On the day of the Sandy Hook shooting, I got the hint that
something bad had happened through various Facebook posts. When I finally made
myself turn on the news and learned what had happened, I cried. I had just put
my little girl down for her nap, so I went back in and just sat and looked at
her for a little while. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain of losing her,
especially to such horrific and indiscriminate violence. My heart still breaks
when I think of those parents who lost their children that day, and of the
families of those teachers who were killed. I don't know if it's possible, but
I pray that they find peace and a way to continue their lives without a
constant hurt.
I just got done watching President Obama's speech about his
intent for the way forward in regards to gun control. Today was unique for me
in that I usually do my best to avoid listening to him, but I thought this was
important to hear first hand. My first thought was that he should not have had
those kids up there with him. The entire country has been in emotional turmoil
since the Sandy Hook shooting, and using those children as props to, to use his
words, gin up more fear, was disgraceful. Once I was able to ignore his props,
I found myself actually listening, and even agreeing with a lot of what he had
to say.
Background checks for every gun purchase. I agree with this.
Keeping guns out of the hands of felons and persons who are mentally unstable
is an important step toward reducing illegal gun violence, and a proper
background check should go a long way toward weeding those people out. Law
abiding citizens should not have a problem with showing that they are in fact
law abiding citizens prior to purchasing a gun. The danger lies in having such
a program administered at the federal level because it is too short a step from
there to registration. The federal government has no need to know what, if any,
weapons I own.
Stricter enforcement of laws that punish people who provide
guns to criminals. Absolutely. Anyone who purchases guns with the intent of
providing them to any criminal element automatically falls outside the category
of law abiding citizen and should be punished accordingly, as well as
prohibited from making such purchases in the future.
Harsher punishments for those who commit crimes with a gun.
Absolutely. But, again, the emotional haze of the last several weeks has
narrowed the view of those looking to attack guns. It is my opinion that all
crimes need to be punished more severely. A person murdered with a knife is
just as dead as someone murdered with a gun. Personally, I think we should
bring back the firing squad, but that's a different conversation.
Where the president lost me, and I know I'm not alone in
this, is when he started talking about "assault weapons" and high
capacity magazines. I use quotation marks because what he, and all those trying
to ban them, calls an assault weapon, isn't one at all. An assault rifle is one
that is capable of selective firing, that is, capable of firing one round at a
time, or firing a three-round burst, or firing on full automatic. These weapons
have been banned from purchase by civilians for a long time. The term
"assault weapon" was made up by the media and others who don't like
them to describe rifles that cosmetically
look like a military assault rifle. I have an M4/AR-15. It looks very similar
to the guns carried by Marines and soldiers when they go into combat. The big
difference is, mine is semi-automatic - it can only fire one round at a time,
while those carried by the military are capable of firing three-round bursts.
The reality is, my M4 functions exactly like the vast majority of hunting
rifles. Its cosmetics that make it look similar to a military weapon do nothing
to make it more lethal.
What about "high" capacity magazines? Why do I
need those? The answer is simple. Self defense, or the defense of others. In
the controlled environment of a shooting range, I can put every round exactly
where I want it, or at least within a few millimeters. The circumstances that
would require me to use any of my weapons in self defense or defense of others
would not be nearly as controlled as those of a shooting range, and I'd be
willing to bet my aim would not be as true as I'd like. Those extra rounds in
my magazine may very well keep my family and I alive.
But beyond the ignorance of calling my rifle an assault
weapon, or what I believe is a justifiable need for a 30-round magazine, a ban
on either simply does not make sense. Such a ban would be based entirely on
emotions and politicians need to feel good about themselves for doing something. The federal government
already tried such a ban, for ten whole years, and it had no measurable effect
on gun violence. One of the incidents the president used to bolster his
argument for an "assault weapons" ban and magazine limits was the
shooting at VA Tech. The shooter there did not use what he calls an assault
weapon, and he used 10-round magazines, which would still be legal, and still
achieved the highest body count in recent history.
During his speech today, the president made a good show of
concern for the victims of Sandy Hook, and concern for the need to better
protect the nation's children as a whole. And as much as I dislike the man, I'm
sure he does feel genuine concern. But despite the concern displayed today, he
is narcissistic, arrogant and a pathological liar. He, and those aligned with
him, is opportunistic and has an agenda that goes well beyond the concern for
our children. He knows it would be political suicide for him to suggest
outright confiscation of guns right now, but make no mistake, in his mind the
legislation he proposed today is a step toward exactly that. One of his
supporters on the issue, Sen. Feinstein, said years ago that that's exactly
what she wants.
An "assault weapon" ban now is less about protecting children (it won't) and more about destroying liberty and "fundamentally transforming the United States." Despite the concern shown today, Obama has repeatedly shown disdain and contempt for the "common" American. He has also voiced his displeasure with the Constitution, the limits it places on the federal government, and processes it requires. Platitudes to the contrary, Obama and his ilk will do everything they can to shred the Constitution, and right now, the 2nd Amendment is at the top of their list.
An "assault weapon" ban now is less about protecting children (it won't) and more about destroying liberty and "fundamentally transforming the United States." Despite the concern shown today, Obama has repeatedly shown disdain and contempt for the "common" American. He has also voiced his displeasure with the Constitution, the limits it places on the federal government, and processes it requires. Platitudes to the contrary, Obama and his ilk will do everything they can to shred the Constitution, and right now, the 2nd Amendment is at the top of their list.
It is my belief that the president's proposed ban will cost
far more lives than it is purported to save. It is a small step, but the road
he wants to pave is one toward registration and, ultimately, confiscation. Law
abiding citizens will be denied their right to defend themselves and people
will die. It may not happen even in my lifetime, but when confiscation is
attempted, there will be armed resistance and many people will die.
Do not let emotions and knee jerk responses rule the day.
Let your voice be heard. Make phone calls, write letters, send emails. Tell
those who were elected to represent you that the direction the president wants
to take us is the wrong one.
