Man with assult rifle at health care protest / You Tube
It’s easy to assume that someone who calls himself a “liberal” is automatically pro-choice, pro-welfare, and anti-gun, but politics are rarely so black-and-white. Normally I avoid the first-person in my articles, but as you read on you will see that in this case it was unavoidable.
The Second Amendment of the U.S. Consititution:
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.
I understand why it was so important when it was written, and though most conservatives will deny my claim of support, I really do stand behind the Second Amendment which gives individuals the right to bear arms. To the writers and signers of the Constitution over two centuries ago, it was the one way they knew how to ensure lasting liberty for each and every individual after just having extricated themselves from the tyrannical rule of King George III of England. Further it was the only foreseeable means to defend the newly formed nation. But perhaps most importantly, it was because many of our founding fathers, especially those who were anti-Federalists, were against maintaining a standing army, so we needed a militia of citizens armed and ready at a moments notice.
The Second Amendment was and still is the subject of much debate, and though we now have a standing army of hundreds of thousands, and tens of thousands who are professional law enforcement officials, the Second Amendment is interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court as an individual’s right to walk around the streets of our crowded cities packing heat.
The problem is that I don’t trust myself walking around with a handgun strapped to my waist. Many people nowadays are so arrogant, ignorant and inconsiderate I think that if I could just reach down to my belt and pull out a gun when faced with such people, I might someday use it. Just standing in line at a cash register sometimes is enough to make you just want to reach out and knock some sense into the ignorant and inconsiderate people who often hold up the line. I can’t imagine having a semi-automatic pistol handy to help speed things up. Or how about when you’re driving? If I had had a gun handy, I might have already killed a few people who’ve cut me off because they are so engrossed with talking nonsense on their cell phones.
I believe the Second Amendment is here to stay, despite the fact that the needs which made it so important when our constitution was written no longer apply. Individuals carrying handguns have absolutely nothing to do with “a well regulated militia” and have nothing to do with securing a “free state.” Over the summer we saw demonstrations outside town hall meetings over health care reform, where individuals open-carried their guns and espoused the philosophy that it was time to “Water the Tree of Liberty” with the blood of their perceived tyrants. This part of the Second Amendment, securing our freedom, has also been emasculated by the sheer military power of our homeland defense. Any so-called “militia” or freedom fighters who would try any Liberty Tree watering or try targeting any tyrants would end up buried under said tree, faster than you can say, “Second Amendment.”
In 1791 when the Second Amendment was written and ratified, there were about 4 million people in the entire United States, about half of the population of modern-day New York City. There was no law, there were no police forces, nothing but a small standing army, and there was a great need for individuals and families to protect themselves and their land.
Today in a country with over 300 million people jammed into crowded cities, we still have a need to protect ourselves and our families, but not because there is no law or law enforcement, it is because our society has become more violent, and our domestic “evil-doers” and criminals are sometimes better armed than the law enforcement engaged in trying to stamp out the crime and criminals. And why? Because there are so many guns in this country, and they are so easy to get, they are one of the most important sale items on the black market to stock the arsenals of those criminals.
Funny how what goes around comes around. The Second Amendment was intended to ensure and protect our freedom. Instead, it has made that freedom more tenuous by making many urban dwellers prisoners in their own homes due to the amount of street violence in their neighborhoods.
Yes, believe it or not, I support your right to bear arms, and protect yourself, I ask only a few simple things that I believe go with that responsibility of being armed. Learn how to use your weapon safely and responsibly, keep it secured from curious children, and keep it out of the hands of criminals by making sure that it is secured at all times, so thieves and burglars can’t get their hands on it. And one final thing, please don’t shoot at me. I’m one of the good guys, even if you don’t agree with all of my political views. Peaceful political debate, that more than anything, more than all the guns in this country is what keeps our nation free from tyranny.
Sources: U.S. Population Map.com, Wikipedia,
Comments
"The problem is that I don’t trust myself with a handgun strapped to my waist ... I might have already killed a few people who’ve cut me off because they are so engrossed talking on their cell phones."
** You clearly have identified some personal mental health issues why you should not carry a firearm. Fortunately, most lawful firearm owners have much more self-control than this.
"Individuals carrying handguns have absolutely nothing to do with “a well regulated militia” and have nothing to do with securing a “free state.”
** This statement is patently moronic. But then, you did say you are a liberal.
"Peaceful political debate, that more than anything, more than all the guns in this country is what keeps our nation free from tyranny."
** Yeah sure, okay, right. We can take an example from Bejing, the Communist Chinese, who do not allow "peaceful political debate," in a country where firearm ownership is punished with death.
"The problem is that I don’t trust myself walking around with a handgun strapped to my waist."
In all my years of handling and carrying firearms, this thought has never ever occurred to me. Do you really have such feelings of uncontrollable rage towards ordinary people around you? Do you view human life so lightly? It seems highly abnormal from my viewpoint. Maybe you should seek therapy.
I don't believe the USA should be turned into a gigantic asylum where everyone is assumed to be a dangerous mental defective. Those who are truly dangerous (as you may be, if your own self-assessment is correct) should be taken into institutions where they can get the help they need, and where attendants can keep dangerous items away from them. The rest of us should be allowed our freedom.
Mr. Skordelis: It may be too easy to say (sic) "if I had a gun, I might go over the edge and blow away some idiot who got in my way". There ARE certain individuals who may do exactly that. In our society, those who act in this fashion are referred to as "Criminals".
More realisticly, should you actually carry a firearm for self-defense, you probably would realize the awesome Civic Responsibility which you have assumed. This feeling seems to be a common one, as suggested by many who "carry", and respond in these forums.
Remember too, that in those states where Concealed Carry is most prevalent (Florida for instance), those who are licensed tend to be much more law-abiding than the general population.
