Essays for Sharing
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A long time ago in a place not so far away.......
Our Forefathers started a Revolution for the purpose of creating a unique
form of government; one where the People held the power, and the
government was their servant. It was to be a government of modest
proportions , only large enough to do the basic necessities that could not
be done as effectively in the Several States of the United States of
America . It was given specific instructions as to its duties, 17 of them
in total. Yet today we have over 150 Departments and Agencies.
They set forth a brilliant structure for this government that had checks
and balances, but before the people would accept it, they demanded a
statement of pre-existing Rights , in which the government could not
interfere because they were natural rights that no government should have
control over. These God given Rights are what we know as the Bill Of
Rights.
This document was also a beautifully crafted and specifically planned train
of expressions of these freedoms, with the most important first and each of
the others in succession.
We all know that free expression is foremost if we are to be free, but what
is it that assures us that we will have that Right as well as all others?
It is the Second , "The right of the People to keep and bear arms , shall
not be infringed." They knew that in all previous governments in history ,
when the People lost the ability to force the government to stay within its
bounds that tyranny was the result.
How do we know this? By what they said of course, see for yourself in the
following:
"The very best we can hope for concerning the People at large is that they
be properly armed."-- Alexander Hamliton; "I ask sir, what is the militia?
It is the whole people, except for a few public officials." --George Mason;
"A free people ought to be armed" --George Washington ; "Americans [have]
the right and advantage of being armed unlike citizens of other countries
whose governments are afraid to trust their people with arms." --James
Madison ; "The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone who is
able may have a gun." --Patrick Henry ; "To preserve liberty, it is
essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms , and be
taught alike especially when young, how to use them." --Richard Henry Lee ;
" Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords and every
other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an
American... The unlimited power... is not in the hands of either the
federal or state government, but , where I trust in God it will ever
remain, in the hands of the people" --Trench Coxe ; "To ensure peace,
security, and happiness, the rifle, and pistol are equally indespensable.
The very atmostsphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil
interference. They deserve a place of honor with all that is good."
--George Washington ; "The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust
laws by the sword, because the whole body of the people are armed, and
constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be , on
any pretense raised in the United States." --Noah Webster ; "When
governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people they
always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their
ruins." --Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachussetts .
Our Right to have firearms doesn't promise that we may go duck hunting, it
guarantees that the government may never take away our pre-existing right
to FORCE it to follow the laws set forth in the Constitution , or to
abolish it and start another.
It is only natural that they had studied the classical histories, that our
children are no longer taught, and saw the faults of previous nations and
not suprisingly established the means for the People to maintain control of
the government when all else failed.
" Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degredation that
we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference
between having our arms in possession and under our direction, and having
them under the management of Congress? If defense be the real object of
having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety.
or equal safety to us , as in our own hands?" --Patrick Henry
Consider what one of the key figures who pushed for a central government
said about it... " If the representatives of the People betray their
constituents there is then no resource left but in the exertion of that
original Right of self defense, which is paramount to all positive forms of
government..." Alexander Hamilton 1787
Do you feel your government is only doing what it is supposed to be doing
in all things?
------------------
What part of "INFRINGED" don't they understand?
Our Forefathers started a Revolution for the purpose of creating a unique
form of government; one where the People held the power, and the
government was their servant. It was to be a government of modest
proportions , only large enough to do the basic necessities that could not
be done as effectively in the Several States of the United States of
America . It was given specific instructions as to its duties, 17 of them
in total. Yet today we have over 150 Departments and Agencies.
They set forth a brilliant structure for this government that had checks
and balances, but before the people would accept it, they demanded a
statement of pre-existing Rights , in which the government could not
interfere because they were natural rights that no government should have
control over. These God given Rights are what we know as the Bill Of
Rights.
This document was also a beautifully crafted and specifically planned train
of expressions of these freedoms, with the most important first and each of
the others in succession.
We all know that free expression is foremost if we are to be free, but what
is it that assures us that we will have that Right as well as all others?
It is the Second , "The right of the People to keep and bear arms , shall
not be infringed." They knew that in all previous governments in history ,
when the People lost the ability to force the government to stay within its
bounds that tyranny was the result.
How do we know this? By what they said of course, see for yourself in the
following:
"The very best we can hope for concerning the People at large is that they
be properly armed."-- Alexander Hamliton; "I ask sir, what is the militia?
It is the whole people, except for a few public officials." --George Mason;
"A free people ought to be armed" --George Washington ; "Americans [have]
the right and advantage of being armed unlike citizens of other countries
whose governments are afraid to trust their people with arms." --James
Madison ; "The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone who is
able may have a gun." --Patrick Henry ; "To preserve liberty, it is
essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms , and be
taught alike especially when young, how to use them." --Richard Henry Lee ;
" Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords and every
other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an
American... The unlimited power... is not in the hands of either the
federal or state government, but , where I trust in God it will ever
remain, in the hands of the people" --Trench Coxe ; "To ensure peace,
security, and happiness, the rifle, and pistol are equally indespensable.
The very atmostsphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil
interference. They deserve a place of honor with all that is good."
--George Washington ; "The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust
laws by the sword, because the whole body of the people are armed, and
constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be , on
any pretense raised in the United States." --Noah Webster ; "When
governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people they
always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their
ruins." --Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachussetts .
Our Right to have firearms doesn't promise that we may go duck hunting, it
guarantees that the government may never take away our pre-existing right
to FORCE it to follow the laws set forth in the Constitution , or to
abolish it and start another.
It is only natural that they had studied the classical histories, that our
children are no longer taught, and saw the faults of previous nations and
not suprisingly established the means for the People to maintain control of
the government when all else failed.
" Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degredation that
we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference
between having our arms in possession and under our direction, and having
them under the management of Congress? If defense be the real object of
having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety.
or equal safety to us , as in our own hands?" --Patrick Henry
Consider what one of the key figures who pushed for a central government
said about it... " If the representatives of the People betray their
constituents there is then no resource left but in the exertion of that
original Right of self defense, which is paramount to all positive forms of
government..." Alexander Hamilton 1787
Do you feel your government is only doing what it is supposed to be doing
in all things?
------------------
What part of "INFRINGED" don't they understand?
Like I have posted in the past, but without much response, these where men with courage,intelligence and foresight. However I don't believe they foresaw what the great country that they gave us would become. That of a bunch of fat, lazy, uninformed, cowards. They provided us with the tools to fight tyranny but not the desire. The latter probably never entered there minds because they were men of such strong desire. One of the popular talk show host in my area (Maryland) pretty much summed it up the other day. He was discussing all the luxuries we have today, central heat, electricity, running water and trash removal. None of which our forefathers had. After stating this, the talk show host stated "Hey I wouldn't want to give all this up to go fight against our lousy government. I think this pretty much sums it up. Until the american people are treated like those in Kosovo, Sudan and numeruos other places where they are herded and slaughtered like sheep will the American people wake up but I think it will be too late by then. It won't happen to me because I will be either dead or up in the mountains using long range guerilla tactics.
------------------
"Solidarity is the Key"
------------------
"Solidarity is the Key"
A United States Citizen Goes Schizto from the gun control pressure and Interviews Himself.
(A free to take essay by SameShot)
Q: Why do you think you need to have a gun?
A: My need to have a gun is personal. I don't believe that everyone should be required to own a gun, but I do believe that persons who understand and agree with the spirit of the 2nd Ammendment MUST be allowed to own a gun. I for one, believe in the good and necessary intentions of that ammendment.
Q: But things have changed since that time. Now guns only hurt people, and we have no threat of being invaded, or the government becoming tyranical. Don't you think you are just hiding behind an outdated part of our Constitution to be able to keep your dangerous toys?
A: That's a good question. It has occured to me that in my lifetime, I have yet to need a gun to defend myself against the government or and invading army. However, I only need to watch the news once a week to re-affirm that we still live in an extremely unstable world. We are just out of the cold war and still have many powerful enemies that have a very recent history of showing that they are willing to invade other countries for profit or territorial politics when they are able.
On the domestic, I still witness so many actions that show me that our politicians (who make up our government), do not have the intrests of the United States Citizens at heart. The most recent of which is Mr. Clinton's (alleged) involvement in selling (or not stopping the sale of) our Nuclear secrets to China for his OWN benefit. This is just one of countless examples that support that we cannot blindly have faith that our politicians will look out for us.
Q: Oh come on... Politicians become politicians because they want to help the people.
A: No doubt that many politicians have that as their main goal, but not all. I think that often the most powerful politicians only reach that position by having an insatiable appetite for power.
Let me explain that.
When I was young, I dated a Russian girl (well actually, she was born in Russia and her parents made the long hard, and illegal trek to the United States with her as a baby).
Her parents were awful people I thought. The were so rude and mean to everyone.
I met some of her Russian friend's parents and I was amazed to find that they were rude and mean, pushy people too. In fact, the more 1st generation Russian Americans that I met, the more I found rude, mean, pushy people. I kept it inside, but one day I had had enough and I asked my girlfriend...."Why the heck are older Russian people so darned mean, rude and pushy??!!"
I'll never forget her answer. She said...
"They're not. It's because only the mean, rude, and pushy ones MADE IT over here"
Since then, living in Hollywood, many visitors have asked me why so many people in Hollywood are so selfish, self centered, self ambitious people, and I have to think about my ex-girfriend's statement. You see, all those self centered, ambitious people naturally gravitate here as it is a meca and fertile soil for that sort of thinking. This is the "Peter Principle" by the way.
Point is, If you are born to seek power, you stand a good chance of gravitating to a position of power. And the more you crave power, the higher position of power you are likely to obtain.
This is just human nature, it hasn't evolved much, and isn't likely to anytime soon.
You need look no further than a lot of the other powerful leaders in the world. Saddam Hussain, Milosevic, Hitler, Castro, Napolean, etc etc etc. It should be obvious in hindsight that these politicians did not gain their position merely by their desire to help the people, but by their un-ending quest for power. In the United States, where we VOTE for the people who hold power, the seekers for these positions have the burden of making us believe that they are un-selfishly devoted to our well being, and because of our limited term of office, they must continue to convince you of that to stay in office.
You can thank our Constitution for at least that. (they weren't so stupid, those forefathers)
Our politicians in the USA probably aren't so different than all those other world leaders. It's just that here, they need to put on a big smiley face to get in power, and that smiley face has given our public the illusion of security from our "friends" in the government.
Perhaps if the President were born in another country, then we would be fighting him. Ya never know.
Q: Yeah, but it would be foolish for a President to try to overtake the people.
A: Why, because the people would fight back with guns?
Q: I didn't say that.
A: Yes you did.
Q: Those times are gone. It's just not the sort of action a US President would take these days. The idea is absurd
A: If that is true, then we have reached a point where the idea of tyrany in the US is absurd BECAUSE of our Bill Of Rights, and our dedication to follow them for over 200 years. It may be true that if we abolished the 2nd ammendment today, that we would never be oppressed by the government. Then again, once we make that decision, there's no turning back, Not Ever, so you'd better be damned sure. Personally..I think we are far away from that. We can't even keep our President from blank faced lying to us, or selling us out. Remember what I said about power?
