Gun Control

I will warn readers right now that if you honestly feel we would be safer if all privately owned firearms were confiscated and destroyed, then you will probably be offended and upset about at least some of what follows. However, if you can read with an open mind, you might do some new thinking about this belief. BTW, I am not a Republican, consider myself a New Age Libertarian, actually. I abhor extremism of all kinds. Every organized religion appalls me as the source of the world's worst atrocities for centuries. Stop here if you wish!

Go back over the mass shootings of the past several years. Did most if not all take place in venues where 'law abiding' citizens were discouraged from or forbidden to carry a weapon? Admitting that most of the doers were mentally ill or unstable, radicals of some stripe, and really had no business with a weapon, they were also quite sane enough to plan and execute these slaughters. To me that says they were also sane enough not to select a place where they might encounter other armed people in doing their killing.

Even if all honest citizens did turn in their guns are you totally sure that the nuts, the extremist, the mentally ill and the criminal class would do the same? Are you sure the authorities would find and remove all such weapons?

Apparently a lot of people do not feel safer because our President said we were going to overcome and subdue Isis, but meanwhile events like the Planned Parenthood shooting and various other massacres would not happen if guns were "controlled." Isn't it odd that gun stores have seen a stampede of buyers and shooting clubs, ranges and stores that offer training are swamped with people who want to learn how to defend themselves?

This provision --second amendment--was written into our Constitution 200+ years ago not by a bunch of wild-eyed gun toting crazies and red necks but by educated and serious statesmen. They realized that armed citizens were solely responsible for the United States establishing its independence and becoming a nation. In almost all locales where dictatorship, genocide and "hostile take overs" have happened in modern times, some form of gun confiscation and disarming of the population has taken place first.  Are you ready to accept that possible outcome?  (Even if you consider it unlikely--which means you have not studied history very well!)

No, I really do not think people on the "no fly" list and those being treated for serious mental health issues should be able to buy guns. Convicted felons should not either. Probably magazines holding more than ten to fifteen rounds are 'overkill' in terms of normal hunting, sport shooting or even self defense. The problem is, can we really believe that writing these and similar "reasonable" measures into law will be the end of it? Or will the camel, once its nose is in the tent, be content to stop there? What will be the next step? That is why the NRA and a number of lesser known but very active personal firearm advocates and organizations  keep saying no. They feel any of these limits will just be the first step.

Yes, in part it is a trust issue. A lot of people, and not just the right wing extremes, do not trust the government. When you see the scandals, the errors, the misuses of power that happen every day, whether it is national or more local like 'bad' cops killing people for little reason other than maybe race or some other prejudice--do you really trust any level of government when it comes to the life and safety of you and your loved ones? Even 'good cops' only get there in time to clean up the mess in most cases. I've been in a law enforcement family for many years now and that is what I have heard from them

We live in "interesting" times to put it gently. Danger is all around in many forms and guises. While individuals are also untrustworthy at times, I feel I can put more faith in the working class man or woman who has taken steps to be armed and able to defend him/herself and family. I trust the school employees and the average "good Samaritan"  who would step into the path of danger to stop some of these horrible situations and crimes they see taking place--if they were allowed to be armed. Just as I would.

Four years old holding
Dad's hunting rifle.

I grew up with firearms and have a healthy respect for them. I have seen the bloody holes they can make in live creatures. I'm not numbed or fooled by filmed violence and video games that make it all seem unreal. People with a gun can and do kill. That is real. Yet those who would can also be stopped by the same application of deadly force or even the threat of it.

When I was riding afield to train horses and mules including off in remote places alone, I carried a firearm all the time. I never shot or even threatened to shoot anyone although there were rapes and robberies in the area on occasion. I did not need to defend myself because there were unarmed people much easier to victimize. What does this indicate?

Carrying rifle and revolver while
riding in the mountains.

It's not the wild west anymore but cities have become wilder and more dangerous than Tombstone in 1889. Even suburbs and small towns are not exempt. For that reason, I am not in favor of gun control, not even the first step, until I have reason to trust the power structure that wants to impose it.  If my neighbors have guns that worries me a lot less than if only the "bad guys" manage to get or keep them.