When Did It Deteriorate and Why?

[Varmint Eviscerator]

I often question when and why the policy on firearms changed so dramatically, IE, in the early part of the century you could order ANY firearm in a SEARS catalogue and have it sent to your door! Now, big brother has his hand in everything. So, I must ask you, the people of wisdom and age;why??? Was it population boom, urbanization, war, loss of great open spaces? Was it media, was it an evolutionary phenomenon in which people became inherantly more agressive? Increased weapon efficacy?
Even in the fifties, it was fairly respectable to say you target shoot and schools even had shooting teams. What started it all?
Thanks for putting up with my rants and random questions,
-Ve

 

[AK103K]

Probably JFK was the start and the GCA '68. Before that, you could still buy through the mail.

I used to shoot on the rifle team in high school in the early 70's, and we all had rifles and shotguns and even pistols in our cars and trucks. Things sure have changed.

 

[cuate]

Yes the JFK killing was the real beginning, the Gun Control Act of 1934 was because the baddies were toting Thompson SMGs while the LEOs of that day were packing .32s and .38 SPLs. They did leave us an out that if we could afford a SMG and pass a Police check we could have one. Still in force but the high prices rather limit SMG ownership.

The ballot box is the proper way to remove Officials, not asassination but
somebody (?) took that and all the knee jerk, limp wrists used this to deprive Americans of the Second Amendment rights and formerly freedon of all to own what they chose except automatic weapons.

This war is far from over. Join the NRA today !!!

 

[badbob]

When Did It Deteriorate and Why?

When? The biggest hit was GCA '68. The Kennedy brothers and MLK had been assassinated and the politicians used that as an excuse to look like they were doing something.

Why? Apathy, by the general public and by gunowners. The usual case of not paying attention until it was too late.

badbob

 

[tony pasley]

The 1934 was to keep federal employees employed, The 1968 was using fear and grief to take away power from the citizens. Since then the liberals have used fear and misinformation to further the idea of restricting the rights of people.

 

[Varmint Eviscerator]

You see, I would have never guessed that, I wouldhave thought it to be far more benign and generalized, as opposed to specific occurances-stupid of me I guess
-VE

 

[Marko Kloos]

NFA '34 was to find something to do for all those Prohibition door-kickers on the federal payroll who were suddenly twiddling their thumbs after the end of Prohibition.

GCA '68 was to prevent the Black Panthers and other radical elements from turning over the political apple cart.

The 1994 Crime Bill was in response to gang violence caused by drug turf wars.

Funny thing is, we wouldn't have had either of those acts without booze and drug prohibitions. It seems that if you support a War on Drugs, you indirectly support a War on Guns.

 

[badbob]

Funny thing is, we wouldn't have had either of those acts without booze and drug prohibitions. It seems that if you support a War on Drugs, you indirectly support a War on Guns.

Let us not forget the "War on Terror". The whole BOR is under attack now, not just the 2nd. A.

badbob

 

[Majic]

The point was made that the Italian Carano that was supposedly used to kill JFK was a mail order item and the GCA of '68 was created.

 

[Limeyfellow]

Fear of gangs like the Black Panthers really has screwed up gunrights in the US. Even California traces itself back to what Reagon introduced back to fight them and most of the crack downs seem to do start with the civil rights groups of the 50s and 60s and the government being afraid of them and building up from there from a longline of antigunner presidents such as Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Reagon, Bush and Clinton didn't help one little bit and each one has introduced more and more restrictions.

Its pretty much what we saw in Britain. The authorities were afraid the people would rise up and introduce a communist nation so that was the excuse to start limiting firearms.

 

[Varmint Eviscerator]

I find it interesting that the exact principles upon which we're founded are the ones our gov't is afraid of
-VE

 

[auburnboattail]

Control

Key word is Control. It is true that GCA of 68 after JFK curbed mail order. That however was just the tip of the iceberg. A calculated disinformation campaign promoted by certain political and social leaders has successfully demonized firearms and all associated with. The driving factor is simply they believe that 1. The government knows what is best for you and 2. American people can not be trusted.

George Washington stated "if you disarm a free society they are no longer free".

The first step of most despots is to disarm or ban firearms. Past and current history illustrates that even a motivated lightly armed militia or insurgency can overthrow or disrupt civilization.

The real question is why those who pass the laws fear the people they represent. The answer is in their hearts. Government of any kind is only as good as the integrity of both the governed and those governing.

Real reform or as Jefferson stated Revolution is the responsibility of the governed. Therefore it is hard to listen to complaints about government when only 50% of the populations vote in a presidential election and only 30-40% in an off year.
It does matter. We had elections where I live last Tues. A commissioner race ended in a tie. The winner today was determined by a coin flip. What an insult. Fate of this county determined by a bloody coin toss.

