ONE MORE TAKE ON SENSIBLE GUN CONTROL

The argument that the Second Amendment was to allow citizens to have guns to protect themselves against their own government is blatantly false.  

I know this bothers some gun supporters that have heard this from the NRA and used this as their argument for no gun laws.  But, in 1791 when the Amendment was past, America did not have a standing army and the intent was to guarantee citizens could own guns so in time of crisis a militia could be quickly raised – not armed for an insurrection against the government.

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.

In 1792 the Congress went one step further, passing an act requiring all male citizens to arm themselves in order to be able to quickly raise a militia:

Each and every free able-bodied white male citizen of the respective States, resident therein, who is or shall be of age of eighteen years, and under the age of forty-five years (except as is herein after excepted) shall severally and respectively be enrolled in the militia… every citizen so enrolled and notified, shall, within six months thereafter, provide himself with a good musket or flrelock, and sufficient bayonet and belt, two spare flints, and a knapsack, a pouch with a box therein to contain not less than twenty-four cartridges, suited to the bore of his musket or firelock, each cartridge to contain a proper quantity of powder and ball: or with a good rifle, knapsack ,shot-pouch and powder-horn, twenty balls suited to the bore of his rifle, and a quarter of a pound of powder; and shall appear, so armed, accoutered and provided, when called out to exercise, or into service, except, that when called out on company days to exercise only, he may appear without a knapsack.

Today we have a standing army and the requirement for all citizens to arm is not necessary – neither is the argument that we must arm ourselves so we can overthrow our own government.  

We fought a Civil War against the idea of anarchy – the point should be well established. 

The need to line up at Burger King with assault rifles and pistols defies common sense and places the general public in danger.

The Ol’Buzzard

A SENSIABLE STEP TO CONTROL GUN VIOLENCE.

 Maine has always been a wilderness state, and back in the 1960’s most Maine men owned guns: deer rifles and shotguns for hunting.

  

There was no killings epidemic going on back in those earlier days.   There were no military assault weapons, the country was not flooded with handguns and there was no open or concealed carry for the average person.   Occasionally a man might be shot by his brother-in-law while out deer hunting, and later you find out he beat his wife - and there would be suspicions.   That was pretty much it for gun violence.

 

It is not just about the availability of guns.   Today there is also a kill mentality, a kill mania that goes along with the purchase of military style assault weapon and hand gun.

Most of the people that buy guns today are not hunters; they are buying a gun with the specific intent to be able to kill other human beings.    Many of these people live in a mindset where they fantasize a situation where they could use their weapon on another person, believing it would make them appear macho.

  

So how could we control this gun mania without confiscating guns?

Back in the sixties, in most New England states, you could not transport a gun unless you had a valid hunting license and there was an open hunting season.  If you wished to transport a pistol or rifle to a firing range, you had to drop by the police station and pick up a transport chit for that specific activity.   There was no open carry and you could not get a concealed carry license without a specific need.    You did not have to register you guns and you could have as many as you wanted in your home; you just could not carry or transport them in public without a reason. 

An assault weapon band sounds logical, but there are already too many assault weapons in circulation; and gun confiscation is not an option.   What we need is a federal law limiting the carry and transportation of firearms.   It would not be popular but it would solve the problem.

Why do these men need to carry their weapons in public?   They don't.

Kids dying in elementary school is a step too far.   We need serious federal gun control on the transportation and carry of firearms.

the Ol’Buzzard

  

GUNS IN OUR SOCIETY

STAND YOUR GROUND AND CARRY A GUN: THIS IS THE PERFECT SCENARIO TO ENCOURAGE SOCIALLY INEPT INDIVIDUALS TO ACT OUT THEIR FANTASIES

Yet another shooting this week: two police officers and a double suicide.   This type of situation is no longer considered bizarre, but now has become an accepted norm in our society.    Children killing parents, social terrorist killing cops, and even children butchered in elementary schools will garner a few minutes in the news on the day it happens; and then we move on.  

I was pre -school age when I received my first toy gun.   My mother returned on leave from the Waves (Navy) and gave me a present of a plastic gun that clicked when I pulled the trigger.  This had to be in the early 1940’s during World War II.      

The first movies I remember were Cowboy and Indian movies that were all about gunfights. 

As a pre-teen I watched Army movies and read GI Joe and Battle Brady comic books.

I do not remember a time before mid-teens that I did not have a toy gun.

I received my first BB gun around ten years old; and my first 22 rifle (which I still own) about thirteen.

During my teens I owned two shotguns (double barrel 410 and single shot 12 gauge) and a 22 rifle.

Since that time I have owned numerous riles, shotguns and pistols.

And then there was the military…

I do not think my background is so different from other men of my age who were raised in rural communities.   Guns have always been a part of my life – but not an obsession.  

