My Thoughts on Gun Control

Photo from ell brown's photostream

First off, let me say the only gun I own is a BB Gun, used to attempt to ping stray critters out of my vegetable garden. Sometimes it even works!

I don't own a real gun... not one for protecting my home and self, nor one for hunting. However, it is my right to own one if I choose. It says so in the Bill of Rights, the first 10 Amendments to our Constitution (not that I think most politicians pay attention to details like that).

Does anyone really think that gun control laws will stop criminals from having guns? A deranged person or criminal Hell-Bent on using a gun to force themselves into a private home/car, or to abduct and/or kill someone will always find a way to have a gun or do the mayhem another way. All gun control laws will do is disarm law-abiding citizens who could otherwise protect their homes and families.

Over the last several years I have come to fear the authorities more than I fear a common thug. That's partly because many laws now written often contain the clause "...and for other purposes" which are not defined, and allow wide discretion in any law. The enormous powers given to Homeland Security are really scary because now anyone can just whisper terrorist suspect and the authorities can and will do whatever they want to law-abiding citizens, including unlawful search, seizure and incarceration.

Laws already on the books are strange anyway. Who's business is it if I choose not to wear a seatbelt in my car? Who's business is it if my damn' fool neighbor chooses to ride his motorcycle without wearing a helmet? Why are there laws about those things and yet no laws to prevent someone from buying all the saturated fat/cholesterol-laden foods that could eventually kill them? Heart attacks kill more people than guns... make laws about foods to prevent heart attacks.

I just read a story of a law-abiding family man who owned several guns, locked away in a home safe. His wife told the authorities he was collecting guns in fear of a breakdown in our social structure, bringing on martial law. Naturally, the authorities stormed the house and confiscated the guns, which were all legally purchased and registered. The man apparently also had 4 batons like the English Bobbies carry, tear gas canisters and some pepper projectiles; accordingly, he was charged with four counts of possessing “an infernal device” and four counts of possessing a “dangerous weapon.” All because someone whispered to the authorities.

More than a decade ago, the state government of Connecticut enacted a “law” permitting state agents to confiscate firearms from people suspected of 'dangerous' tendencies — a variation on the Soviet idea of preemptive punishment of “socially dangerous persons.”

Be Worried. Be Very Worried.