Involvement, activism, education and exercising you inalienable rights can turn the country tomorrow. If your senators, congressman, governors, and state legislators are put on notice by hundreds of thousands of letters, calls, emails and visits to make your views known they will respond. If they do not the can be voted out, or impeached.

We are not dust in the wind. Our rights were bought with blood and we give them up for safety or apathy, Shame on us.

 

[Varmint Eviscerator]

I couldnt have said it better myself, we are not only selling firearms freedoms, but we are also selling ourselves to a more and more powerfull goverment. IN fact, I say big brother applies now more than ever, and the politicians are using fear and hysteria to their advantage, people will sacrafice sooo much for a percieved sense of safety
-VE

 

[rem33]

You are going to have a real hard time conquering a armed people. Maybe I am nuts but when did the anti-American, disarm the people start? Can we say Marxist-communist ideals?

OK I cannot substantiate this I read it in a magazine before the net if memory serves me. It is a quote from Sara Brady in a laxed moment.
"We cannot force our ideals on the American people as long as they are armed"
That may have never been said by her but I read it and it is a true statement, whether she said it or not.

Gosh, I don't wanna come off like some nut case militia guy here I am in no way one. I am just a average guy that happens to enjoy shooting sports and my freedom. Our forefathers were correct when it comes to dictatorship, tyranny and a armed people.

If the laws on the books back before 68 were enforced and folks were spanked hard for breaking them why not Thur the mail? Maybe we need a citizen card and have such freedoms, but boy does that open another can of worms. I don't want to go there.

IMHO this was started with the end result to disarm us all! One chip at a time the tree of firearm freedom is being cut down too.

The premise is to stop crime but it doesn't look like that is working at all. Seems the worse crime is in the harshest gun law areas.

 

[tony pasley]

Badbob the War On Drugs started for the same reason as the 1934 gun laws. It was only about federal employees keeping thier jobs with the gov't. Both started 1934 and no one cared about either, except news papers who could make money off dramatic stories they could print.

 

[Ruger4570]

It is sad, we, as a group, just don't do what is required. Yes, we bitch and complain, but the bottom line is we just don't write the letters, call the Congressmen and Senators. We tend to leave it up to the NRA or somebody. Just get off your lazy butt and get involved, I do, but i am just one voice. One voice is not going to cut it. When are you lazy bastards gonna learn, it take real commitment, I man REAL commitment, instead of expecting SOMEONE ELSE to say what you think or want. I grow tired of writing to my representatives without your help. I feel like I am the only one trying to save our rights and sport. As I said, get off your lazy butts, if you have time to write in a forum,, you have time to write your Congressman or whoever you choose. Just write the darn letter and quit complaining if your guns are taken away from you. We deserve it, we are not united, we are lazy and want to leave it to others to do what we have to be doing ourselves. Damn, I hate the way this is going. If you don't take the time seriously, well you will lose your guns eventually. It is the goal of many to disarm us, you know it, I do too. Wake up, get involved. If not, sooner or later, you will be turning in your guns,, period. Look at England, Australia and Canada.

 

[auburnboattail]

Organized

Perhaps a post card campaign of all posters on this thread is a place to start.
There are several thousand posters here who can sign their name to a preprinted post card. The NRA has been using them for years. Perhaps the professional writers on this thread can compose a statement. I am sure the software guys can arrange an electronic sign in. And all posters here can contribute $1 to cover postage and printed materials.

 

[rem33]

Perhaps a post card campaign of all posters on this thread is a place to start

.

You'll get my signature and $1

I may have over stepped my opinion on the Marxist thoughts for lack of a better explanation. For some reason it seems to me that a movement has been headed in the direction to damage to outright destroy many of the things folks like me and our forefathers held so very dear. Way beyond but including gun rights.

 

[foob]

The 1934 was to keep federal employees employed, The 1968 was using fear and grief to take away power from the citizens. Since then the liberals have used fear and misinformation to further the idea of restricting the rights of people.

Using fear and misinformation to restrict the rights of the people is used by both sides, not just the liberals... Talk about ingrained and uninformed hatred (or disgust) for people that subscribe to some ideology.

 

[Crosshair]

Theodore Roosevelt considered assasination an inherent, but acceptable, risk in the job of a politician.

If you look at it another way, you could use it to gauge the people's support. I would love to see THAT in a survey.

Describe your support of Candidate X.

1. Would bear/father their child.
2. Would give them the shirt off your back.
3. Support them completely.
4. Agree with them on many issues.
5. They are mediocre.
6. Disagree with many of their views.
7. Do not support them.
8. Hope they die an an auto/airplane accident.
9. Would like to break their knees with a baseball bat.
10. Would blow their head off if given the chance.

If you got a large number of people choosing 8, 9, or 10, it might be a sign that people don't like your performance.