An Open Letter to those Appointed to Speak for Me.
To Whomever is reading this,
My name is Thomas, I am a father, a son, a veteran, and I am an American. I like many Americans have grown weary of the ever increasing government intrusions into life, diminished paychecks, petty politics and the general "I'm not responsible for my actions" state of our Union. When I was 18 years old I gave up everything I knew and everything I planned to raise my right hand and swear to uphold, protect Americans and defend the Constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic. I swore to do this of my own free will and with full knowledge that it could very well lead to my death. I was willing to give everything of me to guarantee the continuity of our way of life. Below are my observations and thoughts.
These days I now see my self called a gun nut and a conservative radical. I have witnessed the elected officials who are to speak for the people begin to attempt to punish innocent Americans for actions they had no knowledge of or way to stop. Lawmakers on both sides have had the audacity to blame the tool instead of the operator. What is ironic about this situation is that gun control is the only subject this happens. Lawmakers in both camps have never seen fit to blame the alcohol for drunk drivers, spoons for obesity, matches or accelerant's for arson. Now I know some will say that's just foolish; but in reality when has anything else been afforded this much hate and controversy?
Why is it that when it comes to guns and or gun control, an inert metal object the become demonized and personified? What is it about a firearm that deserves it to be defined as if it is sentient? The gun does not kill of its own accord, it does not know to where it is aimed, it is not capable of defining what is right and wrong, it is a machine that operates at the direction of its operator. When something happens to vehicles we attribute it to operator error. Why not then is what happened in Connecticut, and Aurora not attributed to the operator?
I have read countless opinions and studies about guns, some biased, some claiming to be unbiased, and some that truly were unbiased. The general consensus amongst the unbiased opinions and studies concluded that the proliferation of guns in America was not the problem; what they concluded was that either A. Our mental healthcare system was of concern B. The depravity of what we have allowed our culture to become is of concern or C. Both A and B equally play a part. The Biased anti-gun reports just blamed proliferation and were mostly just emotional responses not based on fact or logic. Some even used data disproved by studies from within our own government.
So here and now I will pose a logical question that has yet to be brought up as a counter point.
If proliferation is the problem can anyone explain why we have not had an atomic or nuclear attack since the 1940s? Proliferation of nuclear weapons amongst the countries skyrocketed from 1945 and plateauing off in the late 80's. As of yet even with the proliferation and advancement of technology, rise of radical Islamics, War on Terror, Axis of Evil, yet no one has ever fired one in anger.
There is all this mularkey about about gun show loop holes, Assault Weapons, and High capacity magazines. Some people have begun to publicly decry them without any knowledge as to exactly what they are talking about. I will reference an oblivious Senator several years ago who when asked directly what a barrel shroud was she referred to it as "The shoulder thing that goes up". Now the same kind of people are lambasting Assault Weapons without really knowing what an assault weapon is. Let me clearly define it for you. An Assault Weapon is a selective-fire firearm capable of fully automatic, semiautomatic or burst fire at the option of the user, it may have features such as a bayonet lug, a collapsible stock, or a standard capacity magazine. By definition an AR-15 is not an assault weapon as it lacks selectable fire. Now it may have a collapsible stock or a bayonet lug, but when was the last mass bayoneting in our history? They talk of gunshow loopholes when in reality there isnt. What they consider a gun show loophole is the ability of one individual to sell privately to another individual much like trading baseball cards or selling furniture. All gun show licensed FFLs are still required to abide by the Brady Law as it applies in the state. High capacity magazines? I have yet to figure this one out, 30rd mags in an AR have been the standard since the Vietnam War. Last I checked as well Didnt Mr Laughners "High Capacity magazine jam and fail on him? Could we say perhaps that in that instance "High Capacity Magazines" saved lives?
The truth of the matter really is that adding more laws to laws that don't work in the first place is not going to work. Perhaps it is time we begin focusing on the root causes of these terrible incidences. Perhaps our mental healthcare system needs an overhaul, perhaps state hospitals need to be funded again. Maybe its also time to remove the self defense free zones, And begin to enforce the laws already on the books.