Q: But the Anti-Gun folks just want us to live in a peaceful, more-utopian sort of society. What's wrong with that?
A: Absolutely Nothing! I hope that someday we could live in a place where nobody would ever need a gun. It's my opinion however that this makes gun control a moot point. You see, once we evolve mentally and spiritually to the point that we don't need guns...it wont matter if we have guns or not. They would just become some sort of parlor game like darts, or a relic of a time long past. In the meantime, while we very slowly shed our primal instinct to get what we want by force, the people who are perhaps even more evolved, who wish to procreate themselves and their way of life, may need to consider the defense of themselves, and what they have created. In our day and age, that means at least a firearm.
Q: That's why we have the Police and Military. They are an extension of the people's will.
A: Keep in mind that the regarding the police protecting you, that they cannot. What the police do is to try to catch and prosecute those who have broken the law. It is simply a deterent. If you commit the crime..you will go to jail, so don't commit the crime. Yes, that does work much of the time, but all too often, it fails. You may think that this is ok, but the result of it failing even once in awhile is that your are DEAD. You don't pass GO, you don't buy a hotel on Broadway. You are DEAD. Period. Basically, by being personally un-armed and counting on the police to save your life, you are betting that someone's fear of going to jail will save your life. It often does, but how many failures of that theory does it take to leave your Children orphans? In a word.."1"
Indeed, the military is intended to be the extension of the our political will by force, and to defend our country as well. You may have noticed that our military can get sent to places to fight battles that you never even knew existed. It obviously was not your will at the time to send them, but off they went. This is because it only takes one man, our President, our elected representative to use his/her judgement to send our military wherever they feel they should. That's not a bad thing. We need to give our president this power in order to secure our best interests in times of emergency. However, a President is still a man, and a human man at that. They can make mistakes, and if that mistake is ever to use that military to control our own poplulation, then we have a backup plan. Again..it's our right to keep and bear arms (Especially those "evil" ones you see in the news).
Q: Well, you are trying to change my mind by using my love for my children, but children are getting guns and killing each other RIGHT NOW, and I've never been shot at by a criminal myself.
A: Indeed, that is sad. It shows the willingness of our children to kill each other these days. It starts with that, then they choose a weapon to do it with, and our most efficient and glorified weapon is the gun. Our weapons have evolved to a state where 1 person can easily kill several others. The evolution of the human being has not come quite so far, and hence we are off balance. However, it is not the evolution of the weapon that is to be blamed. Advances in weapons have saved us from being conquered by dictators who would have enslaved your children. Our ability to own these advanced weapons has likely preserved the freedom of your children, the ability for your children to speak freely, to vote, to write freely, to a jury of his/her peers etc, etc. You get the idea. Which is the lesser of two evils? This is the system that our forefathers created, and it's a darn good one. Many, if not most of things that make your child's life worth living was paid for in blood by the people who fought for this system. In todays time, we need to keep adapting to the system instead of trying to get the system to adapt to us. Otherwise we will end up cheating ourselves and our children out of the things we all take for granted today.
Now I realise that there is not concrete answer in there, and we are all still working on catching up on that one. But the easy answer (ignoring our Bill of Rights), has such severe implications that we cannot go there. Indeed, locking your child in the basement for life will keep them from getting shot, and that's another easy answer. But we need to respect not only the child's need to be alive, but also to give them the freedoms that make their lives better than those who are oppressed by living under a different system.
Q: Ok, fine, but do you really need an assault weapon for that?
A: Agreed, "Assault" is not a very nice name. "Assault" is actually a crime, and the word brings visions of something bad or evil. Maybe a bit too much testosterone went into putting that name on a gun. Make no mistake however, that the "Assault weapon" was designed to effeciently dispatch (kill) people. There is no other purpose except for those who enjoy to shoot them as a sport.
You should realize though, that it is this effectivness, and that by maintaining our right to own them insures our checks and balances with the government/military that the 2nd ammendment intended. The "assault" weapon is indeed a powerful weapon, but in comparison to the weapons that the military has, it is relatively insignificant. You should also realize that the number of crimes commited with "assault" weapons is extremely small compared to the amount committed with less powerful devices. They are the most effective device we can lawfully own to maintain our liberty, and strangely enough, are used in extremely little crime.
Maybe that's why the (low crime) Swiss issue them to the public?
Q: It is increasingly common for criminals to use a gun to kill their victim over crimes that would not include a fatality in other countries where the citizens are dis-armed. Logically, in the USA, the criminal is aware that the victim may have a gun, and will just shoot them for their car, or wallet, or whatever, instead of taking a chance of getting shot themselves.
If the public was dis-armed, criminals would still be able to get guns, but they would probably just point it at you and get what they want, and go away, instead of shooting you.
A: In one way, that is true. You have to understand though, that it is becoming more common for criminals to kill for the thrill of it. In many gangs, a cold blooded killing is required for initiation.
Being un-armed does not mean that you will not get shot either.
All of that aside, do you really want to keep extra cash on you to give to a criminal? Do you really want to give your kids extra lunch money to give to the local drug addict everday? Do you really want to wait twice a year for the police to recover your stripped car? Would you mind burying your dog (who doesn't know better than to defend), everytime an armed criminal broke into your house and killed it?
Ok..let's say that you could live with that...
Would you give your Wife or Daughter birth control to prevent pregnancy every time they were raped?
Frankly, it may reduce criminal gun related fatalities, but I sure don't want to live that way.
