Gun Sense

Since the first settlers appeared on the shores of what we now called the United States of America, there have been guns in the hands of the people. On the morning of April 19, 1775 British Major John Pitcairn learned just what the Colonials thought of gun control. He marched 1000 troops to Concord to seize shot, powder and arms from the locals. By the time the smoke cleared and he got his army back, he was shy 273 men.

The picture I selected above is quite remarkable. I want you to think about this, take a walk back in time with me. The man's name is John Burns, he was over 78 years old. He lived in Gettysburg Pennsylvania in 1863. He was a Veteran of the War of 1812! Although I am a Grandson of the Southland and my ancestors fought and died for the Confederate cause (States Rights) I admire what this old guy did. He was the constable of the town and when the advance party of Rebels came he locked a few of them up. Of course when the main body of Lee's Army arrived they were let go. John was so mad he picked up his "Flintlock" - which I will explain later and joined the Federals outside of town. Remember, the Confederates held the town and various hills just outside. The accounts are sketchy but from all accepted sources he fought with the Wisconsin's Iron Brigade. He was wounded with a mini-ball through his arm and one through his left calf during a battle. Afterward President Lincoln when he came to Gettysburg to give his famous address, sought John Burns out and and its reported that the two went to Church together.

Why did I bring all that up? The man in the picture is a hero and a Patriot, no less than any of the soldiers on either side of the battle those 3 horrible days. The "Flintlock" he used? That weapon was considered "Ancient" to the soldiers which actually gave him a hard time about it. Some reports say he was given a new carbine and accepted it and killed 3 Rebels, others say he refused it saying "I don't want one of those new fangled things". The point is that he HAD a weapon to take and defend his home, his town from those that he saw were invading it. And he had a weapon that was considered Ancient to the soldiers - but still managed to kill 3 Rebels along side of the Federal Soldiers he was fighting next to. John died 11 years later on February 11, 1872. You can Google more information about him if this has peeked your interested. His name has been known as "John Burns, The Old Hero of Gettysburg" now for over 148 years. What a Guy!

Are we going to have another Civil War - I pray to the Most Holy God on high NO. That was the one of the most incredibly terrible times in American History. You can see it in pictures with the faces of the men and the people who experienced it. But, the threats to our homes and towns and cities can be no less invasive as an Army sometimes. Drugs, Gangs and brazen robberies. What are you going to do the next time an armed gang comes breaking down your door and you have NO GUN... and you cant escape. Its said "Only a Fool brings a Knife to a Gunfight"...

Look, there are positions all across the spectrum from those that think everyone should own a Machine gun to those that would outlaw even knives and slingshots (I'm Not kidding). Where do you draw the line? Where, with the good sense that God gave us do you make the distinction between the God given right to Bear Arms as "Affirmed" by our founding fathers and someone who shouldn't own or possess a weapon?

Some illustrious lawmakers are under the impression that if a weapon cant be used for hunting then no one should own it. Why should they? This is where the balance slides to "Oppressive Government" deciding what I can have and what I cannot have based on that "Persons" own beliefs and ideologies. These lawmakers themselves could be so totally screwed up themselves and in need of Mental Institution admission. Who knows? There has to be a balance between the security of innocent people's safety and the rights of others to possess weapons.

We have seen what a horrible, dismal, lousy failure the gun control efforts have been in Great Britain. Oh they say they have a wonderfully low rate - but the facts don't lie. The crime rate has SOARED in England since the ban on weapons.

[Between 1997 and 2003] crimes with [banned firearms] have more than doubled.... In 2002, for the fourth consecutive year, gun crime in England and Wales rose — by 35 percent for all firearms, and by a whopping 46 percent for the banned handguns. Nearly 10,000 firearms offenses were committed....

Clearly since the ban criminals have not found it difficult to get guns and the balance has not shifted in the interest of public safety....
In the four years from 1997 to 2001 the rate of violent crime more than doubled. The UK murder rate for 2002 was the highest for a century....

A recent study of all the countries of western Europe has found that in 2001 Britain had the worst record for killings, violence and burglary, and its citizens had one of the highest risks in the industrialized world of becoming victims of crime....

Are guns going away? No. Legally they could be outlawed such as in England and in Australia as knee Jerk reactions by Government "Jerks" trying to make themselves feel better by disarming its public. Now - what we in America have been saying all along has actually come to pass. "When Guns are Outlawed, only Outlaws will have guns". This is exactly what has happened in both countries and why criminals and gangs are becoming so powerful. Out of the 142,000 police in Great Britain, only 6,000 have guns. The crooks are definitely outgunning law enforcement and now Police Officers (bobbies) are dying in higher numbers than ever before in history.

Where does the madness stop? You're a Moron if you think you can legislate the gun problem away. You are an Idiot to think its going to go away on its own. I am in favor of background checks and a 3 day waiting period. That's about as far as I go with legislation on Gun Control. You give the "Anti-Gun Nuts" anything more and they will drag you underwater and drown you. I am for better education for people owning guns. I would also make it easier for them to purchase gun safes so they can keep their collections out of the hands of most burglars. Is it foolproof? Absolutely not, but nothing is and if your lawmaker tells you so - Vote the Moron OUT OF OFFICE because they are stupid.