237 years ago our founding fathers created this country at the cost of blood. They founded us on the idea that all mankind were born equal and free, that no man shall be required to bow before another and that all mankind has the God given right at birth to choose their own destiny. Liberty; its a funny word, Its in our constitution, all Americans long for it, and we allow those elected to represent us to provide us Liberty with limitations and restrictions. Doesn't restriction and limitation fly in the face of liberty?
Because the world is a scary place, we have allowed agencies like the TSA to basically rape us before we can fly on a plane. Because we are afraid we have allowed the NSA to listen to our phone calls and document our text messages. We have turned our backs on our God given liberty for a moment of feeling safe. The world is a big scary place, It is time we as Americans accept the responsibility of protecting ourselves. The only thing that will stop a bad man with a gun is a good guy with a gun.
Now I know I will be lambasted by those not open to reason as a gun nut, or one of those crazy conservatives that clings to God and guns. I will be labeled as such because I am open to reason and logic and do not base my points or arguments on speculation or emotion. I am a free thinking American who is willing to at least accept and consider any viewpoint that is contrary to mine. Because I am free thinking and rational I am revolutionary.
As a country historically we have sanctioned, embargoed, or gone to war with any country that has tried mass punishment on its people, Mao, Pol Pot, Stalin, Hitler, Hirohito, Gaddafi, Hussein, Assad. All of these previously mentioned people have several things in common, One they tried to disarm their minority populations, they used mass punishment on their population, they sought to consolidate the power of the people to themselves, and they were all decried as tyrants and dictators.
If our government is working as it was designed how is it that we have a president who considering bypassing our congress to pass gun law by executive order, and instead of working with the elected officials of the people is now trying to work with big business since they now have a common enemy? Just look it up, our vice president is stating the president should do what he can for gun control through executive order, and that our president is trying to get big business like walmart to help because gun shows hurt walmarts bottom line. Where does the hypocrisy end, are we not a government of the people, for the people and by the people? Are we just a government of the people, for the people only when its convenient? A government of the people and for the people would never consider punishing the masses for the actions of one deranged person, no government for the people would ever consider attacking a cornerstone of its foundation because one deranged individual used a tool in a hurtful way.
I have read commentary, opinions and comments on all the major news articles about gun control and it always devolves to name calling. Right wing Americans call the left wing dictators, commies and traitors; the left wing calls the right wing kooks, paranoid, or gun nuts. I have remained silent hoping that the emotions would settle and we can once again become a united country as those before us designed. But now I feel compeled to speak, the emotion has not settled as it should. The posturing and politicizing has continued.
At what point will we realize that an Executive Order by a President, A bill passed in a Democratic majority Senate or a filibuster by a Republican Majority House of Representative does not equal the consent of the Governed? The way out system of checks and balances has been twisted, gamed and abused is outright criminal, and treasonous in nature. Our founding fathers would be ashamed at the way we have turned out.
Like you I swore an Oath before my friends, family and people I have never met. I swore before what I call my Almighty God. I swore to defend the Constitution against all Enemies Foreign and Domestic. You see the word Domestic was not just thrown in there to finish a sentence, It has a purpose. It is every Americans Revolutionary birth right and higher calling to resist tyranny in all forms. Our founding fathers knew that at some point our government may no longer have the peoples best interests at heart. The oath is a calling, the citizens the soldiers and the 2nd amendment the teeth. If our government does not begin to pull back from its foolish attempts to thwart liberty, our founding fathers intentions may become reality.
As for me and as those before me proclaimed Give me Liberty or Give me Death.
"Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American ... the unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people."
Tench Coxe
I will not disarm, I will not disband, I will not go quietly into the night.
In closing as a citizen of this great nation we all call home I would like to ask one thing of you as my representatives. I would like you to re-read the oath you took. That oath is not just some words on paper, it is the the embodiment of the will of the people. It is your duty to act on what is right and not just popular at the time. Sometimes what is right will not be popular but it is your duty to stand for it. Evil will prevail when good men fail to act.
Patriot X"