This article was printed from KeepAndBearArms.com.
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Translating the Denied Right
to Keep And Bear Arms by Angel Shamaya June 29, 2001 In our email
report of June 29, 2001, we ran stories about both the New Mexico and
Michigan concealed carry decriminalization laws coming into effect. The
excerpted text from each of the news reports contained the following quotes: Michigan "I can guarantee you that I've honked my last horn
at an intersection in Michigan," former prosecutor L. Brooks Patterson told the Chicago Tribune's Tim
Jones. A disgusted Oakland County official threatened to put up billboards saying "Welcome to Dodge City." New Mexico "Most Santa Fe city councilors have expressed opposition
to allowing concealed weapons in the city. Officials in Albuquerque and Espaņola also have expressed opposition." Following the above New Mexico quote, we ran
this statement: KABA NOTE: On behalf of our members in New Mexico,
frankly, we don't give a damn what government employees think about the exercising of rights by citizens. What
matters is the Constitution, period. These folks aren't paid to deny constitutional rights; they are paid -- and
swore an oath -- to protect and defend them. http://www.KeepAndBearArms.com/Oaths The next morning, I received the following
communication from someone who has been on our list for nearly two years: "Your statements regarding the attempted
denials of the right to keep and bear arms in New Mexico are true, but they
sound a bit more angry than perhaps you intend. Anyone who has been with you
good people long enough knows that you're serious about protecting our rights.
And your fire and fury are what attracted me to your organization, too. Few
groups really get irate when they should, and I do sincerely appreciate your
willingness to speak plainly. However, I am encouraging you to find
stronger and clearer ways to communicate your righteous rage such that people
who do not understand your angers and frustrations can meet you in that place
of knowing why we must protect our rights. I love what you do, and I'm staying
put and renewing my membership -- I just want to encourage you to funnel your
ire with more precision." Fair enough, friend. Let's see how we do... Translations of the Denied Right to Keep And
Bear Arms When some well-meaning anti-gunner says,
"Nobody should have a handgun," people who understand RKBA (the Right
of the people to Keep and Bear Arms) hear any of the following: "All of the self-defense uses of
handguns each day are not important. Therefore, the lives saved by those many
self-defense uses of handguns are not important." "A 90 pound mother of two who must walk
home alone -- from a second job, late at night -- should submit to armed and dangerous
criminals." "The constitutional right to keep and
bear arms is changeable by the will of the majority. Therefore, any right is
subject to the same social whims and pressures. Therefore, we have no rights
in the big picture. As soon as the media and the political manipulators muster
enough support, every constitutionally enumerated right our Founders fought
and died for can be revoked." [There are numerous places in America where
citizens cannot carry a single-shot muzzle-loading handgun exactly like the
one General George Washington wore on his belt. Therefore, he had more rights
to self-defense than many among us do today. Living in Arizona, I'm not one of
them -- I carry a gun everywhere, all the time -- but my heart yearns to
restore the rights of ALL AMERICANS. (We'll get to the other countries once we
fix this one.)] When some well-meaning anti-gunner says,
"Nobody should have military-style rifles," people who understand RKBA
hear any of the following: "All of the tens of millions of human
beings whose lives were taken by their governments in the 20th century are
irrelevant, even though history does in fact repeat itself and has done so
many times over." "The fact that the U.S. federal
government burned 80 children, women and men to death -- over an alleged but
never proven tax violation -- at Waco is irrelevant. And the fact that they've
lied through their teeth about their actions there ever since is also
irrelevant. That they used tanks and grenade launchers and lethal gas and
machine guns against kids means nothing." "The fact that the Founders of our
country and the authors of the Bill
of Rights specifically intended us to have military arms equivalent to those
possessed by the government -- because they had seen first-hand what happens
when government force is unchecked -- is irrelevant." "We don't want The People to be able to
protect themselves from the bullies within our government, no matter how
corrupt and dangerous that government may become." When some well-meaning anti-gunner says,
"Only the police should have guns," people who understand RKBA hear
any of the following: "You're not supposed to be able to
protect your own life and the lives of your family. Therefore, your right to
life is denied until the police arrive on the scene, even if it means you're
dead by the time they get there. But we are the compassionate ones and you are
the baby killers." "We support a police state -- where only
police have guns. The American police state will be the first police state in
history where all rights of the people are 'highly honored and protected.'" "We are too weak and inferior to protect
ourselves with guns, so you should not be allowed to do so." "The police can be everywhere at once,
and they can protect all people from harm." When some well-meaning anti-gunner says,
"All killing is wrong, no matter what the circumstance. There are better
solutions than using force to stop violent people.", anyone who understands
RKBA and the right to life hears any of the following: "Shooting someone who is intent on
raping and murdering my family in my home is wrong, because the would-be
rapist and murderer's life is more important than the lives of his intended
victims." "Shooting someone who is trying to kill
me is wrong. Therefore, I should let them kill me -- and this will clearly
curb violent crime." "If all killing is wrong, then killing
Hitler's army was wrong, so we should have just let them take over the
planet." "If all killing is wrong, then all
police should turn in all their lethal weapons, and somehow that will make
violent criminals stop their killing." [Britain tried that,
but now their police are carrying and using guns. Why? If they don't, the
criminals who outgun them -- with black market arms that get through just like
banned cocaine gets through -- cannot be stopped. Meanwhile, the British
citizens -- rightly called subjects -- are sitting ducks who must give
armed criminals whatever they demand.] If nobody ever puts a schoolyard bully in
check, his bullying continues. The same is true for criminals and that small
minority
of law enforcement officers who are mere thugs with badges. If a national ban on armed self-defense was put
into place and rigorously enforced, our society would decay into a state of
rampant lawlessness within 30 days of the announcement. Criminals would
consider such a ban to be an open season on anyone they'd like to victimize.
Those who put "laws" above their right to life would obey -- and
suffer. Expecting good, decent people to submit to
violent criminals is not only wrong, it is pure evil in the truest sense of the
word. No gun owner in his right mind would expect an anti-gun person to
submit to rape or murder -- but we are expected to calmly listen to people push that ugly fate
upon our own loved ones. Angry? You bet. Livid? Times
ten. Fortunately, I'm armed and dangerous to anyone -- in or out of
government -- who wishes to do me harm. My life is expendable, Mr. ATF. Is yours? |
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