I tend to be an idealistic, hopeless romantic at heart. The fact that guns exist at all kinda sucks. Pretty much all they're good for is killing things. Unless you like target practice, which I happen to. The problem with gun control laws, ANY gun control laws, is this....they only serve to remove guns from the hands of people who have no desire to use them for anything illegal. Crooks are crooks. They couldn't give a flying fornication about gun control laws. Gang bangers are not going to refer to the laws in their municipality before their drive by. A nutcase is not going to make sure that the magazine in his weapon does not exceed the capacity allowed by law before opening fire at an elementary school.
Law abiding citizens have a right to defend themselves against those who wish to take their lives or property and something like an obligation to protect the innocent or those unable to protect themselves. Its a sad state of affairs that it has come down to this, but the fact of the matter is that there are people out there who will shoot a person without a second thought if it will gain them the $20 they have in their wallet. And now, those who wish NOT to have their life taken for a pittance find themselves having to defend themselves also from a government that is supposed to ensure that those types of things don't happen. There are many in our government and some in the public that seem to have forgotten that America's is a government by the people and for the people, not people by the government and for the government.
The second amendment states "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." The operative portion of this amendment is "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." At the time the Constitution was written, America had no standing Army. Defense of American interests at that time lay with volunteers, which were comprised of every able bodied man and boy. It was not imagined then that a full time standing Army would be required, however it was recognized that not only might people need to be called upon to defend the country from foreign invaders, they would also require means to defend themselves from domestic threats and were all too familiar with the effects of an oppressive government. They understood that every tyranny began in part with the removal of weapons from the hands of law abiding citizens. They also understood that they could do next to nothing to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of criminals. The only way to prevent both an oppressive government and allow people the freedom to defend themselves is to allow responsible citizens the right to bear arms.
I do understand the argument in favor of gun control....it has to start somewhere. But the answer is not to take guns from responsible citizens, leaving them defenseless against both criminals and their government and increasing black market demand for weapons. In fact, it's quite the opposite...it has been proven that cities with liberal gun laws have lower violent crime rates than those with heavily restrictive regulations. The answer seems to me, then, to make sure more responsible people have access to guns and that criminals are well aware they have them. And while I have no particular issue with those who choose not to own or carry guns on moral or religious grounds, and actually commend them for their choice, it is not their place to take any action that would infringe on others' rights to defend themselves, practice perfectly legal recreational activities, or even simply to own guns because they can.
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