Terrorism Against Gun Owners,
Civil Disobedience, and Killing

by Brian Puckett

April 4, 2002

Hundreds of thousands of Americans — perhaps millions — faced with ongoing state-sponsored terrorism against gun ownership, believe that they will never regain the free exercise of their right to own, carry, and use firearms unless many leading anti-gun politicians and activists are killed. In human terms, this is perfectly understandable. In fact it is absolutely logical.

Grotesque Contradictions

It requires neither a black-robed judge nor a tweed-coated university professor to interpret the Constitution's Second Amendment. It says that an armed citizenry capable of military action is necessary to maintain a free nation, therefore the right to own and carry arms may not be restricted. Both gun owners and anti-gun activists understand this, yet severe unconstitutional restrictions exist right now.

Gun owners know that the law forbids imposing fees, registration, or background checks before allowing a person to exercise constitutional right, yet all are imposed on gun buyers and owners.

Gun owners know that the US Supreme Court eagerly rules on cases involving the First Amendment, Fifth Amendment, and other Amendments, and that the Supreme Court even finds time to pass judgement the rules of professional golf. But the Supreme Court seems unwilling to hear a Second Amendment case — even when the infamous Ninth Circuit Court repudiates the clear and historical meaning of the Second Amendment.

Gun owners know that the Constitution, via Article VI, is the supreme law of the land, and therefore extends protection of the right to own and use firearms to all Americans. Yet they observe the state of California, for example, banning the very firearms best suited to the primary militia-related purpose of the Second Amendment. That is, California has banned rifles with common ergonomic features like pistol grips, and required registration of those already in the state.

Gun owners know that Attorney General John Ashcroft personally affirmed that the Second Amendment protects the individual right to keep and bear arms. They know it is his sworn duty to defend this right. Yet Ashcroft does nothing at all about the militia rifle ban (above). Ashcroft does nothing at all when the incompetent socialist governor of California, Gray Davis, claims in Bird v. Davis that "Plaintiff [Mr. Bird] has no legally recognized right to bear arms under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution"; and that "...the Constitution does not provide a private right to bear arms"; and that "...the Second Amendment does not protect the possession of a weapon by a private citizen." 

Gun owners know they have the historical, natural, and legal right to own and use firearms, yet they observe the wretched band of thugs, sociopaths, and murderous misfits known as the BATF invading peoples homes, destroying their lives and property, falsely accusing them of "crimes", and even shooting them to death for…what? For simply doing what the Constitution says they have a right to do.

Gun owners read the daily newspaper or watch the nightly news and learn of robberies, rapes, mutilations, muggings, carjackings, home invasions, and murders occurring by the hundreds every day. Obviously the police didn't stop any of these crimes. Gun owners know they have the moral and constitutional right to carry firearms to defend themselves and their families. Yet in many cities politicians have decreed that if they do so, they will be arrested, fined, and/or imprisoned. Incredibly, these anti-gun hypocrites often live in communities protected by armed guards, and are often provided 24-hour, taxpayer-paid armed security.

Gun owners know that all members of the U.S. Congress have sworn to uphold the Constitution. Yet a lying, oath-breaking majority of these members voted for 1994 "Crime Bill" edict, which arbitrarily restricts new firearm magazines to 10 rounds, and bans the import, sale, or transfer of perfectly legitimate militia rifles — in complete defiance of the Second Amendment.

Gun owners know that ex post facto laws are illegal under the Constitution, yet the ex post facto Lautenberg Act was passed into unconstitutional "law", taking away the firearms rights of thousands of Americans — for simple misdemeanors committed decades ago.

Gun owners live with the daily, grinding, oppressive fear that they will be caught violating some unconstitutional gun control edict, or some foolish paperwork technicality, and will find themselves at the mercy of a black-suited SWAT team, or a swarm of traitorous police officers with drawn guns, and will have their homes, businesses, families destroyed — or worse, that they will be shot to death in an "accident" or for "resisting arrest".

