The above photo is an example of the type of a gun that was available when the Founding Fathers wrote in 1789:
Amendment II - Right to bear arms
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.
This is a photo of the type of gun that is available to individuals today in the United States in the year 2011.
These are two simple examples of the evolution of guns over the past 222 years. While it takes only one bullet to kill, the weaponry that is available today has the ability to inflict untold harm on masses of people. Over the years I have come to question my views on various subjects. I have been a Democrat, a Republican, a Conservative and now an Independent. Today I am a non-card-carrying individual of liberal leanings. I once believed in war as a solution to world problems, I no longer believe this. What I do believe is that civilized human beings should be able to work out problems without beating each other into a bloody dead pulp. We should have evolved beyond cave man mentally after all these years.
I use to believe we, as citizens, had the right to keep and bear arms, but now I'm not so sure. I think if our Founding Fathers were here today and were able to see the events of this past weekend and could see the harm that was inflicted, they might re-think this right. The gun rights activists won't agree with this and there is probably nothing I or anyone can say that will change their views. On the other hand, I changed. Are we so afraid, so paranoid, and so mentally impotent that the only recourse is to be the person with the biggest gun?
I have always believed in human rights. I firmly believe that ALL men (women) are created equal, endowed with certain unalienable Rights… Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. This includes equal rights for persons of color, gays, and lesbians – in a word - HUMAN beings. A look at my old college day writings reveals I have not waivered on this fundamental belief. I don't consider my change in views on WAR and GUNS to be an act of wavering as much as it is an EVOLUTION of my very being. The day I stood up erect and walked like a HU-MAN.
I think guns should be illegal. Even if I imagine a good friend coming to the house with a gun, it seems outrageous and dangerous. And that's in my friend's hand.
ReplyDeleteWhy should anyone have a gun? Yes, keep a baseball bat by your bed. You have to defend yourself. But the police should have the power and ability to remove guns from the streets. It should be almost impossible to get one.
As for the government turning against us, I do worry about that. But if they did, they'd have more guns than us anyway. So I say we get guns out of our lives.
You make some great point Keith. Thanks for commenting.
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