Posted on 06/08/2007 9:43:45 AM PDT by kiriath_jearim
Im a liberal. My voting record is largely Green Party and Democrat. Im a strong environmentalist - I respect and treat all life equally. I think equal opportunity is a good concept, and I view our international policy with distaste.
Im also a gun collector and strong proponent of the Second Amendment.
People have been misled to think that guns are a Republican thing. Thats unfortunate. Gun ownership is the most liberal thing I can imagine. Its about keeping power in the hands of the people instead of being exclusively the tools of government and the rich. Its about equality, letting an old woman defend herself as well as a bodybuilder. Its about being able to protect not only the people that are important to us but the rest of our freedoms as well.
In an effort to garner votes, the Democrats have used guns as a scapegoat like the Republicans have used terror. Theyve created boogymen like assault weapons to convince constituents something is being done about the fundamentally human problem of violence. By banning guns, Democrats want you to believe something is being done to bring down crime. Do you know the definition of assault weapon? Its not a machine gun. Its a gun that has features like a grip that protrudes from the bottom or a bayonet lug. Whens the last time anyone was bayoneted? Another sensationalized item is hollow point ammo - bullets that flatten when they hit something. The police switched to hollow points because the alternative, round bullets, had a tendency to go straight through objects, ricochet and they also require a greater number of shots to stop attackers.
Guns arent even the most damaging method of killing. In the Happy Land Fire, a man killed 87 people with one dollars worth of gas. The record number of deaths at a school is held by a person with a bomb, not a gun. A nut job with a car in a crowded area can do more damage than a man with a bag full of guns. Wheres our gas licensing? Lets ban cars. Americans understand cars; not many understand guns because theyre getting their information from a media that loves to sensationalize. You hear about one psychopath killer, but not about the thousands of people who were saved from being murdered or raped.
Guns are the best tools we as citizens have for defense. Not only has the Supreme Court ruled that police have no obligation to protect individuals, but its a physical impossibility for police to be there at all times. We shouldnt rely on others for self-defense.
Guns also protect our freedoms. They ensure that, if necessary, the people have means to offer resistance to rogue authority. It wasnt long ago that rogue police officers, after illegally disarming the citizenry, took advantage of Hurricane Katrina to steal much-needed food and supplies. A liberal should know that authority figures commit crimes every day. If we take physical power away from the people, whats left to balance against governmental abuse? If we take guns away from the people, only criminals and the government will have them.
Banning guns to reduce violence is like playing Whac-A-Mole, remove one weapon and another will pop up. People have one less way to hurt each other out of billions. Unfortunately the unique benefits guns provide are gone, along with the lack of shootings, and theres no replacing them.
Its a citizens duty to vote with an informed understanding. Next time you see a gun control bill, dont agree because it looks like common sense. Take the time to educate yourself on the terms, try substituting gun for car to remove an emotional bias. Place Second Amendment infringements in the context of better understood ones. Should we ban Ferraris because theyre too fast for normal citizens, or revolutionary texts because theyre too powerful? Go to a range and try out a gun. How could someone whos never shot a gun dictate what types are and arent allowed?
Bearing arms is a constitutional right. Its an empowerment of the citizenry that, like free speech, must be preserved for the most dire circumstances, lest we find it gone when we most need it. Lets not define a freedom by its abuse, and lets not give it up just because we dont understand it.
[Michael Helmeste is a UCSB staff member.]
Given their constituencies, there is a low probability that the national party will ever go pro-RKBA. They have too much invested in the illusion that “gun control” is a) constitutional or b) effective in reducing crime.
LOL. Good pic.
Bald faced liar. Everytime there is a vote for gun control, the dems vote 100% for it. Check the votes for the Wisconsin CCW laws. The dems always vote against the Second Amendment.
Look at the leadership of the National dem party. They are 100% gun grabbers.
The only reason gun control has taken a backburner is because the dems were out of power. If they get the presidency and both houses, they will do all they can to repeal the Second Amendment.
Guns arent even the most damaging method of killing. In the Happy Land Fire, a man killed 87 people with one dollars worth of gas. The record number of deaths at a school is held by a person with a bomb, not a gun. A nut job with a car in a crowded area can do more damage than a man with a bag full of guns. Wheres our gas licensing? Lets ban cars. Americans understand cars; not many understand guns because theyre getting their information from a media that loves to sensationalize. You hear about one psychopath killer, but not about the thousands of people who were saved from being murdered or raped.
Not to mention the damage done by a half-dozen boxcutters around the turn of the century.
People have been misled to think that guns are a Republican thing. Thats unfortunate. Gun ownership is the most liberal thing I can imagine. Its about keeping power in the hands of the people instead of being exclusively the tools of government and the rich. Its about equality, letting an old woman defend herself as well as a bodybuilder. Its about being able to protect not only the people that are important to us but the rest of our freedoms as well.
Except for the author's richiphobia, this sounds right. I'm pretty sure the rich are people, too.
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