LOTS OF ACCUSATIONS OF BLAME BUT NO SOLUTIONS
LAWS DO NOT PREVENT CRIME, JUST PUNISH OFFENDERS
In the aftermath of the slaughter of innocent concert goers in Las Vegas many have tried to blame everyone from the NRA,Trump to the ATF and Obama. It seems many cannot accept the fact that the blame belongs on one person who made a decision to commit mass murder. Whether to support a political cause or just to hope to live in infamy, we may never know.
To blame the NRA, an organization founded in 1871 that has been the forerunner in safety programs, who has developed programs for police training, way before there was such a thing. There was a time when sheriffs and police officers took an oath, were handed a badge and a gun and sent out to do the job. The NRA has been instrumental in making law enforcement a professional occupation. Who maintained the Civilian marksmanship program in cooperation with the department of defense and has served our county and its armed forces well.
They did not become involved in political debates until after 1969, when in the hysteria of the 1960's they were awakened to the threats from those that didn't believe civilians should be armed. This threat has only increased as the threat to progressively strip the citizens of the U.S. of the right to self protection has been made clear by those zealots who believe only they have a right to security for their families.
As to blaming the ATF and the Obama administration. The ATF is charged with enforcing gun laws. There are lots of them, and they are loaded with legal definitions of what is a firearm, a destructive device, a machine gun etc. The after market stocks that are an issue in this event did not legally fall into the definition of a machine gun. Remember only the receiver of firearms is regulated, the part with the serial number. Full auto firearms are highly regulated. Altering the actual firearm is a felony, having the internal parts to convert an auto loading firearm in your possession is a felony. The ATF and the Obama administration were bound by these definitions. If they do not strictly adhere to the definitions they risk loosing court cases and setting negative legal precedents. There have been many devices, not part of the firearm, cranks, spring loaded devices that make shooting a auto loader faster. The definition of a semi-auto is that it fires one shot with each pull of the trigger. Whether this assisted by a device external to the firearm does not make it a full auto firearm.
The number of guns that people own has now also become an issue. Many are shocked that this perpetrator owned over 40 guns. As a Licensed firearms dealer for over 30 years, I can assure you that many of your neighbors have many more than 40 weapons, 100's and many times more than that. Many have been collecting guns like their wives collect shoes. The difference is the guns never get discarded or sent to good-will. No human that I know of can shoot more than 2 guns at a time and only 1 accurately.
Finally, since 1994, the number of guns sold and ammunition stockpiled has been rising, much of it in response to threats of civilian disarmament around the world and here at home. We also see riots that started with Los Angeles riots in 1992. The whole country watched, as people were assaulted and killed for no reason. We also saw Korean shop owners who were able to protect their stores and themselves, by manning the roofs of their properties, being armed with semi-auto rifles. We also watched Baltimore, Ferguson, Dallas and other places and realized that your only reliable defense is self-defense. We have seen politicians encourage rioting and looting as a political tool, it has had very negative results. At the same time they are trying to strip access from honest Americans, they are advocating against the ability through the castle doctrine of self defense and the right to protect property by armed resistance. This and an increase in political terrorism has increased the perception that self defense is needed. Remember a Tractor Trailer could have easily caused as much mayhem as a gun.
The greatest threat to gun ownership, and it is now clear, is gun registration, when they talk about background checks on all sales even among family members, this is the goal. They want a record of every gun and every owner. Historically this has always led to confiscation. This will be fought by the NRA and all second amendment advocates without restraint.
Finally all the laws in the world, do not prevent crime or murder, this was a thought that was made clear by the apostle Paul thousands of years ago. The law can only punish the lawbreaker. Only individuals, who adhere to higher law of Love they neighbor as themselves can prevent lawbreaking.
They did not become involved in political debates until after 1969, when in the hysteria of the 1960's they were awakened to the threats from those that didn't believe civilians should be armed. This threat has only increased as the threat to progressively strip the citizens of the U.S. of the right to self protection has been made clear by those zealots who believe only they have a right to security for their families.
As to blaming the ATF and the Obama administration. The ATF is charged with enforcing gun laws. There are lots of them, and they are loaded with legal definitions of what is a firearm, a destructive device, a machine gun etc. The after market stocks that are an issue in this event did not legally fall into the definition of a machine gun. Remember only the receiver of firearms is regulated, the part with the serial number. Full auto firearms are highly regulated. Altering the actual firearm is a felony, having the internal parts to convert an auto loading firearm in your possession is a felony. The ATF and the Obama administration were bound by these definitions. If they do not strictly adhere to the definitions they risk loosing court cases and setting negative legal precedents. There have been many devices, not part of the firearm, cranks, spring loaded devices that make shooting a auto loader faster. The definition of a semi-auto is that it fires one shot with each pull of the trigger. Whether this assisted by a device external to the firearm does not make it a full auto firearm.
The number of guns that people own has now also become an issue. Many are shocked that this perpetrator owned over 40 guns. As a Licensed firearms dealer for over 30 years, I can assure you that many of your neighbors have many more than 40 weapons, 100's and many times more than that. Many have been collecting guns like their wives collect shoes. The difference is the guns never get discarded or sent to good-will. No human that I know of can shoot more than 2 guns at a time and only 1 accurately.
Finally, since 1994, the number of guns sold and ammunition stockpiled has been rising, much of it in response to threats of civilian disarmament around the world and here at home. We also see riots that started with Los Angeles riots in 1992. The whole country watched, as people were assaulted and killed for no reason. We also saw Korean shop owners who were able to protect their stores and themselves, by manning the roofs of their properties, being armed with semi-auto rifles. We also watched Baltimore, Ferguson, Dallas and other places and realized that your only reliable defense is self-defense. We have seen politicians encourage rioting and looting as a political tool, it has had very negative results. At the same time they are trying to strip access from honest Americans, they are advocating against the ability through the castle doctrine of self defense and the right to protect property by armed resistance. This and an increase in political terrorism has increased the perception that self defense is needed. Remember a Tractor Trailer could have easily caused as much mayhem as a gun.
The greatest threat to gun ownership, and it is now clear, is gun registration, when they talk about background checks on all sales even among family members, this is the goal. They want a record of every gun and every owner. Historically this has always led to confiscation. This will be fought by the NRA and all second amendment advocates without restraint.
Finally all the laws in the world, do not prevent crime or murder, this was a thought that was made clear by the apostle Paul thousands of years ago. The law can only punish the lawbreaker. Only individuals, who adhere to higher law of Love they neighbor as themselves can prevent lawbreaking.
People are afraid that if the working population and retired people can't arm themselves they will become victims of the freeloaders. There will be the "gang bangers" who prey on the un-armed , along with an opressive gov't.
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