My 2nd Amendment Rights as an American Citizen

I am writing this thread to try and make people understand why I as an American Citizen use my 2nd Amendment right to Bear Arms. For one, I grew around guns. My mother, Father, 3 uncles were all police officers and hunters. I learned at a young age what a gun was, and how to safely handle them. A gun is something to be taught, not feared. If you tell your child dont go in the shoebox in my closest or your grounded, he will be tempted to go in there. But if you educate him properly, he won't without proper supervision.
I want to live my life without fear; knowing that if need be, I can protect myself and my loved ones. I am NOT a "John Wayne". As my dad used to always say, I don't go looking for trouble, but I recognize that someday trouble may come looking for me. I am NEVER the agressor. In fact, if a confrontation can be resolved without the use of violence I'm all for it. I used to work securityt in many bars and that was always my objective. 9 out of 10 times I was able to talk people out of the bar, instead of physically removing them. So yes, quiet resolutions are desired, but if the other side isn't willing to let that happen and you arn't prepared, it may get ugly.
Here is where I'm going to get a little more political becuase I disagree with just about any gun control law that has been made, especially the brady bill. To make it simple, gun control laws do only one thing, and thats take guns away from law abiding citizens like myself. If it were passed tomorrow that only Law Enforcement and Military were allowed to have weapon all it would do it cause a significant increase in crime. In fact, Switzerland, which has one of the world's lowest crime rates has this luxury of low crime due to a simple fact. As many people know, The Swiss do not have a standing army. Instead, they have a National Guard style setup where every male 18 and older is trained and given a military style assault rifle. Becuase of this, there is almost no home invasion in sweden because criminals are looking for easy victims. In the early 1990's Florida had a huge surge in crimes commited against tourists from foreign countries. When being interrogated the detectives asked, why are you targeting forgein tourists? The answer was simple, they knew for a fact they weren't carrying a firearm.
FYI Most of the facts I present here can be found in "Guns,Crime, and Freedom" by Wayne LaPierre.
Also, lets look at the ban on assault rifles. Why? The most commonly used weapon by criminals are not assault rifles. Criminals tend to use small, semi-automatic pistols or revolvers due to their ease of use and lack of misfires/jams.
In other words, don't take guns away from the people who obtain them legally, becuase the bad guys will always have guns no matter what we do.
I will always exercise my rights as an American Citizen
And when I have children of my own, I will teach them, educate them on firearms, the responsibilities, the conseqquences, etc. And NOT teach them to fear them.

reply to post by ABWarrior58


All good and well and best wishes I hope you use the freedom responsibly and with a bit of intelligence. If you live in Florida do me a favor and also lock your glove compartment so some punk cannot perform a home invasion and murder me and my family because he stole a gun from your unlocked car.

What, Sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. Whenever governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins.

www.gospelweb.net...

Elbridge Gerry

A signator to the Declaration of Independence.

I agree with the OP %100. I was just arguing with a Obama supporter about this yesterday!

Originally posted by ABWarrior58
In fact, Sweden, which has one of the world's lowest crime rates has this luxury of low crime due to a simple fact. As many people know, The Swiss do not have a standing army. Instead, they have a National Guard style setup where every male 18 and older is trained and given a military style assault rifle. Becuase of this, there is almost no home invasion in sweden because criminals are looking for easy victims.

Okay... uh... First off? Sweden and Switzerland are totally different places. Also? BOTH nations have vastly more draconian gun-restriction laws than the US does. Seriously, look up gun law in Switzerland. Every gun is a government-issue rifle. Those are the ONLY guns you are allowed to have, without months and months of permit-filing - even then you're allowed only a hunting rifle. Every bullet in the nation is also government-issue, and each bullet must be accounted for in a yearly government audit. Both guns and ammo are required by law to be kept in a locked cabinet, as well. Despite this, gun crime is an increasing problem in Switzerland; the Swiss have had a higher rate of gun crime than Canada for a few years now.

In the early 1990's Florida had a huge surge in crimes commited against tourists from foreign countries. When being interrogated the detectives asked, why are you targeting forgein tourists? The answer was simple, they knew for a fact they weren't carrying a firearm.

Yeah, they don't tend to let people carry firearms on international flights.

FYI Most of the facts I present here can be found in "Guns,Crime, and Freedom" by Wayne LaPierre.

Ah, there's your problem. Going to LaPierre for your gun facts is a lot like going to a Klan rally to learn about Kwanzaa. All you're going to get is a lot of shouting and sensationalist rhetoric.

Also, lets look at the ban on assault rifles. Why? The most commonly used weapon by criminals are not assault rifles. Criminals tend to use small, semi-automatic pistols or revolvers due to their ease of use and lack of misfires/jams.

Well, when you make a particular weapon - say assault rifles - too hard to get to be worth the trouble, they do tend to not be used. On the other hand, when we look at say, Mexico, where such weapons are pretty easy to obtain, we notice that the drug cartels put them to great use blowing away the Mexican army.

