On May 20, 2000, then National Rifle Association President Charlton Heston, made a speech in front of a large audience at the 129th NRA Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. The following are the closing remarks from that speech;For the next six months, [presidential candidate and Vice President of the United States] Al Gore is going to smear you as the enemy. He will slander you as gun-toting, knuckle-dragging, bloodthirsty maniacs who stand in the way of a safer America. Will you remain silent? I will not remain silent. If we are going to stop this, then it is vital to every law-abiding gun owner in America to register to vote and show up at the polls on Election Day.
Heston paused to pick up a replica of a Revolutionary War musket, and continued
As we set out this year to defeat the divisive forces that would take freedom away, I want to say those words again for everyone within the sound of my voice to hear and to heed, and especially for you, Mr. Gore: 'From my cold, dead hands!'http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_my_cold,_dead_hands
Charlton Heston, Actor, Political Activist and Four (4) Term President of the National Rifle Association, passed away on April 5, 2007 at the age of 84. So, he was not able to respond when, then Democratic Presidential Primary Candidate Barack Obama was quoted at a fundraiser in San Francisco; 'It's not surprising ... they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them, or anti- immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations,' referring to small town voters in the state of Pennsylvania.http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/usa/features/article_1399675.php
Today, in 2009, the topic of Gun Control is once again appearing on the Horizon. The Gun Control Lobby is pushing hard for President Obama, to make significant movement, in the direction of banning Assault Weapons and if they had their way, all weapons. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence was originated to advocate for this cause. On March 30, 1981, James Brady was shot and paralyzed during an assassination attempt against then President Ronald Reagan. The following are the first two (2) paragraphs from the website;
http://www.bradycampaign.org/about/jimandsarahbio.php
James S. Brady achieved a lifelong career goal with his appointment by President Ronald Reagan in January of 1981 to be Assistant to the President and White House Press Secretary. However, his service was interrupted on March 30, 1981, when John Hinckley attempted to assassinate the President, and shot both President Reagan, Mr. Brady, and two law enforcement officers. Although seriously wounded by the gunshot wound to the head, Mr. Brady remained the White House Press Secretary until the end of the Reagan Administration.Since leaving the White House, Mr. Brady has spent much time lobbying with his wife Sarah, Chair of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (formerly Handgun Control), for stronger gun laws. On November 30, 1993, President Clinton signed the "Brady Bill" - a bill named in Mr. Brady's honor - into law. The Brady law required a five-day waiting period and background check on all handgun purchases through licensed dealers. Mr. Brady also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence (formerly the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence), the Brady Campaign's sister organization, which is a 501 (3)(c) organization working to reduce gun violence through education, research, and legal advocacy. In addition, Mr. Brady serves as Vice Chairman of the National Brain Injury Foundation as well as the Vice Chairman of the National Organization on Disability.
I bring all of these facts to light to show what powerful lobbyists are dueling in this issue. No matter what statistics either side brings to the table, the discussion is about changing one of the very foundations of our nation. The Right to Bear Arms.
The following is from the Cornell University Law School website titled The Constitution; http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html
Amendment II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
To me looking at this Amendment, it appears rather vague, allowing significant latitude in its interpretation. Maybe it was written that way for a purpose. The purpose being that this right was and could be needed to keep our Republic safe from all enemies, Foreign and Domestic. But, I do believe our Nations Founding Fathers anticipated and had the foresight to see, that times and Society could change at some point in the future, where this Freedom will still stand strong but, tempered for the good of the Nation. I believe they knew this Basic Right will always hold true, the core beliefs, of what made our Nation the leader in the World today.
So, I implore President Obama, use wisdom in your quest for Gun Control. I am not as educated as you but if we put tighter Regulation on Gun Manufacturing along with Traceability and more responsible Gun Ownership Laws, I believe we can obtain the means necessary to effectively manage the use of All Weaponry, without sacrificing any rights. Here’s a suggestion for starters. Make all firearms like automobiles. Their Serial numbers go into a Federal Registry along with a print of the Ballistic make up of that weapon. Make altering a weapon to hide its identity a crime. I have many more suggestions but, I think you get the idea.Gun Control is a Hot Button issue that I believe surpasses Healthcare, Gay Marriage, Abortion Rights or even the Economy. My message to President Obama is this; you will always be remembered for tearing down the Racial Barrier and becoming our Nations first African American President. Please do not let your legacy be tarnished by becoming the only President that stirred a Revolution. You see, I am afraid the Revolution I am referring to, may not necessarily be fought in the Voting Booth.
That's how I see it.
very well written, and i agree with most of it except that i think you are a little too optimistic about our government. i can see why it looks like the right thing to do to try to regulate guns in some way but like everything else, it's a slippery slope. i suppose we can look at guns like cars, it seems some regulation is necessary for safety.
ReplyDeletepart of the problem in interpreting the second amendment is understanding the time in which it was written. the country is much different now and in my opinion, part of it's intent was to prevent these changes that have already happened. you have to remember, our founding fathers' concerns mostly revolved around keeping us (the people) free from tyrrany. tyrrany comes from where? government, of course.
so when you see the language, "necessary to the security of a free state", i believe the intent was to be able to protect yourself from the inevitable tyrrany of a central government. if you want a parallel, the structure of our country was a lot more like the EU than the US today. each state was mostly autonomous.
then came the civil war...
hmm, that's about where i'm going to get controversial. instead of writing this giant essay in your comments, you've inspired me to continue at my own blog, robert. i'll be sure to reference back to you. hopefully i can get it done today, we'll see.