I've noticed a number of people profess admiration for the Swiss because every man has an assault weapon in his home. Well, he didn't buy it. It was issued to him because he is required to be a member of the military in one form or the other for most of his adult life.
I've also noticed a number of people justify their possession of arms because they are the militia. They don't train or drill, but by God they're soldiers.
Well, you can't have it both ways. You can't say you're a free people if you stay at home and let some other poor schmuck prepare to do your fighting for you. If you aren't willing at least to infiltrate the National Guard armories and ensure 2nd Amendment lovers are the majority of Guardsmen, then you deserve to have some blue helmeted government mercenary come collect your guns.
Some of you have likened military service to slavery or indentured servitude. Well, I served twenty years. Yes, I had to do some things I didn't like. But I was treated with respect for the most part and felt I was doing something worthwhile.
Perhaps some think freedom is not having to go to work when you don't feel like it. Maybe that's Ok when you have some place else to go, like moving back in with mommy and daddy. It doesn't work when your ship is on fire and there is no place to go but swim. Then you go to work, you obey the orders of those appointed over you, and you survive. And when it's all over, you feel a lot better about yourself and your shipmates than someone else does about his co-workers at the used car lot or the brokerage firm.
I have missed one election since I became an adult. That includes primaries and general elections. That was because I was on the other side of the world floating about in the North Arabian Sea wondering what fundamentalist islamic nation was going to try to sink the great satan's aircraft carrier. I asked for an absentee ballot from my county clerk, but it never arrived.
I have on the other hand taught community college classes and found that the entire class failed to vote because they were too busy with their lives to vote. Who are the patriots here?
So when someone says they don't think they should have to serve in peacetime, but will consider it in time of war, I am reminded of all the slackers I have met in church, civic organizations, and other groups who talk a good story about what should be done, but when it comes time to perform they are most noteworthy by their absence.
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Bruce Stanton
CDR, USN-Ret.
Sgt., Kings Co. Sheriff - Ret.