Gun owners know their historical, natural, and legal right to own and carry firearms is "protected" by the Second Amendment. Yet the U.N., the U.S. government, various state governments, and most of the U.S. communications media conglomerates are engaged in an unending propaganda war of lies and sensationalism intended to wipe out civilian gun ownership — and they see the propaganda war working, as more and more gun control edicts are passed.

Finally, gun owners know that the management of the largest, richest, and most powerful "pro-gun" organization in the nation, the NRA, has never used any of the tens of millions of dollars it rakes in to wage a meaningful or widespread ongoing public pro-gun rights advertising campaign. Even more shocking, they see that same NRA management now calling for strict enforcement of all existing gun "laws", even though the NRA previously claimed these "laws" were unconstitutional. Of course, many of them wonder what hold the government has over the NRA management.

The Natural Result

Faced with this unending, blatant disregard for the law of the land, faced with unending government-sponsored terrorism against gun owners, faced with the disregard for their plight by all three branches of the federal government and most state governments, faced with a sellout by the current NRA management, faced with a massive, unanswered anti-gun propaganda war directed at the voting public — faced with all that, hundreds of thousands of gun owners, perhaps millions, believe there is no peaceful way to regain the free exercise of their rights. 

It is no wonder that these Americans have concluded that their oppression will end only by literally eliminating the source of their oppression — the anti-gun, anti-self-defense, anti-Constitution zealots themselves — and then repealing unconstitutional gun "laws". It is no wonder that they imagine these anti-gun zealots being shot in their homes, in their cars, or as they deliver speeches in public. It is no wonder that John Ross' novel Unintended Consequences is viewed as a preview of things to come. 

Again, it is all quite understandable in human terms, and even logical. In fact this non-peaceful fight to restore Second Amendment rights may have already begun. Tom Wales, a federal attorney and president of Washington CeaseFire, the state's largest gun-control group, was shot to death in his home last year in a planned "hit".

Lip Service, Terrorism, and Civil Disobedience

As noted, John Ashcroft stated in a letter to NRA official James Baker that the Second Amendment protects an individual right. Therefore, it is Mr. Ashcroft's sworn duty to protect citizens from a state government that is clearly abrogating this right — in exactly the same way that the federal government came to the aid of Black Americans in the south who were being discriminated against during the 50's and 60's.

So far Mr. Ashcroft's statement about the Second Amendment being an individual right appears to be simply a collection of politically-motivated words with nothing behind them. We are attempting to find out if this is the case with our Petition for Enforcement of the Second Amendment (the "Ashcroft Petition"), which you may wish to read when you finish this article.

Regardless of what John Ashcroft does, or does not do, many gun owners (myself included) believe that these unconstitutional gun control edicts, and the hordes of government agents who will happily help imprison or kill their fellow citizens to enforce them, and the draconian penalties imposed for violating them, are nothing less than government-sponsored, government-inflicted terrorism against law-abiding citizens. 

Yet even when faced with all of this, many gun owners (myself included) believe they owe a duty to their wives, their children, their Constitution, and their country to disobey any unconstitutional laws — especially gun laws, which strike at the very heart of what it means to be a free, responsible, self-sufficient human — and an American.

Most gun owners simply want to be left alone. But the socialist/world-government fanatics, the elitists, and the child-like adults so prevalent in this country have not left us alone, and they are never going to let us alone until they are stopped, legally or otherwise. As the particular case may be, we threaten either their social control plans, their fear of the unwashed masses, and/or their feelings of inferiority as men and women.

Rosa Parks and Gun Owners

Rosa Parks — the black woman who refused to sit in the back of a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama — is often cited as a primary catalyst in the civil rights movement in America.

But if Rosa Parks had the courage displayed by most gun owners, Black Americans might have gone from having to sit in the back of buses to being completely banned from boarding the buses. Fortunately for all of us, this great American woman knew when enough was enough.

Am I comparing ownership of high-powered rifles to the plight of Black Americans before the civil rights movement? Yes I am, absolutely. Both involve basic human rights (self-defense in the one case, equality under the law in the other). Both are Constitutionally protected rights. Both involve, or involved, "laws" that, if violated, could lead to arrest, fines, imprisonment.