Q: Guns make it too easy to kill. If all we had were knives and swords, then people would be less likely to kill.
A: You make it sound like killing is an easy thing. I don't think that someone just wakes up in the morning and says to themselves "Gee..pulling this trigger is so easy, I think I'll kill someone".
A person who has gotten to the point that they are planning to kill someone has gone a heck of alot further than that. And they will kill with whatever they can get their hands on.
It may sound strange...but if someone's gotten to that stage, and they are going to kill me, then I guess I'd rather get shot than hacked up into little pieces with a sword.
Q: That violent stuff and threat of government tyrany is abstract. I just don't see it.
A: And you are not thankful and respectful for that? Look at it this way, You buy a big home security system and you put a big sign outside your house. Time goes by, no break-in....more time goes by.. no break-in. Maybe 100 criminals have past your place, looked at the sign, and moved on to an easier target. You never see them. So 10 years go by and you decide that obviously your security system is just worthless since it's never gone off and you trash it right?
Of course not! Not even you (I) am not that stupid.
Understand that the Constitutiion and Bill of Rights are like your house.The Writers were smart enough to put in a security system so you don't get robbed of what you have. It is the last and final defense in protecting the rest of the freedoms that the Constitution/Bill of Rights Provides you.
It's called the 2nd Ammendment.
Just because you don't hear the alarm go off doesn't mean it doesn't work.
Q: "A well Regulated Militia"? So all we are trying to do is "Regulate" it. Nothing wrong with that.
A: Don't distort words for your own gain. The intent was "organized", or "uniformly supported", not "controlled by the government"
You really shouldn't try to twist words, who do you think you are?
Q: I'm you
A: Oh yeah, that's right.
Q: But kids want to shoot people like they see in the movies.
A: Yep. As I said before...WE need to evolve. Not so many years ago...you couldn't show a naked buttocks on TV, you couldn't use profanity, you couldn't tell it like it is. Our young enjoy nudity, violence, foul language, and forbidden topics in the news, and entertainment sectors far more than they ever did in the past. Oddly, they seem to handle it pretty well. Few youngsters are offended, or turn into sex offenders from the sight of a human body, nor does a little profanity or rap music turn them into raving madmen. Believe it or not, I think the children are doing amazingly well at not becoming gun waving lunatics considering the Overwhelming amount of glorified gun violence that they see on television and the movies. They are evolving with the media just fine...maybe just a little behind, which accounts for the occasional disturbed child with a gun. Remember though at Littleton, that all those other kids who were crying, and declaring the incident the most horrible thing that has ever happened, are probably also exposed to the same amount of media violence as the two who went nuts. It is obvious that there must be some other factor. Kids today overall can deal with a lot more than we give them credit for. Maybe just a little more attention from their parents, or a little more outdoor activity, a little less pressure to succeed in life, and a little more fun would push the few troubled ones over the top of this delayed evolution and keep them out of trouble. Someday, kids will be able to handle seeing anything the media can throw at them, and take it with a grain of salt. A new breed is coming up and they are good people, but some are going to need some help. We can't restrict the media to protect our kids any more than we can say that getting rid of guns will protect our kids. There will always be some other source for those who want to waiver from the good. It now, as always, is up to the parents and family to keep their kids on the straight and narrow regardless of what the outside world throws at them.
Q: Why should I believe YOU? I see so many people on TV who are against what you say, and they are big famous people who seem pretty smart to me.
A: Please, don't believe me. Do the research yourself. Big names in the media have opinions like everybody else, and they have the means to voice them to a large number of people. Keep in mind though, that if a comedian has an opinion about guns, and does not own a gun, then they probably haven't devoted as much time to learning the truth about the issue as the people who do own guns. A comedian writes jokes and goes to parties, many politicians have several, even hundreds of topics they have spend their time to formulate opinions on. It seems to me that the people you should listen to, are the people who have guns and to whom gun issues are a primary focus in their lives. You can't seriously believe that all those gun owners out there don't care for human life or the lives of their OWN children. Believe me on at least this, they DO care, and they care alot. And their interest in guns has inspired many of them to do more research and put more thought on gun control than people who don't own or care about owning a gun. Just stands to reason. The truth is, people are lazy (even celebrities), and it is easier mentally for them to formulate their opinion on what appears to be the obvious solution. It is also a safe bet for them to remain popular to do so since many Americans enjoy a quick, easy answer as opposed to the complicated, responsible truth. In addition, Network television denies pro-gun organizations from airing commercials or programs to inform the public of our views.
Our forefathers put an incredible amount of thought into designing our Constitution so that we could reap the benefits of it for many hundreds of years to come. And we are enjoying those benefits every single day. Don't throw it all away just because our ratings/profit driven media or popularity/profit driven politicians have a knee jerk reaction. They all are going to jump on a soapbox whenever those stage lights warm up.
No, I don't ask that you take my word for it, but if you have read this far, then maybe you care enough to find out the truth for yourself, from un-biased sources. That would be a testiment to your good judgement, and your true devotion to try to make this USA of ours a better place.
Q: Ok, you're right, you've convinced me
A: No, you did
Q: Oh yeah, that's right... you did.
A: Yes I did
(A free to take essay by SameShot)
Q: Why do you think you need to have a gun?
A: My need to have a gun is personal. I don't believe that everyone should be required to own a gun, but I do believe that persons who understand and agree with the spirit of the 2nd Ammendment MUST be allowed to own a gun. I for one, believe in the good and necessary intentions of that ammendment.
Q: But things have changed since that time. Now guns only hurt people, and we have no threat of being invaded, or the government becoming tyranical. Don't you think you are just hiding behind an outdated part of our Constitution to be able to keep your dangerous toys?
