I published a post last February entitled Understanding the Second Amendment. Although I wrote it months ago, I got a comment the other day in which the author decided the second amendment was obsolete and should be repealed:
altrurian said,
April 16, 2009 @ 14:51:18 PDT · EditI agree with the irrefutable parsing of the amendment that you have provided. It seems rather straight forward. It just doesn’t have relevance anymore. You can’t make that argument about any of the other amendments in the “Bill”. 320 million folks “bearing” arms is unthinkable. Get real.
Surely even you recognize the ludicracy of the epithet “anti-gun”. Who in their right mine[sic] wouldn’t be against, in the abstract sense, an artifact designed to kill.
Let’s repeal the thing on its face value and get on with it.
I felt that this needed an answer and wrote the following response:
Cap’n Bob said,
April 16, 2009 @ 17:47:51 PDT · Edit“It just doesn’t have relevance anymore.”
Let me point out that these very arguments were used in the recent D.C. vs. Heller Case before the Supreme court, i.e. the Washington D.C. gun ban. The majority found in favor of the defendant and it is again legal to possess firearms in D.C. for home protection. Think about it and you will find this is a good thing (hint: find out the average response times for 911 calls).
“320 million folks “bearing” arms is unthinkable. Get real.”
For you, perhaps. For me (and millions of other Americans), a person trained in the use and application of firearms who regularly drills and does target practice it’s not “unthinkable.” I have military training and have owned guns for over 45 years. I have a permit to carry a loaded concealed handgun in more than half the states in the union (including Minnesota). My weapons have never leaped into my hands and caused me to do harm to anyone or anything other than taking game and fending off varmints.
“an artifact designed to kill”
My guns are designed for protection, defense, hunting and sport. Any other definition is “an artifact of your perception.” Who “in their right mind” would deprive me (and millions of other Americans) of those purposes?
“Let’s repeal the thing on its face value and get on with it.”
I say that we keep the Bill of Rights intact, and allow those not comfortable with it move north of the 49th parallel, where they don’t have such a pesky artifact. “Get on with it.”
I would have to say that your nom de plume, derived from altruism, a selfless concern for the welfare of others, does not fit your agenda when it comes to personal defense and the protection of liberty.
“320 million folks “bearing” arms is unthinkable. Get real.”
Spoken by a man who has never had to defend himself and wouldn’t have the faintest notion how to do it if he had to.
Ramen… and the Unicorn he rode in on.
“an artifact designed to kill”
It never occurs to the silly libtards… you don’t shoot to kill, you shoot to STAY ALIVE.
(But, at the end the end of the day, I guess they know best whether THEIR life is worth protecting…)
Thanks for the supporting comments. It never ceases to amaze me – how obtuse the antis are. It never ceases to amaze me – the solidarity among the pros.
Another thing that has always shocked me is how many anti’s suddenly turn into gunnies when they get the first ounce or two of real experience. Eg –
“Oh, YOU have guns? They must not be so bad afterall!”
“This is what it’s like to target shoot? This is fun!”
“I was scared! For the first time in my life, I want a gun.”
And then, they are pretty well converted. The seeds are planted, at any rate.
I guess there are two basic kinds of antis – the really committed gun haters and uninformed hoplophobes. The latter would be candidates for conversion as Michael demonstrates above.
We regularly invite family, friends and acquaintances to join us at the range. Sometimes they take us up on it. We bring the guns, they pay the range fee and buy their ammo. Each newbie learns the four basic rules and understands how the gun they’re going to shoot operates before going into the range.