Even criminals perform cost / benefit analyses. Assault rifles might not be that good for petty crime, but god damn do they make a statement. And no, most of these rifles don't suffer much by way of jams. Remember, they're designed for military use; the AK-47 is a sturdy piece of machinery that can fire just fine while packed full of mud and small rodents.

In other words, don't take guns away from the people who obtain them legally, becuase the bad guys will always have guns no matter what we do.
I will always exercise my rights as an American Citizen
And when I have children of my own, I will teach them, educate them on firearms, the responsibilities, the conseqquences, etc. And NOT teach them to fear them.

Now, here's my question. I'm glad that you enjoy your second amendment rights. But I have to wonder; do you realize that they may be costing you your other rights? Here's how I figure.

See, you have these politicians in office. For the sake of brevity, let's call 'em Republicans, even though the Democrats have a few too. These guys are CONSTANTLY telling you that someone wants to "grab your guns." These Republicans are endlessly scaring you that, any moment now, a team of "jackbooted thugs" (to use LaPierre's term, which caused Bush Sr. to withdraw his NRA membership...) is going to kick down your door and steal all your peashooters. You're told they're going to do this because "the government" is terrified of your pea-shooters. The Republicans tell you then that if you elect them, they'll protect your beloved guns.

While they are in office, they hold up that promise - no new gun laws are passed, except perhaps to de-regulate. However, they then cut into all of your other rights, from the first amendment all the way down to twenty-sixth (and LOTS of your rights not enumerated in the constitution, as well).

It's like a stage magician's illusion; while they keep your eyes focused on their left hand, the right one is sneaking all the balls from under the cup.

Don't worry I never leave my firearm anywhere that is not secured. It is always on me.

As for the Sweden/Switzerland, that was my typo, never meant to put Sweden. Yes every weapon may be govt issued but you missed the point of that example, The point is that they have low crime, even lower home invasion because of the added risk

I would simply ask the poster where if at all he would draw the line as to what types of firearms are illegal or legal. Would you believe that if the military has it than a citizen should be allowed to have it?

I am asking because there are people, many unresponsible people, that would take this freedom to the extreme and lace their front lawn with anti-personel mines and strap rocket launchers to the back window of their pick-up.

Should people have access to chemical weapons since it's used by the military? I ask these things because I know somebody will eventually obtain them and claim it's their right.

So do you draw the line anywhere and if you do what is your reasoning for that.

reply to post by kro32


Good point, and my apologies for not including that in my original post. Of course there has to be a line. I would say people shouldn't have explosives such as rpg's,claymores,etc. I would draw the line at any pistol,shotgun, or rifle as long as the higher firing rate than a Semi-Automatic. NO fully automatic.

Originally posted by ABWarrior58
reply to post by kro32

 

Good point, and my apologies for not including that in my original post. Of course there has to be a line. I would say people shouldn't have explosives such as rpg's,claymores,etc. I would draw the line at any pistol,shotgun, or rifle as long as the were Semi-Automatic. NO fully automatic.

And I was already to get into another good debate but it happens I agree with you.

Good post

Originally posted by josh2009s
reply to post by newcovenant

 

Buy a gun, train yourself, and protect them. But only if you really do love them.

I have, I will and I do. What is your point exactly?
The gun needs to be ready and in your hand to be useful. A home invasion is a drastic scenario and not as likely as my wife might be held up on her way to the car or my local storekeep is robbed. Society pays the cost of these robberies in higher prices not to mention, heart ache and death.

What have you got against responsibility?

There have been 13 guns all stolen from unlocked cars recently.

These are law abiding gun owners handing weapons to criminals.
You think me having a gun is going to stop it?

You think those guns will not come back in 13 separate criminal acts, car jackings, robberies and murders against law abiding citizens, children adults and society? Guess again.

reply to post by newcovenant


I'm guessing more than 13 criminal acts. But, I can only speculate.

reply to post by kro32

Would you believe that if the military has it than a citizen should be allowed to have it?

Remembering the true purpose of the constitution the answer would be yes..

But I wonder why the government stops citizens yet allows corporations to own certain weapons..

I am starring and flagging the OP because I think he is a responsible gun owner and I am not against everyone owning a weapon or even many weapons. But a side arm has become such an accepted and casual right that people are treating them like they would their cell phones.
I think people need to be reminded also of the hazards that accompany gun ownership and the weighty responsibility one bears.

reply to post by backinblack


Well I think we could agree why that would not be a good idea. I didn't know about corporations owning these weapons and if you could give some links so I could research this I'd like to find out more.

They certainly shouldn't be allowed any more rights than citizens in my opinion either though.

reply to post by newcovenant


thank you i appreciate that, unfortunatly yes too many people have become complacent when it comes to how they treat and handle their firearms, I think a big problem is a lack of good education for those people

I'm disapointed I thought this thread would stir up some controversy

Supporting easy access of weapons for terrorists -- I guess that would be the darkside of freedom

reply to post by spyder550


where did you get that out of what i said?

reply to post by ABWarrior58


Just stating a fact

reply to post by spyder550


the only person I'm supporting easy access of firearms to is law-abiding American citizens