A: That's a good question. It has occured to me that in my lifetime, I have yet to need a gun to defend myself against the government or and invading army. However, I only need to watch the news once a week to re-affirm that we still live in an extremely unstable world. We are just out of the cold war and still have many powerful enemies that have a very recent history of showing that they are willing to invade other countries for profit or territorial politics when they are able.
On the domestic, I still witness so many actions that show me that our politicians (who make up our government), do not have the intrests of the United States Citizens at heart. The most recent of which is Mr. Clinton's (alleged) involvement in selling (or not stopping the sale of) our Nuclear secrets to China for his OWN benefit. This is just one of countless examples that support that we cannot blindly have faith that our politicians will look out for us.
Q: Oh come on... Politicians become politicians because they want to help the people.
A: No doubt that many politicians have that as their main goal, but not all. I think that often the most powerful politicians only reach that position by having an insatiable appetite for power.
Let me explain that.
When I was young, I dated a Russian girl (well actually, she was born in Russia and her parents made the long hard, and illegal trek to the United States with her as a baby).
Her parents were awful people I thought. The were so rude and mean to everyone.
I met some of her Russian friend's parents and I was amazed to find that they were rude and mean, pushy people too. In fact, the more 1st generation Russian Americans that I met, the more I found rude, mean, pushy people. I kept it inside, but one day I had had enough and I asked my girlfriend...."Why the heck are older Russian people so darned mean, rude and pushy??!!"
I'll never forget her answer. She said...
"They're not. It's because only the mean, rude, and pushy ones MADE IT over here"
Since then, living in Hollywood, many visitors have asked me why so many people in Hollywood are so selfish, self centered, self ambitious people, and I have to think about my ex-girfriend's statement. You see, all those self centered, ambitious people naturally gravitate here as it is a meca and fertile soil for that sort of thinking. This is the "Peter Principle" by the way.
Point is, If you are born to seek power, you stand a good chance of gravitating to a position of power. And the more you crave power, the higher position of power you are likely to obtain.
This is just human nature, it hasn't evolved much, and isn't likely to anytime soon.
You need look no further than a lot of the other powerful leaders in the world. Saddam Hussain, Milosevic, Hitler, Castro, Napolean, etc etc etc. It should be obvious in hindsight that these politicians did not gain their position merely by their desire to help the people, but by their un-ending quest for power. In the United States, where we VOTE for the people who hold power, the seekers for these positions have the burden of making us believe that they are un-selfishly devoted to our well being, and because of our limited term of office, they must continue to convince you of that to stay in office.
You can thank our Constitution for at least that. (they weren't so stupid, those forefathers)
Our politicians in the USA probably aren't so different than all those other world leaders. It's just that here, they need to put on a big smiley face to get in power, and that smiley face has given our public the illusion of security from our "friends" in the government.
Perhaps if the President were born in another country, then we would be fighting him. Ya never know.
Q: Yeah, but it would be foolish for a President to try to overtake the people.
A: Why, because the people would fight back with guns?
Q: I didn't say that.
A: Yes you did.
Q: Those times are gone. It's just not the sort of action a US President would take these days. The idea is absurd
A: If that is true, then we have reached a point where the idea of tyrany in the US is absurd BECAUSE of our Bill Of Rights, and our dedication to follow them for over 200 years. It may be true that if we abolished the 2nd ammendment today, that we would never be oppressed by the government. Then again, once we make that decision, there's no turning back, Not Ever, so you'd better be damned sure. Personally..I think we are far away from that. We can't even keep our President from blank faced lying to us, or selling us out. Remember what I said about power?
Q: But the Anti-Gun folks just want us to live in a peaceful, more-utopian sort of society. What's wrong with that?
A: Absolutely Nothing! I hope that someday we could live in a place where nobody would ever need a gun. It's my opinion however that this makes gun control a moot point. You see, once we evolve mentally and spiritually to the point that we don't need guns...it wont matter if we have guns or not. They would just become some sort of parlor game like darts, or a relic of a time long past. In the meantime, while we very slowly shed our primal instinct to get what we want by force, the people who are perhaps even more evolved, who wish to procreate themselves and their way of life, may need to consider the defense of themselves, and what they have created. In our day and age, that means at least a firearm.
Q: That's why we have the Police and Military. They are an extension of the people's will.
A: Keep in mind that the regarding the police protecting you, that they cannot. What the police do is to try to catch and prosecute those who have broken the law. It is simply a deterent. If you commit the crime..you will go to jail, so don't commit the crime. Yes, that does work much of the time, but all too often, it fails. You may think that this is ok, but the result of it failing even once in awhile is that your are DEAD. You don't pass GO, you don't buy a hotel on Broadway. You are DEAD. Period. Basically, by being personally un-armed and counting on the police to save your life, you are betting that someone's fear of going to jail will save your life. It often does, but how many failures of that theory does it take to leave your Children orphans? In a word.."1"
Indeed, the military is intended to be the extension of the our political will by force, and to defend our country as well. You may have noticed that our military can get sent to places to fight battles that you never even knew existed. It obviously was not your will at the time to send them, but off they went. This is because it only takes one man, our President, our elected representative to use his/her judgement to send our military wherever they feel they should. That's not a bad thing. We need to give our president this power in order to secure our best interests in times of emergency. However, a President is still a man, and a human man at that. They can make mistakes, and if that mistake is ever to use that military to control our own poplulation, then we have a backup plan. Again..it's our right to keep and bear arms (Especially those "evil" ones you see in the news).
