(3:31:39 PM)
Ah, election season, and a young, insecure man's fancy turns to open carry laws.
Have you ever read the 'Bill Of Rights', the first ten amendments to the US Constitution? They were demanded by a few of the state delegations in order to get the Constitution signed and ratified to begin with, so these ten are particularly special. And if you read them as a whole, you'll notice that these say what governemnt can and cannot do, with varying degrees of specificity. They don't say why any of these amendments, these rights, are included. They just are. Deal with it.
Except one.
Remember, these were men (yes, only men) were born into a era of western culture when skill and training rhetoric, debate, argument were required of an educated man. The written word was particularly chosen, a phrase was included in a formal document for a reason, the order of words in a sentence were chosen to underline the thoughts in that sentence. Arguments were built with craft and care.
So why is the second amendment only one that the founders thought needed an explanation, a justification? And that explanation of the need precedes the definition of the right, so the reader has to read 'why' before reading 'what' about the right.
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'm not going to get into all the other discussions, the history, the 'shall not be infringed.' But I always find it interesting that 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof' isn't explained, nor is 'the right of the people to be secure in their persons, house, papers...', etc. You get the idea. Read through them all, it only takes a couple of minutes.
So the idea that the right to bear arms is just like all the other rights is, well, wrong. It had a situational restriction on it. And once a state was secure (in that it got to govern itself, and wasn't threatened by , at the time, the French, the Spanish or especially the English) this 'right' was expected to be unnecessary.
This all comes up because the SouthBayOpenCarry group had a table at the Hermosa Beach Art fair today. And the two of them (pathetic, huh?) were packing heat.
I rode my bike down to breakfast in Hermosa this morning, to enjoy its annual Labor Day street festival, without having to deal with parking. Lots of booths, selling jewelry, paintings, lawn furniture, vitamins, pet adoption, you've been to one of these. Roasted corn, tacos, bratwurst, Pink Floyd tribute band, followed by one doing Neil Young's early stuff....and in the strip behing the band's stage, the political booths.
I had friends staffing the South Bay Democratic Clubs' stand. And we reviewed the other operations in that semi-circle. Join me: The John Birch Society (no, I'm not kidding) had a full booth, preprinted vinyl banner, and a foam core sign: 'Stand Up For Freedom. Repeal Obamacare!' Well, at least they're consistent. Like Koch (founding) father, like Koch sons. There was the Southbay Republican Club, a surfing elephant their unlikely logo. They had several 'Meg 2010' signs. That's all there is on the sign. 'Meg' above, '2010' below. Of course, there was a Christian Evagelist booth.
Off across the bike path, some poor kid had apparently driven in from up north, set up a card table, and hung several small hand-made signs, some saying 'Legalize Marijuana' signs, a two saying 'Vote Nov 2nd', and three clipboards of petitions. Not a single mention of Prop 19. A friend at the Dems booth and I whipped together three 'Vote YES on Prop 19' signs, and I walked them over, along with a roll of tape. The kid was surprised, happy, and promised to return the tape.
When my wife's with me, she lets me chat with friends, but makes me stay away from the other booths. After a few years, a wife's voice stays in a guy's head, even when she's in an all-day class 20 miles away. But not poking a stick at the OpenCarry Clowns was damned hard.
Two guys, both over-built, like the wannabecops you see parodied in movies, were standing in front of a pathetic cardtable, again with a couple of clipboard with petitions. Both were sporting holstered automatics. One wore purple Cons high-tops, I suppose to prove gun nuts are cute, too. The SouthBayOpenCarry 'militia'. Look em up, they do neighborhood clean-up, like Heal the Bay volunteers or the Girl Scouts. They just do it armed for Islamic (or Democratic) assault.
I'm standing there in black and yellow bike clothes, taller than either of these clowns. It was all I could do not to poke them with a stick, the old 'What part of "Well-regulated" don't you understand?' argument, just to see if I could get one to pull down on a longhair in spandex, thus ending their group's effort in the South Bay in one unfortunate photo.
I considered explaining to them the difference of the second amendment, as I did at the opening of this blog. But cowards with guns are not the most educable population.
Son I rode home instead, because my wife wants me at the house, not getting bailed out of jail.
(04:31:17PM)(04:52:03 PM)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Interesting that you will not allow comments by open carriers in defense of themselves. I am a 37 year old woman open carrier and have never had a problem ever. Maybe you should stop believing the media and really get to know your rights a bit more.
Hmm, interesting blog. Since I am clearly not as qualified as you are to interpret the meaning behind the 2nd Amendment, maybe you can explain to me what the Founding Fathers meant when they said the following?
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." - Thomas Jefferson
"The constitutions of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed; that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property and freedom of the press." - Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), US Founding Father, drafted the Declaration of Independence, 3rd US President, Source a letter from Thomas Jefferson to John Cartwright in 1824.