This new age of gun obsession has brought out people on the fringe of social normality.  The people who dress up and openly display a firearm are acting out fantasies.  They feed on the disquiet the public feels in their presence when they appear in a normal social setting brandishing a deadly weapon.     The obvious truth is these gun totters are not particularly bright, which adds to the aura of danger in their presence.  Without a gun they would otherwise be invisible.

This lunacy has been encouraged and condoned by politicians until now the inmates are running the asylum and we are past the point of no return. 

I do believe, at this point in time, there is no gun disaster so atrocious that sanity could prevail, resulting in common sense gun laws enacted and enforced.     

It is we the people who continue to elect politicians that do not serve the best interest of society that have allowed this genie out of the box, now we must inherit the wind.

the Ol’Buzzard    

WE MUST PROTECT OUR SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS

When a young man carried an assault rifle, a shotgun and two pistols into a movie theater he was exercising his Second Amendment Rights.

When a man with two pistols with extended ammo clips attended Gabby Giffords’ political meeting he was exercising his Second Amendment Rights.

When a man patrolled his neighborhood while carrying a handgun; and decided it is necessary to accost a young black teen who is talking on a cell phone and drinking a soda – he was exercising his Second Amendment Rights.

And who knows when it will be necessary to overthrow our government that is becoming too inclusive of minorities, or to repel alien attacks?    So we need to protect our Second Amendment Rights.

Really?

the Ol'Buzzard 

THE SECOND AMMENDMENT

I recently ran across some statistics on deaths by fire arms in high income countries.  The survey was conducted in 1999 and may have changed to some extent.  The survey results covered 46 countries and I have taken the liberty and selected the nine countries most recognizable to American interest.   

Country	Homicide Per  100,000	Suicide Per 100,000
Japan	0.03	0.04
England	0.07	0.33
Germany	0.21	1.23
Spain	0.19	0.55
Australia	0.56	2.38
France	0.55	4.93
Canada	0.60	3.35
Israel	0.72	1.84
United States	6.24	7.23

Firearms are part of our National heritage, but for many people they are an obsession.   Because of the constant drive by the NRA to deregulate the sales, distribution and type of firearm available to the public, firearms end up in the hands of people who endanger the citizenry.     Many firearm owners and concealed carry licensees are not stable enough to be considered responsible.   Like George Zimmerman, they are homicides looking for a place to happen.

The statistics speak for themselves.  The homicide rate and suicide rate in the United States, as compared to other first world countries, is a disgrace and should be enough evidence for any intelligent individual to support reasonable restrictions on firearm ownership. 

AMERICAN CRAZY

The Ol'Buzzard

GUN LAWS

There was a discussion on Up with Chris Hayes Saturday morning on gun control.   A reporter that attended the recent NRA convention in St Louis commented that most of those in attendance were old white men; and from conversations he overheard the consistent theme seemed to be that these men needed to be armed because at some time in the future they would have to defend themselves from some imaginary threat.   The liberal consensus on the program seemed to be that the people at the convention were afraid of the rise of minorities and saw that as a threat to their way of life. 

I don’t necessarily agree with that.   I have known many men who rode around with NRA stickers on the back window of their trucks.   None of them were afraid – but all of them entertained a fantasy of Armageddon: a time of a breakdown of law and order when they could emerge, regardless of their age or lack of physical prowess, with their guns blazing to become the hero and powerful leaders of their imagination.  In this scenario they all see themselves as the gun slinger that young girls would cling to (note: in their fantasies they do not liberate the old ladies in the rest home, but the young girls in the college dorms.)

Many of the people that go into police work are of the same ilk.   In high school  they were the prey of the alphas and as marginal students were lost in the back of the room; but with a badge of authority and a gun on their hip they achieve the longed for identity of macho.  The permission to carry a gun and the authority to shoot transforms the sexually insecure male into an alpha want-to-be.

Now, here we intersect with the Concealed Carry and Stand Your Ground Law.   Thousands of would-be alphas are walking around armed looking for a chance to live out their fantasy of being feared and admired because of their ability and readiness to kill with a firearm. 

In the old 1950 novel Battleground when a recruit would call his rifle a gun the DI would make him grab his crotch with his left hand and hold out his rifle with his right hand and repeat “This is my rifle and this is my gun – this is for fighting and this is for fun.”  I truly believe that gun mania is a substitute for lack of sexual prowess.

  

In the military I was on the station pistol team and qualified to compete at All Navy competition, but could not attend because of deployment schedule.  I was awarded both expert rifle and expert pistol ribbons.   I do not have a concealed carry license and do not need one.  I know the difference between my rifle and my gun and don’t need to carry one to compensate for the other. 

the Ol-Buzzard