"All or nothing."
According to some, that's a very dangerous and questionable attitude these days. But I guess it's always been that way. Even when a bunch of guys gathered together and signed "The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America." What was it they risked? Oh yeah, their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. And what are we asked to risk? Our lives perhaps, our fortunes probably, but if we're not ready to risk those we can't have much honor to throw into the ring.
After Concord and Lexington Green there were mothers who wept for their children and men who shook their heads and called those who fought against the Redcoats fools and traitors. They were unwilling to risk their status quo by standing against the tyrant. Years later, after the eventual victory, few of them could remember those words.
That our forefathers were emminently successful in establishing a new and better system of government is obvious now. While we may complain about this law or that politician or the unintended consequences of some minor (at the time) bill passed by our elected legislators, I don't see many of those who complain moving to another, better county. Bad as our country is, it's better than any other.
Perhaps that's why we have such a hard time finding men who will stand their ground, uncompromising and unyeilding. Perhaps we, as a country,
are too soft to defend ourselves anymore. Perhaps we're just a huge group of "Pastor Neimollers," looking the other way, hoping the crocodile won't notice us.
Well, I could risk my life relatively easily since there really isn't much of it left, and because of that fact I've been careful to rid myself of excess 'fortune.' So where does that leave me? Oh yes, "Honor." Time will tell whether or not that's in play.
In the meantime I'm getting tired of having things taken from me "for my own good." I don't particularly want a machine gun. I've fired them many times and, while they can be fun to play with, they're expensive as all hell to feed. But I don't believe it's in the best interests of anybody but a few corrupt politicians to keep the common person from possessing them. Let's face it, the primary purpose of NFA34 wasn't to regulate machine guns, it was to give a bunch of revenue agents, out of work since prohibition, a job.
GCA68 was a reaction to several high-profile shootings. Congress behaved much like a child suddenly frightened by thunder, hiding in a corner and putting its fingers into its collective ears. The Brady Bill, the Lautenberg Amendment, the AWB... they were all reactions to perceived threats. The whole lot of them occurred over many years so now it's become fashionable to declare that they now have to be repealed over a similar period of time.
Why? Because that's the way politics is? Again, why? Just because it's always been done in one fashion doesn't mean it always has to be done that way. We now have the Parker case wending its way to the Supreme Court. One faction says we need to be very careful lest we lose everything we've gained.
But what have we gained? Permission (in most states) to enter our names on a list of gun owners in the belief that we're suddenly better able to protect ourselves in the event of a robbery or assault. Never mind that when the state decides to confiscate all weapons they'll know just where to go.
Oh yes, we've also gained the comforting knowledge that mental defectives won't be permitted to own guns. That worked so well at Virginia Tech we really need to see that it's handled by a more efficient group - like the BATFE for instance.
So what else have we gained? Well, in order to just buy a gun we have to apply for permission from - the BATFE, of course - who treats us like criminals who just haven't been caught and prosecuted yet. They're working on that too.
Back at the Parker case we have the other faction that says "Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead." 'Either we're free or we're slaves with fancy collars.' 'Let's get this over with, dying from a thousand cuts leaves us just as dead as bullet through the brain or a hangman's noose.'
As you have probably guessed by now, I'm kinda with that second group. While some of you worry about what you have to lose I look back and remember what has already been lost, mostly through compromise.