New Consciousness, New Action

Aren't you sick and tired of going to your gun club meetings, or going to your state or local gun rights organization meetings, and complaining to one another about your rights being stripped away?

Of course you are. So beginning right now, say to yourself every day, "I have a right and a duty to protect my family at all times, and I have the right to use a gun to do it. I have a right and a duty to disobey unconstitutional laws, including those that violate the Second Amendment." 

You might try saying those words aloud, right now, just to see how it feels.

In the future, instead of doing the usual complaining at your monthly meeting, gather together and take ten minutes to write your local and state politicians, telling them that you will no longer obey unconstitutional gun control edicts. Every time you meet, write to them, seal and stamp the letters, and mail them.

Are you worried about being put on a "list"? You're already on a list. If you've bought a gun in the last 20 years or more, you're either on a list, or you're currently being put on a list by the BATF, or you can be put on a list in a matter of weeks. If you belong to any gun rights organization, or subscribe to any gun magazines, or have bought reloading supplies, etc., then if the government really wants to find you, it can.

For gun owners — and for all Americans who believe in the moral, historical, and legal rightness of our Constitutional system of government — in order to return to this system of government, and to lead us out of the oppression, moral chaos, and police state terror that is becoming more and more a part of life in this nation, we must do something that is simple, yet essential. 

We must hold in our thoughts and prayers every day the idea that we will no longer obey immoral or unconstitutional edicts.

California and the Future of Gun Control

If you're an American interested in your right to own and use guns, you'd better understand something: California contains about 30 million people — over ten percent of the U.S. population all in one state. You should recognize that California is arguably the communications media capital of the world. You should understand that this massive socialist-leaning media sprays the rest of the country with whatever lies and propaganda they wish, whenever they wish.

For the gun confiscation forces (and their goal is indeed gun confiscation, not "control") gun bans in California serve three vitally important purposes. 

First, gun bans essentially eliminate a particular group of guns from the public arena. You can't buy the banned guns any longer, you can't "legally" bring them into the state, and those who own them usually cease using them publicly — or ship them out of the state — for fear of harassment. The skill in using them, the exchange of information about them, the passing on of guns from father and mother to son and daughter — all essentially disappear.

Second, gun bans test whether or not gun owners will raise a fuss — or do anything at all — outside of whining about their "rights" for a while, then giving up and waiting for the next outrage. So far we're sending the clear message that no matter what edict is issued, gun owners will grumble a bit but won't confront anyone over it.

Third, gun bans (including national edicts like Clinton's 1994 10-round magazine limit and militia rifle ban) set legal precedents for issuing future bans based on size, ergonomic features, or other whims. For example, if forcing gun owners to go from normal 30-round magazines to 10-round magazines is "good" for the public, then who can argue that 7-round magazines aren't better?

For these reasons, any unconstitutional California edict must be fought tooth and nail. 

New Illegal Edict Considered

California's Democrat/socialist-led government is now busy examining AB 2222, which proposes to ban ownership of .50 caliber rifles. You probably think "That's too bad for Californians". But remember — California is the testing ground for gun control "laws" in other states and for the nation. And in fact, this California law is supported by the same people who hope to impose the ban nationally — people like Dianne Feinstein, Henry Waxman, Charles Schumer, Hillary Clinton.

These gun confiscators know the .50 caliber ban will set a precedent. It's simple: if .50 caliber rifles should be banned because their bullets are "armor-piercing", then shouldn't .30-'06 rifles, whose regular bullets will pierce 3/8" thick steel plate, also be banned? This is not just a rhetorical question; it is the plan of gun confiscators.

Gun confiscators are attempting to simultaneously set another legal precedent by describing .50 caliber rifles as "sniper rifles". This is also simple; if .50 caliber rifles should be banned because they can be used for 1,200-yard sniping, then shouldn't .308 caliber rifles, used for 1,000-yard sniping, also be banned? Furthermore, the most common sniper rifles are .30 caliber, so if it makes "public safety" sense to ban the rare .50 caliber "sniper rifle", then it certainly makes sense to ban the more common .30 caliber sniper rifles, doesn't it? In fact, shouldn't all high-powered scoped rifles be banned, or at least registered? 

