Posted on 05/24/2008 6:21:22 AM PDT by marktwain
From my cold dead hands,”...Charlton Heston
The next time you look at the American Flag waving proud and free over at the courthouse, or perhaps the short time it takes to put your hand over your heart at a sporting event, you may very well ask yourself this question.
How did this all come about, and what lets it endure?
We know about the history of how the Pilgrims broke away from religious persecution to colonize a New World, and there the motivation lies.
The founding fathers drew up the plans for a new nation under the pretence of freedom of the people by the people, rather than the rule of an aristocracy, a tall order at the time.
This was a true work of genius that endures the test of time, as if carved in stone and sent down the mountain.
Therefore, we the people of the United States of America are free. In this day and time so willfully taken for granted by many, the next question is ominously simple. How do we keep it?
This idea of freedom of the people is not well taken with those who would oppress the common man. Jealousies and animosities abound with those who disagree with our way of life, which has, for better and for worse, developed into the most powerful nation in the world, as well as the most envied. As stated by the insight of the forefathers, this opposition is both foreign and domestic.
To the amazement of our adversaries, those who oppose or disagree are allowed to speak freely within our borders, as well as everyone else. Through this we learn rather than to silence. Then we can write about it, walk with our head up with equality, trade freely and go home and pray to our god.
And when we get home, we can be secure.
Why? Because behind every kitchen door, under a cash register, near a night table or another quick and handy place lies the reason. Plain and simple, we are armed to the last man.
Some, of course, are of the belief this is unwise and uncivilized, never considering the alternative. Recent history in my lifetime confirms that a few firearms in the right place have more overly deterred domestic crimes more than they have caused them.
A little insight will tell you no nation on the face of the earth could invade the United States conventionally, due to the personal arms of the people. Terrorists may try, but if you will notice, only in areas with the strictest of gun control in place.
It would seem the idea of gun control is the Achilles heel of the United States rather than a deterrent of crime. No doubt we do pay a toll in people committing crimes with guns, but we have paid a far greater price in the lives of Americans keeping this nation and other nations free.
Lest we not forget Great Britain, who begged us for weapons during World War II, because they had disarmed their people.
In the famous speech of Winston Churchill, “We will fight them in the Valleys,” he later stated candidly, “We will fight them with broom sticks, for that is all we have.”
Now Australia and Canada follows in this concept like sheep as if they know they have merely to ask the United States when a security problem arises.
The Japanese thought twice about invading the west coast due to the armament of the people of the United States and certainly any present day Terrorist organization must take this into consideration greatly. The armed citizens of the United States are the sleeping giants with terrible resolve.
The famous outdoor columnist Robert Ruark wrote, “If a man does away with his traditional way of living and throws away his good customs, he had better first make certain that he has something of value to replace them.”
Wise words indeed. We have nothing more valuable than our freedom. If we throw away our guns that protect us, so goes our traditional way of living, and there is nothing of such value to replace it.
This taking for granted is detrimental in itself, as many young people have not been motivated to patriotism, they just take this freedom thing as given and go on about their business.
History has a way of remedying this attitude with a shock treatment, as with Pearl Harbor and 9-11, but so soon we forget.
Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion are the mainstay, to keep this hollowed document alive.
There is no doubt that Charlton Heston was right when he said, "The Constitution is framed in muskets by the second amendment."
So the next time you take down Old Betsy from the pegs over the fireplace for a hunting trip, remember.
Just owning a firearm is one of the great freedoms and privileges guaranteed by the Constitution. Then clearly imagine what this country would be without the freedoms that the gun secures.
The spirits of every patriot, pioneer and every soldier that fought and died for the freedom of this country down through the ages whispers ever quietly to the citizens when they look at that flag, "Never give up your guns."
Pass it on.
John Simeone is an outdoors writer for Louisiana Road Trips Magazine, along with being a member of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association. He can be reached by e-mail at fptopgun@bellsouth.net.
Once yes, but no longer. In fact we deny gun possession to ex-felons let out of prison (I think this is only since 1968, just 40 years ago, and will note that it matters not the crime -- not that anybody on FR will think this a bad thing) and people who live in the "wrong" locales. And in order to buy a gun one has to jump through ever-increasing hoops.
Do nothing, and it's only a matter of time.
Just look at the silliness going on today... can you really remain all warm & fuzzy about your rights?
That has not stopped the feds from passing laws that make possession of a gun by someone who committed an act of domestic violence, but it should not hold up to a Supreme Court test.
Most States have laws prohibiting possession by felons, however.
bump
Interesting. Out of curiousity, are there any that don't?
A working hypothesis, however, is that many of the laws were passed because of BATF lobbying efforts. Most prosecutions are under State law, and that shields the federal law from Constitutional challenges. I have had a number of people tell me of the BATF lobbying State Legislatures to pass gun laws in their States.
Ah. It might not be from simple “lobbying” efforts, though. In this state I’ve seen a number of bills over the years filed in an attempt to preserve grants being received from the feds — under threat of having those grants reduced if federally-desired laws aren’t passed.
You are absolutely correct. Many State laws are passed under “duress” from the feds. It is an excellent reason to do away with all “revenue sharing” from the feds to the states.
Agreed, but not likely to happen anytime soon.
Do you know where the sole primary source is that breeds gun control?
Looked it up. Interesting.
I have not read the actual case. Does it bring forward the issue of Lopez ruling that mere possession is not interstate commerce? I know that it deals with the ex post facto issue.
Per the Thirteenth Amendment, I would suggest that states have the right to impose almost any restriction whatsoever on convicted felons as part of sentencing. That does not imply the right to change such restrictions retroactively.
Per the "Full Faith and Credit Clause", the federal government would be authorized to pass measures to make one state's prohibition against a convicted felon's acquisition of arms applicable in other states, if it could do so without interfering with law abiding persons' right to keep and bear arms. I'm not sure exactly what form such a law would take, but it could, for example, provide that no person shall supply arms to anyone wearing some particular style of anklet. States could then require convicted felons to wear tracking anklets for the duration of the prohibition on bearing arms.
Note that such a federal law would not be restricted to interstate sales (since it would be based upon FF&C rather than Interstate Commerce), but would only be applicable in situations where disarmament was an explicit part of sentencing. Further, its legitimacy would be predicated upon the fact that observing whether a person is wearing an anklet does not take any significant time or impose any expense, nor does it provide the government with information to which it is not entitled. Other measures like background checks etc. impose hassles and expense, and give the government information to which it is not entitled, and thus are not legitimate.
I, for one, think it is a VERY bad thing. The entire federal gun registration scheme rests on the fiction that the system can disarm freed felons. If I was on the Supreme Court, this law would be struck down as unConstitutional along with any requirement that a firearm have a serial number. We don't do it with books and we shouldn't do it with firearms.
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