[DaveH]

Responsible gun ownership - Roanoke.com
Roanoke, Va

Responsible gun ownership

Roger E. Weddle

Weddle lives in Roanoke.


Dan Casey, in his column "Getting permit was the easy part" (Aug. 30), demonstrated the main difference between conservatives and liberals in American society. Unsurprisingly, Casey takes a dim view of our liberty to bear arms in this country, one of the first rights granted in our Constitution.

There is a reason for the bipartisan support for the law that does not require the type of restrictions Casey desires. Maybe it is because it is not needed. Individuals who decide to exercise their right to carry a firearm, concealed or not, have a responsibility to be familiar with the firearm.

With any right there is responsibility, whether it is the right to bear arms, freedom of speech or, dare I say, freedom of the press. Freedom of speech does not allow one to shout "fire" in a movie theater when there is no fire. Freedom of the press does not allow libel. The right to assemble does not permit violent demonstration. There is a certain level of responsibility with each of our rights.

In the liberal world, it is up to the government to protect us from ourselves and to make up laws where there is no problem. This is a common theme with liberalism. Its adherents create crises where none exist then legislate and regulate to promote an agenda.

Our country is suffering the consequences of this tactic, which is used by the current presidential administration. These consequences will reach far into the future.

Of course, Casey's article had a dual purpose. Not only did he bemoan our constitutional right, but he also sought to smear Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, the Republican attorney general candidate, who received a $1,000 campaign donation from Concealed Carry Institute owner Roger Marcus.

It was not until the end of the column that Casey mentioned that Democratic candidate Steve Shannon also voted for the bill.

Under this type of reasoning, should we be concerned about Shannon's campaign contributions from Freedom Bail Bonding of Fairfax ($2,500) and Virginia AFL-CIO ($25,000) or the $6,500 Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ "American Dream Fund" from New York, an organization that has donated a total of $44,973 exclusively to Democratic candidates?

Why not do some real investigative journalism and give us examples where some of the 203,132 Virginians who hold permits to carry are shooting themselves in the foot or committing crimes? Show us areas in the country where concealed carry permits have been instituted and thereafter had an increase in the crime rate.

Stop complaining about our rights and our liberties. If Casey doesn't feel competent in carrying a concealed handgun, then he shouldn't. To do so would be stupid.

I'm sure there are plenty of criminals carrying handguns who have plenty of experience and knowledge in gun safety. I hope this is some comfort to Casey.

 

[mosouthpaw]

great letter.... now if only the liberals were as open-minded as they claim.

 

[chrise2004]

this Casey guy sounds like he is just looking for something to cry and complain about to get people's attention. He sounds like a lazy reporter who can't do his job correctly.

 

[shooterX]

great letter.... now if only the liberals were as open-minded as they claim.

What they aren't open minded?:hand5:

 

[ccw9mm]

If history is any teacher, for the Roanoke Times to publish an Op-Ed or letter of that sort means they've got a scathing, Chicken Little, head-in-sand type of article waiting in the wings that will be published in the next several days.

 

[Pioneer]

great letter.... now if only the liberals were as open-minded as they claim.

Liberals define open mindedness as everyone agreeing with them. If you do not agree with them, you are a hate-filled, right wing, reactionary, knuckle dragging, Neanderthal.

 

[rlsmaritime]

Good letter except for "one of the first rights granted in our Constitution." We need to be careful not to reinforce the liberals' interpretation that the Bill of Rights "granted" rights.

The Bill of Rights recognized and guaranteed rights that pre-dated the Constitution.

 

[varob]

you are a hate-filled, right wing, reactionary, knuckle dragging, Neanderthal.

This best decribes my family :embarassed:

 

[paul45]

I have lived in the Roanoke area for the last 3 years. I refuse to buy their paper or even accept a free copy. I do my best not to support their advertisers. I don't understand how they get away with some of the crap they have pulled. But they are still in business.

 

[DaveH]

Hum??

Liberals define open mindedness as everyone agreeing with them.

Does that mean that someone on this Forum, who claims to hate Liberals & Libertarians, is actually a Liberal.

