First of all I'm a gun owner myself.
Great! That's good to hear. You're absolutely right, crime involving guns is almost never involving a legally purchased firearm -- they're either stolen or bought on the black market.
maybe guns should be a state instead of federal issue?
That's a step in the right direction, I guess. Why not make guns a personal issue? If I want to own a gun but my neighbor doesn't, that should be fine, but it is not his business what I own or vice versa.
In the end guns are poor guarantee of liberty and life.
You're right, they are a poor guarantee of anything. However they are
far better than anything else out there, which is why our founding fathers were certain to enumerate a guaranteed right into the U.S. Constitution.
When Gestapo comes, it will take you with or without your guns. “From my cold dead fingers†is propably an acceptable proposal for them.
You have a far better chance against the "Gestapo" with a decent firearm and the skills and willingness to use it than following quietly. Going ANYWHERE with Gestapo is not going to end up well, and therefore any level of resistance is both prudent and acceptable.
I too find "From my cold dead fingers" an acceptable proposal. I'd rather be dead than cooperating with scum, and I'd like to make perfectly clear my principles. However, I'm not automatically "a lost cause" simply because they are Gestapo or that they have superior numbers.
Have you ever heard the story of the Alamo? The Alamo was a mission building-turned-fort where the most memorable battle for Texas' independence from Mexico was fought. The story is that Travis drew a line in the sand. Everyone willing to die for their cause crossed the line -- only one man didn't cross. About 250 men fought Mexican army regulars, killing about 600 Mexicans. They held out at the Alamo for 13 days before their defenses fell and all of them were killed.
The reason that that story is important to many Americans is that it is exemplary of the historic tendency for Americans to give their lives for their principles. That tendency has been acted out many times in our history, and it is something that most of us hold dear.
That is why we use the Greek war cry, "Molon Labe," when it comes to our Second Amendment rights. At the battle of Thermopylae, 300 greek warriors were told by Xerxes to lay down their weapons and they wouldn't be hurt. "Molon Labe," was their reply, which is basically saying, "Come and get them." 300 Greeks then held off their attackers, killing many (numbers vary from 125,000 to 600,000) before they fell in battle. They bought precious time for their city to organize a defense.
Yes, arms may not guarantee life or Liberty, but what else can enable a man to take on five men his size? The old western saying still rings true --
God made man, Colt made them equal. Numbers can be overcome.
Wes
And in Germany in the late 30s, if the same percentage of Germans owner guns as Americans that own guns, I have zero doubt that the Gestapo still would have disarmed Germany... just with more Germans dead on both sides. Now the persecution of a people, say Jews and Gypsys in Germany, sure... the government would have had a much tougher battle if every Jew was armed but I think in general, in the US, when 'we' talk of disarming the population, we refer to ever gun owner and I don't think it will be a very easy battle for the government to disarm America.
