Maybe they are right. Who needs “Shoulder Thingies That Go Up”? I mean, that’s some serious effing firepower right there.
Alien Predator Weapon Tech is not to be taken lightly, for sure. But who needs it?
Let me tell you. If the Government has it, then we need it too. And here’s why. We have the Second Amendment, and this is exactly what it’s for.
“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
While we can throw out the argument about Artillery and the always tossed “would you want your neighbor to have a nuke?” bs response… We can consider all Small Arms as valid and necessary for the security of the people and these are exactly the Arms that shall not be infringed so we can bear them. Penn said it best when he broke the Second Amendment down. Because the Militia is Necessary, we having just fought a war against a well regulated militia, The People – meaning us and not The Militia – will not have our right to keep and bear arms infringed.
To keep and bear…. That means to Have. To Bear, that means to be able to Carry with us. In a holster or over the shoulder on a sling, or even carried in a Low Ready Position – that is bearing arms.
What of these Arms? What are we talking about? Muskets? Certainly not. The British had Muskets, but the Colonials upped the ante with the use of cutting edge weapon technology… We had Rifles. Much more accurate than the Muskets of the standing Militia. Fast forward to today’s times. The US Military rifles are the M4 Carbine and the M16A4. These weapons should be available to the public. But they are not. This gives advantage to The State over The People. Because the people can only have an AR-15, which are Semi Auto Only Sporting Rifles which can be no shorter than 16 inches. The Military has Full Auto and Burst Fire with no restrictions on barrel lengths. If we can not have at least the same rifle as the Military – Our rights have been infringed on. Simple as that.
The big problem with this infringement is the National Firearms Act of 1934, which basically gave rise to the ATF, which is one of the most useless Government Agencies on the Planet. The NFA pretty much infringed on everyone, and insured that the Government is able to put a boot to your neck any time they wish. Ruby Ridge happened over two shotguns that had been cut off slightly shorter than the prescribed 18 inches. A Wife, a Son, and their Dog, along with a Federal Marshall, were killed over an arbitrary length decided on back in 1934. This is ridiculous. But things like that happen all the time with the ATF, because that is their business… the bullshit Dotted I’s and Crossed T’s, they hunt them like IRS Accountants and act as if they are personally insulted if someone forgets to put “UT” behind “PROVO” on the place of birth. Really, how many Provo’s are there in the USA? But that is a violation… VIOLATION!!! Punishable by FINES or the loss of your LICENSE… they can put you out of business if you make too many mistakes in your paperwork, no matter how small.
No other industry is regulated like this. The ludicrousness of this so over the top, no other industry would tolerate it… but it’s done because of the great cause of “Public Safety”.
If this country want’s Safety, it’s pretty easy to do. Disband the ATF and repeal the NFA. Use that budget to improve road signs and put up Hazard Warning systems to alert drivers of dangers ahead in the road. Or for a system that enforces the common sense of not Texting While Driving… you know… things that would actually save lives and not cost them.
So, repeal all of that crap, (NFA ’34, GSA ’68, and the ’86 catastophy). Go back to the roots. NO lever guns, NO muzzle loaders, NO bows and arrows, LCPs, revolvers etc. ONLY small arms used CURRENTLY by NATO militaries from around the world. Seriously.
I’d rather let people arm themselves with what they want. I don’t need an M4 over my shoulder all day long at work. I’ve done that before, and it sucks.
I understand. It was a play on words over exactly what arms are protected by 2a. Fudd guns are not as stated by Scalia on Heller.
It’s an inconvenience which should be an option if necessary.
And as I understand it, the ATF cut the barrels of those shotguns down to illegal length after their informant bought them. Payback for Weaver refusing to snitch on his friend’s alleged (and, IIRC, later disproved) ties to white supremacist organizations.
We will never know… But I heard the shotguns were only a fraction too short.
You said it so well, all I can add is a “thumbs up”.
I have an FFL and it amazes me when people that have never bought guns opine on how easy it is to purchase guns or say that it is easier to buy a gun then it is to buy a car. I am also an attorney, so I am used to being very careful about what I put down on paper, but I can’t think of any industry that is so strict and heavily regulated as the firearms industry.
The story I heard (from John Ross,IIRC) is that Weaver cut the informant’s shotgun _barrels_ to legal length, but screwed up on overall length. which makes the Govt. position WORSE, IMO. It means people died over a 200$ tax beef because a piece of WOOD was a half-inch too short for some fed’s regs. Bastards.
I remember from back in the late 1960’s after the Kenedy and MLK assassinations there was a brief push to make bolt action rifles with telescopic sights illegal as they could be used as “sniper” weapons.
From what I’ve been reading about what is various “kitchen” and “garage” labs run by individuals are doing with biologic and energy research and development the next door neighbor with a WMD is not that impossible. How is the ATF going to track down everything?
Back when I was in Junior High in Oklahoma, a friend of mine reported about one of his recently widowed aunts who lived by herself on a farm. He said his dad and uncles were worried about her being out there by herself and she didn’t want to move into town with anyone, so they took a more potent firearm than the single shot firearms she had out to her and showed her how to use it. It was a WW II bring back, an MP-38.
Well, I for one am a little overwhelmed at all the “Ban the guns, not the criminals” crap. But I am more terrified at the prospect of our country headed toward dictatorship.
http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-joint-resolution/15/text
Jose Serrano, D-NY, Enemy of the people.
The Constitution grants congress the power to issue ‘Letters of Marque and Reprisal’ (Article 1, Section 8). So, far from only considering ‘muskets’, the 2nd Amendment was written by men who were perfectly comfortable with the idea of privately owned, fully armed WARSHIPS!
BLUF: Our founding fathers added the second amendment for future citizens to have some insurance against tyranny coming here from inside or out. Therefore, I want that shoulder thingy and while we’re at it the superior armor / electronic camo / integrated HUD computer.
I despise the “needs” arguments as applied to hunting or self defense. They are just derailing paths. Here’s a reminder of needs:
They were unarmed civilians who had for many years been harassed and closely monitored by the apparatus of the German state, so there was no way they could have organized themselves to fight back. In those instances where they were armed and organized, such as in the Warsaw ghetto in 1943, they fought back heroically.
One really needs to ask: Resist or fight back at what stage? In the early stages the Jews knew of course that they were being persecuted – monstrously persecuted – but did not know they were going to be subject to mass murder. By the time they knew they were going to be killed, it was generally rather late to resist.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Did_the_Jews_fight_back_in_the_Holocaust
“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
I expect the grabbers to use the first part of that statement against us. I mean, you and me and all the guys I know aren’t exactly a “A well regulated militia” we are just a bunch of guys who like to shoot and/or feel the need for self-protection.
I would be willing to join a militia, get trained, even buy my own uniform, if it will keep the idiots in DC from taking my iron away. I like my guns, even the High Point 9mm carbine 😉 and I won’t hand them over without a ruckus. I sleep good at night knowing there are a few million people out there who feel the same.
Or my ammo. If I got raided right now, the headline would read something about “an arsenal and thousands of rounds of ammo.” I buy bulk so I can go shoot and not have to pay WalMart or gun shop prices.
They have been for years. Which shows they have no reading comprehension skills. Also note, the terms “Sporting” “Hunting” and “Self Defense” are not in the Second Amendment.
Randy Weaver was awarded $100,000, his 3 daughters $1,000,000/ea in their civil suit. Kevin Harris was acquitted and Randy was only charged with failure to appear.