Amendment II has two purposes: Personal defense against criminal activity, and Community defense against tyranical government. BOTH concepts are valid, and NEITHER is outdated.
I hold that "Liberal" does not equal "Leftist". Leftist = "Socialist", "Communist", "Statist", "Collectivist".
Cont.
In fact, I suggest that you conduct a personal social experiment: Get an appropriate firearm, ammo, training, a Concealed Carry License for your state. Try it and see if I am correct, or if your stated "aggresive tendencies" win out. If you feel that Mr. Hyde is winning out, you should be able to hand-off to someone else before you do what you would regret.
There then, is fodder for another story.
I look forward to reading your conclusions.
And finally:
"Peaceful political debate, that more than anything, more than all the guns in this country is what keeps our nation free from tyranny."
NO nation, no community, is "kept free from tyranny" without the threat of violence. A disarmed citizenry has NO power to prevent tyranny, either from within or from without. Disarmed citizens, attempting civil discourse with a tyrant, usual pay in blood for their "treasons". ("Treason" being defined by whoever is in power at the time.) This has been proven over and over again in human history.
Dear Mr. Skordelis:
Thanks for sharing your views. To correct you on one point ... the second amendment "gives" us nothing. It merely prohibits the government from infringing the pre-existing right to arms.
In my opinion, you don't need to "confess" support for the 2A, as if there is something wrong with doing so.
Support for the second amendment comports perfectly with liberalism. For example, a couple defining characteristics of liberals is that:
1) they are favorable to and in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
2) they favor and permit freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression.
So, please ... don't apologize for your support of individual rights and personal liberties. The right to wield deadly force in a judicious and lawful manner is arguably the MOST important of all our personal liberties.
guns saves lives
You say, "The Second Amendment . . . has made that freedom more tenuous by making many urban dwellers prisoners in their own homes due to the amount of street violence in their neighborhoods."
How on earth has the Second Amendment made us prisoners? You seem to be blaming 2A for street violence. Do you believe disarming the citzenry will make them safer? Do you believe the places with the strongest gun laws have the least street violence?
While I appreciate your ostensible support for the Second Amendment, I have "issues" with the following:
"The problem is that I don’t trust myself walking around with a handgun strapped to my waist. Many people nowadays are so arrogant, ignorant and inconsiderate I think that if I could just reach down to my belt and pull out a gun when faced with such people, I might someday use it. Just standing in line at a cash register sometimes is enough to make you just want to reach out and knock some sense into the ignorant and inconsiderate people who often hold up the line. I can’t imagine having a semi-automatic pistol handy to help speed things up. Or how about when you’re driving? If I had had a gun handy, I might have already killed a few people who’ve cut me off because they are so engrossed with talking nonsense on their cell phones."
Insight: The answer is called "personal discipline" and, infortunately, is something that eludes liberals.
FPV-Charlotte Gun Rights Examiner
Mr. Skoralis,
Our right to keep and bear arms is a "natural right" which pre-exists the BoR and not granted by it. You are certainly right to avoid carrying a firearm if you do not feel that you are able to control yourself. Perhaps seeking help in understanding why you have such an aggressive attitude to others would also be useful?
As for 'watering the tree of liberty' I think there are far more than enough advocates of liberty within the military and civil authorities to ensure victory from within as well as from without these organizations. Government and military are, after all, composed of citizens.
Mike Settles stated it so well, I'll quote him:
"NO nation, no community, is "kept free from tyranny" without the threat of violence. A disarmed citizenry has NO power to prevent tyranny, either from within or from without."
I appreciate the self analysis that warns you of your unease to carry a gun. Great-its not for everyone, and should be a well thought out decision. And yes, the rest of us who are armed do take precautions as you suggest.
I'm not sure what your other "confessions" are supposed to reveal to your readership. You stand by the 2A, but yet you think the need that established it no longer exists; and that it makes our streets more violent because of easy access to firearms. Just the fact that you feel the need to tell us that you support the 2A as a liberal says volumes about your feeling towards this important piece of the BOR. Is it just as important as the 1A? The 4A? I would posit your answer is no.
This country's problems all stem from a Govt that has decided to treat the Constitution like a buffet, picking and choosing what's good. If this great country ever falls, it will be because the Govt chose to replace our individual liberties wholesale with itself.
Nice try with the condecending lip service. You claim to support the right to bear arms as long as no actually does. In your heart you would be thrilled if there were no 2A. I don't buy your argument even a little. Go push it off on your pinhead Libby friends. FAIL.
Paul V. wrote the following, "Insight: The answer is called "personal discipline" and, infortunately (sic), is something that eludes liberals."
That's a load of crap. People in the pro-2a movement need to leave this kind of BS behind when debating this issue, as idiotic statements like the above only serve to divide the gun owning community along party lines instead of uniting it, and it only serves to give fuel to those who would rob us of our natural rights as protected in the 2nd Amendment.
I would also be classified as a "liberal" and I am in no way ashamed of my pro 2a views, nor of my gun ownership, nor do I worry that I may someday do violence upon another simply because I have a firearm on me at any given time. If a person does worry about this, then it's best they don't carry. I also do not subscribe to the assertions that the original intentions of the 2a are no longer served, nor that the 2a has fed our violence problem. Poverty/poor education are much bigger factors I
"I believe the Second Amendment is here to stay, despite the fact that the needs which made it so important when our constitution was written no longer apply."
When we as American's give authority and power to a Government we will always have a reasonable fear of tyranny. The 2A is so the Government fears us.
"I believe the Second Amendment is here to stay, despite the fact that the needs which made it so important when our constitution was written no longer apply."
When we as American's give authority and power to a Government we will always have a reasonable fear of tyranny. The 2A is so the Government fears us.
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