Q: Well, you are trying to change my mind by using my love for my children, but children are getting guns and killing each other RIGHT NOW, and I've never been shot at by a criminal myself.
A: Indeed, that is sad. It shows the willingness of our children to kill each other these days. It starts with that, then they choose a weapon to do it with, and our most efficient and glorified weapon is the gun. Our weapons have evolved to a state where 1 person can easily kill several others. The evolution of the human being has not come quite so far, and hence we are off balance. However, it is not the evolution of the weapon that is to be blamed. Advances in weapons have saved us from being conquered by dictators who would have enslaved your children. Our ability to own these advanced weapons has likely preserved the freedom of your children, the ability for your children to speak freely, to vote, to write freely, to a jury of his/her peers etc, etc. You get the idea. Which is the lesser of two evils? This is the system that our forefathers created, and it's a darn good one. Many, if not most of things that make your child's life worth living was paid for in blood by the people who fought for this system. In todays time, we need to keep adapting to the system instead of trying to get the system to adapt to us. Otherwise we will end up cheating ourselves and our children out of the things we all take for granted today.
Now I realise that there is not concrete answer in there, and we are all still working on catching up on that one. But the easy answer (ignoring our Bill of Rights), has such severe implications that we cannot go there. Indeed, locking your child in the basement for life will keep them from getting shot, and that's another easy answer. But we need to respect not only the child's need to be alive, but also to give them the freedoms that make their lives better than those who are oppressed by living under a different system.
Q: Ok, fine, but do you really need an assault weapon for that?
A: Agreed, "Assault" is not a very nice name. "Assault" is actually a crime, and the word brings visions of something bad or evil. Maybe a bit too much testosterone went into putting that name on a gun. Make no mistake however, that the "Assault weapon" was designed to effeciently dispatch (kill) people. There is no other purpose except for those who enjoy to shoot them as a sport.
You should realize though, that it is this effectivness, and that by maintaining our right to own them insures our checks and balances with the government/military that the 2nd ammendment intended. The "assault" weapon is indeed a powerful weapon, but in comparison to the weapons that the military has, it is relatively insignificant. You should also realize that the number of crimes commited with "assault" weapons is extremely small compared to the amount committed with less powerful devices. They are the most effective device we can lawfully own to maintain our liberty, and strangely enough, are used in extremely little crime.
Maybe that's why the (low crime) Swiss issue them to the public?
Q: It is increasingly common for criminals to use a gun to kill their victim over crimes that would not include a fatality in other countries where the citizens are dis-armed. Logically, in the USA, the criminal is aware that the victim may have a gun, and will just shoot them for their car, or wallet, or whatever, instead of taking a chance of getting shot themselves.
If the public was dis-armed, criminals would still be able to get guns, but they would probably just point it at you and get what they want, and go away, instead of shooting you.
A: In one way, that is true. You have to understand though, that it is becoming more common for criminals to kill for the thrill of it. In many gangs, a cold blooded killing is required for initiation.
Being un-armed does not mean that you will not get shot either.
All of that aside, do you really want to keep extra cash on you to give to a criminal? Do you really want to give your kids extra lunch money to give to the local drug addict everday? Do you really want to wait twice a year for the police to recover your stripped car? Would you mind burying your dog (who doesn't know better than to defend), everytime an armed criminal broke into your house and killed it?
Ok..let's say that you could live with that...
Would you give your Wife or Daughter birth control to prevent pregnancy every time they were raped?
Frankly, it may reduce criminal gun related fatalities, but I sure don't want to live that way.
Q: Guns make it too easy to kill. If all we had were knives and swords, then people would be less likely to kill.
A: You make it sound like killing is an easy thing. I don't think that someone just wakes up in the morning and says to themselves "Gee..pulling this trigger is so easy, I think I'll kill someone".
A person who has gotten to the point that they are planning to kill someone has gone a heck of alot further than that. And they will kill with whatever they can get their hands on.
It may sound strange...but if someone's gotten to that stage, and they are going to kill me, then I guess I'd rather get shot than hacked up into little pieces with a sword.
Q: That violent stuff and threat of government tyrany is abstract. I just don't see it.
A: And you are not thankful and respectful for that? Look at it this way, You buy a big home security system and you put a big sign outside your house. Time goes by, no break-in....more time goes by.. no break-in. Maybe 100 criminals have past your place, looked at the sign, and moved on to an easier target. You never see them. So 10 years go by and you decide that obviously your security system is just worthless since it's never gone off and you trash it right?
Of course not! Not even you (I) am not that stupid.
Understand that the Constitutiion and Bill of Rights are like your house.The Writers were smart enough to put in a security system so you don't get robbed of what you have. It is the last and final defense in protecting the rest of the freedoms that the Constitution/Bill of Rights Provides you.
It's called the 2nd Ammendment.
Just because you don't hear the alarm go off doesn't mean it doesn't work.
Q: "A well Regulated Militia"? So all we are trying to do is "Regulate" it. Nothing wrong with that.
A: Don't distort words for your own gain. The intent was "organized", or "uniformly supported", not "controlled by the government"
You really shouldn't try to twist words, who do you think you are?
Q: I'm you
A: Oh yeah, that's right.
Q: But kids want to shoot people like they see in the movies.