This isn't just a rhetorical question, either. It is the plan of the gun confiscators, and they are pushing steadily toward it. If you don't think it can happen in your state, or on a national level as a "temporary homeland security measure", you're fooling yourself.

Stand Up With Us

Because we believe so strongly in the issues involved, both I and gun rights activist Barry Laws have faxed letters to California Assembly's Public Safety Committee stating that we will not obey a .50 caliber rifle ban if such an edict is issued, nor will we register our rifles.

We know that many .50 caliber rifle owners are upper middle class or even well-to-do people: doctors, lawyers, other professionals, businessmen, skilled tradesmen. Standing together, all of us, we can have a tremendous effect on the entire outrageous, immoral, traitorous, unconstitutional assault on gun owners. We urge you to fax the California PSC right now, and tell them you will not obey any such "law".

Keep in mind that even if you don't yet own such a firearm, or even if you don't live in the state of California, you can still fax the PSC and tell them what you think. The fax numbers are at the end of this article. At a minimum, send a fax to Carl Washington at 916-319 2152 . At a minimum, tell him if they approve this bill, you'll work harder than ever to defeat the Democrat Party (which spearheads the national gun confiscation movement) at every level in every state. 

Remember, you can simply hand-write a note on typing paper and fax it. You can find time to send a fax today, can't you?

Why We Must Disobey

If we don't stand up and say NO right now, I believe we will see the continued escalation of spiritual and economic oppression and police state barbarism that overwhelmed Russia and the other countries of the Soviet Union, and which overwhelmed, a mere sixty-five years ago, what was arguably the most scientifically and culturally advanced nation in the world — Germany. 

If you don't think it can happen here, you aren't paying attention: Ruby Ridge, Waco, "drug war", wiretaps, asset forfeiture, gun bans, Carnivore, random police stops, "Campaign Finance Reform" censorship, IRS, BATF, FBI, DEA, OSHA, EPA, etc. etc. etc. 

Furthermore, if we don't stand up and say NO right now, it is likely that those who refuse to become de facto slaves or victims of the police state will begin in earnest the calculated killing of anti-gun, anti-Constitution politicians and activists. While this may indeed ultimately lead to a repeal of gun laws and of other unconstitutional laws, it will likely force the American people to endure even more oppression and severe civil turmoil — even civil war — in the meantime.

Some will say that is exactly what this country needs, and perhaps they are correct. But we should try the peaceful alternative first. This requires that we overcome this pervasive fear of our own government, that we stand up together, and that we speak out publicly. We must continue disobeying unconstitutional edicts — even if we do so privately — and continue informing our "representatives" that we are doing so — even if we do so via an anonymous letter — for as long as it takes.

If we do not do this, it will be difficult not to conclude that a solitary Black woman living in Alabama had more courage and more conviction in her human and Constitutional rights than millions of gun owners and self-described Constitutionalists put together.

"All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" 

— Edmund Burke

NOTE:  Take a moment to jot a note saying what you think about a .50 caliber rifle ban and about the Democrats' gun control agenda. Then fax it to one or more of the people below. Emails are worthless, and there's no time for regular mail — so fax it, today. Then remind yourself not to obey unconstitutional laws.

California Assembly Public Safety Committee Members

Carl Washington, Chair 916-319 2152
Jay La Suer, Vice Chair 916-319 2177
Richard L. Dickerson 916-319 2102
Fred Keeley 916-319 2127
Gil Cedillo 916-319 2146
Manny Diaz 916-319 2123
Jackie Goldberg 916-319 2145

Mr. Puckett is a free-lance writer whose past work includes articles on U.S. foreign, domestic, and military policy for the Houston Post. His firearms and Second Amendment articles have appeared in the magazines Handguns, Combat Handguns, Guns and Ammo, SWAT, and Police, and numerous smaller publications. He believes that much of the annual slaughter of Americans by criminals can be blamed directly on those who advocate gun control, and that any politician who advocates gun control neither trusts his constituents nor cares about their lives or property. He currently serves as president of Citizens of America. Other writings from Mr. Puckett can be found here: http://www.KeepAndBearArms.com/Puckett.