Keep and Bear Arms - Gun Owners Home Page

Letter From A South African Gun Owner
June 2001

by Pierre van der Walt
Submitted by a friend of his
Also published in OffGuard Magazine

Dear American Hunter,

My name is Pierre van der Walt; my homeland is South Africa.

I am from Afrikaner stock. Since 1985 when the gun grabbing started in our country, I have been intimately involved in the pro gun cause. I have served and still serve on many of the associations leading our struggle. In the past I have practiced law, and served in our national defense force in Armored Infantry and Military Intelligence Corp, eventually attaining the rank of captain and Unit S-1.

I come to you today at the request of my dear friend Bradley Rolston, an excellent Professional Hunter and pro gunner to the core. Last year Bradley hunted with one of your Washington Arms Collector members, Mack Wilcox, and they became friends, as always happens with people meeting Bradley.

As sportsmen and hunters, Bradley and Mack had much in common, foremost, their concern over the continuing encroachment of our right to bear arms which extends into the whole issue of all civil rights. Macks wife suggested that a letter from the South African gun owners to the gun owners of America might be appropriate at this time. I trust you are aware the weekend of July 7^th, 2001 will kick off the UNs meeting on small arms. It is their desire to disarm citizens worldwide! I know that as I personally attended their West African meetings in Accra, Ghana, as an observer.

I would like to tell you some of what took place in our country and hope that you will recognize on a personal level the danger that threatens you and your countrymen, and the heartbreak that lies ahead, if you fail to resist.

When Africa was truly dark, the law of the jungle naturally prevailed. From a socio-political perspective it mostly meant that the king with the largest army held life and death in his palms. Later the Arabs came with their guns.

In 1652, the first white colonials permanently settled the southernmost tip of Africa. They came with their guns and their traditional right to keep and bear them, much as it was in your country.

One of the first things the settlers did to ensure domination and supremacy was to impose a ban on the possession of firearms by indigenous peoples (the blacks). It is not coincidental that this ban resulted in the colonial subjugation of the indigenous peoples until the twentieth century. Indigenous peoples then began armed revolts and national liberation followed. Those who had been suppressed for centuries used firearms to ensure that the political will of the masses prevailed in the absence of democracy. Democracy was instilled through the barrel of the gun. Apartheid came to a formal end in 1994.

As a result of the so-called armed struggle, amongst other things, South Africa experienced its second national liberation. The liberation was not the sole result of the armed struggle, as the fight for freedom had been fought on many fronts, but it was crucial. The threats of democratic will being enforced violently caused the elite to bow to democracy. It is an irresistible force that you as Americans must never loose sight of as protectorate of the worlds freedom. You are the last front of the armed struggle the struggle not for national liberation, but for the preservation of personal freedom.

National liberation has rarely equated in advances of personal freedom. For once look outside America to evaluate my words. THEN OPEN YOUR EYES TO YOUR OWN PREDICAMENT!

I want you to think for a moment. As the twentieth century aged, the political cry for increased freedoms became the rallying cry for political correctness and liberty. The plight and rights of the individual were seemingly put on the forefront. The so-called flag bearers of these rights and liberties screamed and shouted "LIBERATION" and it only seemed reasonable to increasingly recognize the stature of the rights of the individual.

IN AMERICA, you are that individual.

In truth, have your rights increased or decreased as a result of this alleged increased liberation? Be frank, do you feel less restricted or not? Are you as private as you used to be? Did you believe an armed BATF invasion into your home possible 25 years ago? Do you believe it possible today?

Despite the many wars, some victorious and some not, we in South Africa had the right to keep and bear arms, in the absence of a constitution until 1994. That right has constantly been eroded by our colonial regimes with the sole purpose of clinging to power. Fortunately we experienced the joy of national liberation in 1994. . .we were free at last! OR SO WE THOUGHT!

A COUNTRYS CONSTITUTION AND ITS CIVIL RIGHTS ARE JUST AS STRONG AS THE PEOPLES ABILITY TO RESIST THE GOVERNMENT RAPING THAT CONSTITUTION. WE GUN OWNERS FORM 5% OF THE SA POPULATION. WE LOST, BUT OUR FELLOW CITIZENS DO NOT EVEN REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE LOST THE CORNERSTONES OF THEIR RIGHT TO PROPERTY, THE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE AND THE BASIS FOR THE RIGHT TO LIFE IN THE PROCESS.

In a country:

Where we have fewer policemen per capita than most countries, more policemen per capita are killed annually than virtually anywhere in the world.
Where more than 500 of the most brutal violent attacks conceivable have been launched against farmers.
Where in excess of 800 farmers have been killed since national liberation.
Where the police are in the news on a daily basis for their role and participation in crime.
Where less than 0.25% of all crimes are committed by owners of registered firearms.
Where the ruling political party has failed and/or refused to surrender the firearms it brought into the country for the armed struggle and which firearms are now illegally in the hands of party faithful. These party faithful are not prosecuted for illegal possession and the ANC can not account for the firearms its supporters have but if a lawful firearm owner has 1 grain of powder in excess of the 1-lb limit he can spend a life in jail. I SAID: A LIFE IN JAIL!
Where incredible numbers of firearms are lost by the governments security forces, the government thought it liberating and in the interest of personal freedom to clamp down on lawful firearm ownership but the party faithful are happily cruising on unaffected.

The message I am bringing you is that your civil rights are being eroded, rather than expanded. All the while propaganda claims the contrary. If that does not wake you up to straighten your back and make a stand while you have some leverage, you deserve the consequences. You cannot make a stand once you hang on with only your fingernails. Stand together now, or hang together later! Freedom lost is seldom ever reclaimed. The world is watching you, America. You are the hope and inspiration of every freedom loving man, woman and child in this world. Are you worthy of the sacrifices of those that went before you? Are you willing to do as much for those who will follow? Are you truly brave enough to remain free? Then why are you not as free as you used to be?

WHAT HAVE YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL DONE TO SAFEGUARD AMERICAS FREEDOM?

Those of us in South Africa, Australia, England, Canada and many other countries around the world offer to you our friendship, prayers and encouragement. STAND FAST! BEHAVE LIKE YOUR FOUNDING FATHERS. BEHAVE LIKE A TRUE AMERICAN!

GOD BLESS

Pierre van der Walt