A: Yep. As I said before...WE need to evolve. Not so many years ago...you couldn't show a naked buttocks on TV, you couldn't use profanity, you couldn't tell it like it is. Our young enjoy nudity, violence, foul language, and forbidden topics in the news, and entertainment sectors far more than they ever did in the past. Oddly, they seem to handle it pretty well. Few youngsters are offended, or turn into sex offenders from the sight of a human body, nor does a little profanity or rap music turn them into raving madmen. Believe it or not, I think the children are doing amazingly well at not becoming gun waving lunatics considering the Overwhelming amount of glorified gun violence that they see on television and the movies. They are evolving with the media just fine...maybe just a little behind, which accounts for the occasional disturbed child with a gun. Remember though at Littleton, that all those other kids who were crying, and declaring the incident the most horrible thing that has ever happened, are probably also exposed to the same amount of media violence as the two who went nuts. It is obvious that there must be some other factor. Kids today overall can deal with a lot more than we give them credit for. Maybe just a little more attention from their parents, or a little more outdoor activity, a little less pressure to succeed in life, and a little more fun would push the few troubled ones over the top of this delayed evolution and keep them out of trouble. Someday, kids will be able to handle seeing anything the media can throw at them, and take it with a grain of salt. A new breed is coming up and they are good people, but some are going to need some help. We can't restrict the media to protect our kids any more than we can say that getting rid of guns will protect our kids. There will always be some other source for those who want to waiver from the good. It now, as always, is up to the parents and family to keep their kids on the straight and narrow regardless of what the outside world throws at them.
Q: Why should I believe YOU? I see so many people on TV who are against what you say, and they are big famous people who seem pretty smart to me.
A: Please, don't believe me. Do the research yourself. Big names in the media have opinions like everybody else, and they have the means to voice them to a large number of people. Keep in mind though, that if a comedian has an opinion about guns, and does not own a gun, then they probably haven't devoted as much time to learning the truth about the issue as the people who do own guns. A comedian writes jokes and goes to parties, many politicians have several, even hundreds of topics they have spend their time to formulate opinions on. It seems to me that the people you should listen to, are the people who have guns and to whom gun issues are a primary focus in their lives. You can't seriously believe that all those gun owners out there don't care for human life or the lives of their OWN children. Believe me on at least this, they DO care, and they care alot. And their interest in guns has inspired many of them to do more research and put more thought on gun control than people who don't own or care about owning a gun. Just stands to reason. The truth is, people are lazy (even celebrities), and it is easier mentally for them to formulate their opinion on what appears to be the obvious solution. It is also a safe bet for them to remain popular to do so since many Americans enjoy a quick, easy answer as opposed to the complicated, responsible truth. In addition, Network television denies pro-gun organizations from airing commercials or programs to inform the public of our views.
Our forefathers put an incredible amount of thought into designing our Constitution so that we could reap the benefits of it for many hundreds of years to come. And we are enjoying those benefits every single day. Don't throw it all away just because our ratings/profit driven media or popularity/profit driven politicians have a knee jerk reaction. They all are going to jump on a soapbox whenever those stage lights warm up.
No, I don't ask that you take my word for it, but if you have read this far, then maybe you care enough to find out the truth for yourself, from un-biased sources. That would be a testiment to your good judgement, and your true devotion to try to make this USA of ours a better place.
Q: Ok, you're right, you've convinced me
A: No, you did
Q: Oh yeah, that's right... you did.
A: Yes I did
Sorry guys, but I've gotta bring this back up.
I started this idea at AR-15.com and Menos took it to the next level (bless that guy).
I for one have cut/pasted/emailed, and printed/copied/distributed some of the essays that were written over at AR-15.com.
Here in CA, we are about to face a mandetory turn in of SKS rifles, and even though I don't own one, my models, and your state are sure to follow soon. There are endless postings to each other with detailed reasons why we don't need more (and would prefer less) gun regulation. It's nice to preach to a bunch of folks who pat you on the back, but we need some textual ammo for what will soon be the next run on our weapons. Stuff that is written for your neighbor, your local/state rep, or the anti creeping up on you. If you don't feel comfortable writing one, then at least copy some and get them around town. That is the point of the thread both here and at AR-15.com. Write one, copy one you like, email one..whatever. Take them to your gun stores, ranges, your aunt Mable. Encourage, or start threads on other pro-gun boards for people to do the same.
We can make a difference if we can get this to spread.
This aint the fun part of owning a gun, but if people died for that right, then at least you could spend an hour or two helping to enforce it.
I don't mean to be a thorn here, but we need to take the fight to where it's being fought.
Thanks for listening.
SameShot
------------------
Same Shot, Different Day
I started this idea at AR-15.com and Menos took it to the next level (bless that guy).
I for one have cut/pasted/emailed, and printed/copied/distributed some of the essays that were written over at AR-15.com.
Here in CA, we are about to face a mandetory turn in of SKS rifles, and even though I don't own one, my models, and your state are sure to follow soon. There are endless postings to each other with detailed reasons why we don't need more (and would prefer less) gun regulation. It's nice to preach to a bunch of folks who pat you on the back, but we need some textual ammo for what will soon be the next run on our weapons. Stuff that is written for your neighbor, your local/state rep, or the anti creeping up on you. If you don't feel comfortable writing one, then at least copy some and get them around town. That is the point of the thread both here and at AR-15.com. Write one, copy one you like, email one..whatever. Take them to your gun stores, ranges, your aunt Mable. Encourage, or start threads on other pro-gun boards for people to do the same.
We can make a difference if we can get this to spread.
This aint the fun part of owning a gun, but if people died for that right, then at least you could spend an hour or two helping to enforce it.
I don't mean to be a thorn here, but we need to take the fight to where it's being fought.
Thanks for listening.
SameShot
------------------
Same Shot, Different Day
Rich Lucibella
Staff
Guys.
Thanks much. When I have a free afternoon, I'll read these.