:gah:

Ducking & running

 

[av8er]

It IS possible for a Liberal to be a card-carrying NRA member and a gun-rights advocate, isn't it?

 

[ccw9mm]

It IS possible for a Liberal to be a card-carrying NRA member and a gun-rights advocate, isn't it?

Sure. It just seems to be fairly uncommon.

 

[automatic slim]

So much for tolerance on Casey's part.

 

[puncho]

great letter.... now if only the liberals were as open-minded as they claim.

Liberals are very opened minded as long as you follow their mandates...

 

[DaveH]

It IS possible for a Liberal to be a card-carrying NRA member and a gun-rights advocate, isn't it?

Absolutely.

I've met quite a few.

In fact, nearly all the political/philosophical/doctrinal labels have morphed in their general use in the vernacular.

IMHO, it is rare that any of the "labeled" groups are homogeneous or that the members come from the same underlying core values.

Agreeing (or disagreeing) with a simple statement may have its roots in quite different values. People can agree on a simple statement for totally different ideological reasons, or for totally non-ideological reasons.

For example folk might give the same answer to the same issue/question, "Do you think you should eat bacon?" for quite different reasons:

Just don't like the taste.

Worried about weight gain.

Worried about personal health issues -- e.g., any red meat, fat intake, etc.

Is a Vegetarian for organized religious reasons.

Is a Vegetarian for ethical reasons outside of organized religion, e.g., issues w/ ecological impact of meat production, PETA, etc.

Is a Non-vegetarian but avoid pork because of organized religion dictates. And as we know folks in this group are often at war w/ each other, for reasons that have little to do with bacon.

Etc.

Just because I (or others) am/are strong RKBA proponent(s) doesn't mean I (or them) will agree with other members of the RKBA family -- on all issues. So, why should we expect everyone labeled "liberal" to agree on all issues with everyone else labeled "liberal"?

 

[Holger]

Liberals define open mindedness as everyone agreeing with them. If you do not agree with them, you are a hate-filled, right wing, reactionary, knuckle dragging, Neanderthal.

But you forgot a key point regarding liberals. Once they deem you the aforementioned right-wing neanderthal, you are no longer worthy of the tolerance they demand from you. Since you are now sub-human, they are free to denigrate you, figuratively spit on you, slander you, call you any vile name in the book, beat you down at a town hall meeting and then bite your finger off...all guilt-free.

Once you're granted "less-than" status, your ideas are void and they are no longer obligated to tolerate them or even acknowledge them. You are clearly "wrong-headed," and DESERVE the abuse they now heap on you. Classic Alinsky. They are experts at labeling you...'bigot,' 'extremist,' 'racist,' 'wingnut,' etc. Now the terms of the argument have shifted; you spend your time trying to argue that you're 'not' any of the above at the expense of the issue at hand. Now they don't have to spend any effort defending their positions, which are clearly indefensible 90% o' the time.

Time to fight back a bit.

 

[chiefjason]

It IS possible for a Liberal to be a card-carrying NRA member and a gun-rights advocate, isn't it?

Is it possible to be all that and still find candidates to vote for who agree with it? Nobody has been able to definitively answer that for me. Just seems you would have to, at some point, compromise the RTKABA to vote for some folks. I'm not trying to lump Dem's and liberals into the same pile. We have some Conservative Dem's in NC, and I know there are some out west. Just seems hard to find. Dem and RTKABA seems to be able to coexist but not sure about liberal and RTKABA. I tend to see a big disconnect between people who carry the liberal label and politicians who carry it.

 

[av8er]

Just wondering, because I'm definitely a Liberal . . .

 

[Holger]

Just wondering, because I'm definitely a Liberal . . .

Deleted...off topic.

 

[ccw9mm]

Does that mean that someone on this Forum, who claims to hate Liberals & Libertarians, is actually a Liberal.

Gee, who could that be? It only oozes from every third sentence. Sort of like my disdain for elected autocrats. Yeah, well. It's liberally applied, at least. :tongue:

Hey, Dave? It's already Wednesday. Where's the head-in-sand article that Roanoke Times has got up its sleeves? I had expected it to grace the front pages with its presence by now. Tick tock ... tick tock ...