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." - Thomas Jefferson, Proposed Virginia Constitution, 1776
"A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercise, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball and others of that nature are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be the constant companion of your walks." - Thomas Jefferson's advice to his 15 year-old nephew Peter Carr 1785
"The said Constitution [shall] be never construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press, or the rights of conscience; or to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms." - Samuel Adams of Massachusetts -- U.S. Constitution ratification convention, 1788
"Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation... Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." - James Madison, Federalist Papers, #46 at 243-244
"The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; a well armed, and well regulated militia being the best security of a free country: but no person religiously scrupulous of bearing arms, shall be compelled to render military service in person." - James Madison, Proposed Amendments to the Constitution June 8, 1789
"A people armed and free forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition and is a bulwark for
the nation against foreign invasion and domestic oppression." - James Madison (1751-1836), Father of the Constitution for the USA, 4th US President
"Arms in the hands of the citizens may be used at individual discretion for the defense of the country, the overthrow of tyranny or private self-defense." - John Adams (1735-1826) Founding Father, 2nd US President A Defense of the Constitution of Government of the United States of America, 1788
"The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone who is able may have a gun." - Patrick Henry
"Are we at least brought to such a humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our own defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in our possession and under our own direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?" - Patrick Henry, 3 Elliot Debates 168-169
Well-regulated as it was written meant and still does mean well-kept and outfitted, not controlled. Take a read from the first Google link when searching for "well-regulated"
http://www.constitution.org/cons/wellregu.htm
I feel that you will likely shun the following offer but I will make it anyways... if you ever feel like finding out what gun ownership and the whole gun rights movement is about, give me a call at 478-CARRYON or shoot me an email at trackerpacker@gmail.com and leave me your contact info. My brother and I love taking the curious and even the misinformed out for range and history lessons.
The ball is in your court.
CARRY ON!
-N8
I am not a member of the open carry group, nor am I a Fanatic that opposes all gun laws (registration, etc) but I think you need to look again at the definition of the 2nd amendment... It does apply today, and always has. it is/was designed for the people to be able to protect themselves from an overpowering, dictatorial government that attempts to take all our rights away... (Can you say Obama and his socialist regime??)
Let me pose a question to you... You are in line in a bank and a couple thugs barge in, make everyone get on the floor and threaten to kill anyone who moves. One of these so called "cowards hiding behind their guns" is in line as well, and pulls his gun and kills the thugs before they can hurt anyone. Are they still pathetic wannabes as you say, or are you going to respect them for doing something you didn't have the balls to do, IE: save a bunch of lives from armed criminals.
They aren't trying to forward their cause to act tough, or scare people. They are trying to raise awareness.
Would you rather have them wandering around with their guns, in plain sight, deterring criminals from doing anything, or criminals with hidden guns wandering around waiting to attack people obviously not armed?
The RIGHT, as in the Second Amendment, to defend oneself is self-evident and is God given. It's foolish to only rely on the government for protection. As a former Los Angeles police officer I know what happens when a citizen is unable or unwilling to defend themselves. Time is not on their side. They first have to recognize the threat, find a phone, call 911 and wait until the closest unit is dispatched. Too often the victim is assaulted, injured or is killed. It is rare that police actually intercede in the commission of a crime. More often than not all we do is take a report. California and other states have opted to release thousands of criminals back into society due to under- funding. It's your choice: Be a Victim or be a Survivor.
"I had friends staffing the South Bay Democratic Clubs' stand"
Ah, the problem... A member of the party of treason, hate, and racism complaining about the 2nd Amendment.
You're probably too young to remember the 60's when intolerance for Civil Rights was exposed. Many arguments were put out in support of the status quo, effectively arguing on the basis of fear that universal application of Civil Rights would lead to anarchy. Of course, it was a false front for the desire to retain power and control over the disenfranchised. Fundamentally, the fear was joined with intolerance.
Your opinions here show many of the same traits that were exposed then. I blame secondary education with failing to establish a robust resistance to ideological intolerance REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL BELIEF. Civil Rights then, as now, are those retained by the People for defense against crime -- including the tyranny of government. Respect, though grudging, for Civil Rights is still respect.
As it has been re-established, the right to keep AND bear arms is a Civil Right as defined by the U.S. Supreme Court. This is as true in the 21st Century as clearly as it was true in the 18th Century.
Intolerance of a Civil Right should be embarrassing. Instead, the first step should be to admit intolerance and work to conquer your own fears. This requires deep introspection and often leads us to conclusions that our prejudices do not support.
As you work through your fears, keep in mind that the admonishment that the right to keep and bear arms should be "well regulated" means that EVERYONE interested in defending freedom and liberty should be armed and practice using their arms.
When you truly have no fear, you will be able to go to a shooting range and ask for help in learning how to shoot. Please let us know how this emotional journey ends for you.
I do not open carry...yet. A local taco shop was shot up a few months ago. I bet a gun in the hands of a good guy would have been welcomed there. The argument is that I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy. By the way I have 30 years in the Army, I think I can handle a firearm thank you.
Maybe a guy in spandex and purple shoes is funny looking, but if bullets fly from a bad guy I bet you hide behind him.
You say the 2nd amendment is no longer needed? I have never needed the 4th, 5th, or many others, shall we scrap them too? And you said it in your column, it is a right so deal with it.
Post a Comment