Rich Lucibella
Thanks much. When I have a free afternoon, I'll read these.
Rich Lucibella
Gentlemen .. a slightly longer one with quotes of our forefathers...
A long time ago in a place not so far away.......
Our Forefathers started a Revolution for the purpose of creating a unique form of government; one where the People held the power, and the government was their servant. It was to be a government of modest proportions , only large enough to do the basic necessities that could not be done as effectively in the Several States of the United States of America . It was given specific instructions as to its duties, 17 of them in total. Yet today we have over 150 Departments and Agencies.
They set forth a brilliant structure for this government that had checks and balances, but before the people would accept it, they demanded a statement of pre-existing Rights , in which the government could not interfere because they were natural rights that no government should have control over. These God given Rights are what we know as the Bill Of Rights.
This document was also a beautifully crafted and specifically planned train of expressions of these freedoms, with the most important first and each of the others in succession.
We all know that free expression is foremost if we are to be free, but what is it that assures us that we will have that Right as well as all others? It is the Second , "The right of the People to keep and bear arms , shall not be infringed." They knew that in all previous governments in history , when the People lost the ability to force the government to stay within its bounds that tyranny was the result.
How do we know this? By what they said of course, see for yourself in the following:
"The very best we can hope for concerning the People at large is that they be properly armed."-- Alexander Hamliton; "I ask sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for a few public officials." --George Mason; "A free people ought to be armed" --George Washington ; "Americans [have] the right and advantage of being armed unlike citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust their people with arms." --James Madison ; "The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone who is able may have a gun." --Patrick Henry ; "To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms , and be taught alike especially when young, how to use them." --Richard Henry Lee ; " Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American... The unlimited power... is not in the hands of either the federal or state government, but , where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people" --Trench Coxe ; "To ensure peace, security, and happiness, the rifle, and pistol are equally indespensable. The very atmostsphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference. They deserve a place of honor with all that is good." --George Washington ; "The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword, because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be , on any pretense raised in the United States." --Noah Webster ; "When governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins." --Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachussetts .
Our Right to have firearms doesn't promise that we may go duck hunting, it guarantees that the government may never take away our pre-existing right to FORCE it to follow the laws set forth in the Constitution , or to abolish it and start another.
It is only natural that they had studied the classical histories, that our children are no longer taught, and saw the faults of previous nations and not suprisingly established the means for the People to maintain control of the government when all else failed.
" Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degredation that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety. or equal safety to us , as in our own hands?" --Patrick Henry
Consider what one of the key figures who pushed for a central government said about it... " If the representatives of the People betray their constituents there is then no resource left but in the exertion of that original Right of self defense, which is paramount to all positive forms of government..." Alexander Hamilton 1787
Do you feel your government is only doing what it is supposed to be doing in all things?
copyright 1999, this essay may be used only if it is printed in its entirety.
------------------
What part of "INFRINGED" don't they understand?
A long time ago in a place not so far away.......
Our Forefathers started a Revolution for the purpose of creating a unique form of government; one where the People held the power, and the government was their servant. It was to be a government of modest proportions , only large enough to do the basic necessities that could not be done as effectively in the Several States of the United States of America . It was given specific instructions as to its duties, 17 of them in total. Yet today we have over 150 Departments and Agencies.
They set forth a brilliant structure for this government that had checks and balances, but before the people would accept it, they demanded a statement of pre-existing Rights , in which the government could not interfere because they were natural rights that no government should have control over. These God given Rights are what we know as the Bill Of Rights.
This document was also a beautifully crafted and specifically planned train of expressions of these freedoms, with the most important first and each of the others in succession.
We all know that free expression is foremost if we are to be free, but what is it that assures us that we will have that Right as well as all others? It is the Second , "The right of the People to keep and bear arms , shall not be infringed." They knew that in all previous governments in history , when the People lost the ability to force the government to stay within its bounds that tyranny was the result.
How do we know this? By what they said of course, see for yourself in the following:
"The very best we can hope for concerning the People at large is that they be properly armed."-- Alexander Hamliton; "I ask sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for a few public officials." --George Mason; "A free people ought to be armed" --George Washington ; "Americans [have] the right and advantage of being armed unlike citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust their people with arms." --James Madison ; "The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone who is able may have a gun." --Patrick Henry ; "To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms , and be taught alike especially when young, how to use them." --Richard Henry Lee ; " Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American... The unlimited power... is not in the hands of either the federal or state government, but , where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people" --Trench Coxe ; "To ensure peace, security, and happiness, the rifle, and pistol are equally indespensable. The very atmostsphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference. They deserve a place of honor with all that is good." --George Washington ; "The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword, because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be , on any pretense raised in the United States." --Noah Webster ; "When governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins." --Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachussetts .
Our Right to have firearms doesn't promise that we may go duck hunting, it guarantees that the government may never take away our pre-existing right to FORCE it to follow the laws set forth in the Constitution , or to abolish it and start another.
It is only natural that they had studied the classical histories, that our children are no longer taught, and saw the faults of previous nations and not suprisingly established the means for the People to maintain control of the government when all else failed.
" Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degredation that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety. or equal safety to us , as in our own hands?" --Patrick Henry
Consider what one of the key figures who pushed for a central government said about it... " If the representatives of the People betray their constituents there is then no resource left but in the exertion of that original Right of self defense, which is paramount to all positive forms of government..." Alexander Hamilton 1787
Do you feel your government is only doing what it is supposed to be doing in all things?
copyright 1999, this essay may be used only if it is printed in its entirety.
------------------
What part of "INFRINGED" don't they understand?