecstatic when doing NRA courses to have young folks - and will do all I can to encourage any I can. they are our future, in more ways then one.

 

[older gunner]

Chris, You sure do think a lot. LOL. Good post. I'm afraid I'm more pessimistic than some. Our governments, local, state, federal, have grown to sizes unheard of when I was a youngster. With large government you get more, not less, regulation. Case in point is the state of Massachussetts. They have been passing one law after another for about 400 years and look at the results. You aren't free to even fart in that state. Eventually, big government will disarm the population. I hope I'm wrong, and I don't see this happening in my lifetime, but 50 years? Quite possibly. And yes, a lot depends on the youth and their love of guns, shooting, and realization that liberty requires an armed citizenry. But then look at what the schools teach. Kids don't even understand history, civics, geography, economics, to name a few. My grandchildren can do wonders with electronic equipment, but they don't know who Nathan Hale was. Well, time to get off the soapbox. Despite the pessimism, I won't give up the fight.

 

[Ghost Rider]

My 26 year old daughter-in-law is a very bright young lady. She is a Registered Nurse with a lot of common sense; I enjoy talking with her. Over the Christmas holidays, the conversation somehow got around to the Second World War.

She didn't know where Pearl Harbor is... :icon_neutral:

Please tell me she isn't an example of what comes out of today's schools.



I'm afraid she is...

 

[madmike]

Ghost Rider,

Bad news, for the most part, she is pretty much an example of what we are turning out of our schools. I see it as a result of the student demonstrations back in the '60's, where they demanded "relevance" in their subject matter. Well, they got it, turned out some real idiots, and now those idiots are teaching children today. (The inmates took over the asylum.)

Now, there are some "bright and shinning stars" coming out of those schools from time to time, largely because there are some "bright and shinning stars" teaching them. That, and their parents are staying involved with their children.

So, all is not completely lost. Not yet, anyway.

Some semi-good news, It does seem harder to get an existing law off the books than it is to get a new one on.

Once a state has more-or-less "come to it's senses" and at least partially restored the RKBA, it will not be undone easily. At least, not in a state that I live in!

mm

 

[XD40]

I feel guardedly optimistic about the future. The media (mostly Eastern based) will continue to portray our country in a poor or degenerating light. The left will continue to use incrementalism to promote their agenda and attempt to weaken us. However, the reality of the return of our carry rights, election results and a faith in the power of freedom gives me reason to believe that despite setbacks that will occur along the way, we will remain a free country. Some societal attitudes will come and go but the country overall remains firmly conservative and strongly supportive of individual rights. The fly over country is not dead but merely a quiet giant that walks softly and acarries a big vote. Many good things are happening and I prefer not focus only on the bad. Instead, be aware, speak up and enjoy what we do have while fighting to maintian (or recover) our rights and freedom.