Why Gun Control is Dangerous

“No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.”

                                                                -Thomas Jefferson

                As of 2009 the population in the United States, according to JustFacts.com, was roughly 309 million people.  Based on production data from firearms manufacturers, there are around 300 million privately owned firearms.  100 million or so are handguns (pistols).  Firearms are grouped into three different types: rifles, pistols, and shotguns.  Both rifles and shotguns are categorized as long guns.  In the United States a person must be of the age 18 or above to purchase a long gun, 21 years+ for pistols.  For the past century, the progressive left has sought to infringe upon the 2^nd Amendment rights of every citizen in this country.  What part of “Shall not be infringed” is too hard to understand!?  Gun control in the United States is unconstitutional and dangerous for the country and her citizenry.

                Thomas Jefferson, in his book “Commonplace Book”, wrote calling gun control on example of “false utility”-a backwards and irrational position on crime prevention that will only serve to make the problem worse.  The other founding fathers would not be pleased with the federal government throwing the Bill of Rights and the Constitution out the window.  For that reason I believe that they would support the right for the citizens to possess “military grade” firearms.  

Before we go any further let’s take a look at the Assault Weapons ban of 1994.  In Section 3 ‘Definitions’, any semi-automatic rifle that is able to take a detachable magazine and that has:

·         A folding or telescoping stock (i.e. a but stock that collapses or lengthens depending on user preference)

·         A threaded barrel (i.e. a barrel with an extended tip with threads for screwing on a sound suppressor, flash-suppressor, or any other device to the front of the firearm.)

·         A pistol grip (again another feature for user comfort)

·         A forward grip (on a rifle proper shooting from dictates that the non-trigger hand is forward of the magazine for stability)

·         A barrel shroud

A gun with any of these features would be illegal to manufacture or sell in the United States.  The last item on the list is a barrel shroud.  This term has caused a lot of confusion for the media and others reading the bill.  According to Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), who wants to ban barrel shrouds but admitted that she did not know what it is, a barrel shroud is a “shoulder thing that goes up.”  A barrel shroud is actually a composite, metal, or plastic device that partially or completely encircles the barrel to prevent the shooter from sustaining burns from the barrel as it heats up.  The evidence shows that those who want this sort of ban, want shooting a firearm to be more dangerous for the user and other innocent people.  

The author of the Assault Weapons Ban, Senator Dianne Feinstein, wants to ban firearms based on cosmetic features.  Many people don’t want to be judged by how they look but are perfectly happy to forbid the sale and manufacture of these types of firearms.  Those who want to ban firearms disguise their intent by the careful use of smoke screens.  They twist the verbiage.  They cry “regulation” with the ultimate goal of disarming the citizens of the United States.

Gun control is dangerous because an armed citizenry is essential to maintaining a government that fears the citizens.  When governments no longer fear the citizens, tyranny rises up.  Any piece of legislation that infringes upon the rights of citizens in direct contradiction of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is void.  It is the duty of every government official at every level to stand in opposition to unconstitutional measures.  The oath of office binds the official to “Support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic.”  When Congress, the Supreme Court, or the executive branch attempt to illegally infringe on the rights of the citizenry, they become a domestic enemy.  The founding fathers recognized that technology would advance, and they made provisions in the Constitution to legally amend it.  However those in power have tried and occasionally succeeded in illegally crafting legislation that infringes on guaranteed rights.  

Before Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass) on Nov. 9-10, 1938, when the Nazis smashed and pillaged, and murdered hundreds of Jews, the Nazi party first imposed regulation on gun ownership. Soon after, they created a national gun registry so they knew who had guns, then they had Kristallnacht, and finally they exterminated over 11 million people.  To keep an event similar out of America, it is imperative that there are no unlawful infringements made on anyone’s rights.  The Nazi government did not fear resistance and look what happened.