reality check
No matter how much we here might wish for a repeal of the NFA of 34, we aren't going to get it. While we ought to be able to, if this country actually lived according to the principles of the Founders, there has been entirely too many lies, disinformation, and out right BS over the past 70 years, and there just are not enough of us to change the minds of the bulk of the nation, and our elected representatives. Not that we shouldn't try, after all, miracles do sometimes happen. But we need to face reality. We should hit hard those things we actually stand a chance of achieving!
What the court's ruling says to me (among other things) is that we have a very good basis for killing all the "semiautomatic assault weapon" crap. But ti do so we will have to (temporarily) give up on the repeal of full auto weapons restrictions. Repeatedly mentioned, in conjunction with the term militia, is the phrases "ordinary" and "in common use", outside of those weapons actually serving in the military.
Now, it can (and will) be argued that as far as ordinary citizens (the militias) go, the M16 is not "ordinary and in common use". They will sieze on this fact, and it is a true fact, since no full autos are "in common use" (they will exclude licensed MG owners from being considered) since 1934, due to the federal law. They will argue that since the M16 is not in "common use" that under the ancient definitions used in the Supreme Court ruling, it is not a suitable militia weapon, and therefore may continue to be restricted. They will ignore the "military application" standard, and cling desperately to the "in common use" language, because that all they've got. Nothing else can be even remotely twisted into an argument favoring their goals.
They will scream at us, "by our own Supreme Courts definition, these
dangerous and unusual weapons are not in
common use, and so must continue to be regulated!"
And I say, let them! Because that very argument destroys any basis for regulating semiautomatic firearms, especially of military appearance. These kinds of guns are clearly and uncontrovertably "in common use"!
Let them fight to continue to regulate M16s and belt feds (we will fight that fight later, and we
will fight it!), because doing so clearly invalidates any and all restrictions on AR 15, AKs, magazine capacity limits, pistol grips, and that dreaded and deadly "thing that goes up"!
This court decision and its wording gives us the basis for fighting to repeal the NFA (and the 86 ban as a first step), and the only argument that the anti's can use makes their bans on semiautos unconstitutional!
So, we have a high court ruling that 1) we have the right to keep guns in our homes for self defense, separate of any militia connections, AND 2) it give us the groundwork for making all our guns "in common use" protected as "militia weapons".
The anti gunners are teetering on the edge of a cliff, and the branches of the tree they are holding on to are cracking, while the roots are slowly pulling out of the ground! The time is not yet for the bulldozer to uproot the whole tree, but we can help things along with a little judicious use of the pruning saw!
It will take time, and money, and things will have to be wrangled out in various courts, but if we keep the faith in the Founders principles and raise our children properly, so that they continue to do the same, in time that whole evil tree can be just splinters at the bottom of the cliff and actual liberty (not just freedom) may once again return to these United States!
(applause)
Thank you, thank you...I'll be here all week.