The Coming Battle of Gun Control

Here is a little "gem" that I found in my inbox this morning. While I have yet to "verify" it, it feels real. I know that feelings are like hemhorroids and most people have them at some point, er, I mean.... :) But back to the gun control issue, read on and see what you think. (Okay verified it through snopes.com and they verified it, but you could tell the political ideology of the verifier. :)



"Australian Gun Law Update Here's a thought to warm some of your hearts. From: Ed Chenel, A police officer in Australia

Hi Yanks, I thought you all would like to see the now available datafrom Down Under. It has now been one year (12 months) since gun owners in Australia were forced by a new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by our own government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than$500 million dollars. The first year results are now available: Australia-wide, homicides are up 6.2 percent; Australia-wide, assaults are up 9.6 percent; Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent); In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent as compared with the last one year period when private ownership of a firearm was legal. (NB: the law-abiding citizens did turn in their personal firearms, the criminal element did not and thus criminals in Australia still possess their guns.) While data for the 25 years preceding the confiscation of privately owned guns showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months as criminals now are assured their victims will be unarmed. There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults ofthe elderly, while the resident is at home. Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was expended in 'successfully ridding Australian society of guns.' This story of well intentioned government intervention in the rights of lawful individuals to own and possess firearms won't be seen in the mainstream US media or on the American evening news. Senator Obama who advocates a similar confiscation in the US will not be reporting any of this to you. But, the Australian experience speaks for itself. Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws affect only the law-abiding citizens. Americans may want to take note before it's too late!"



So, here we are in America with the Constitutional right to keep and bear arms. There could (and probably will) be with a Democratic controlled House, Senate and White House, a major assault on firearms in the US in the next few years (as of right now make it a matter of days!). To make this issue a little more "real" let me share a little background. For 3 years I was called out to assist funeral homes bring deceased people from where they had passed away back to the funeral homes. During that time I collected approximately 15-18 homicide victims. I learned a simple, plain, obvious truth. When someone is MURDERED the police ALWAYS show up AFTER the fact. All too rarely are they there when they are needed. If these victims had possessed a weapon to defend themselves, who knows if they would have needed my services? If someone is seriously interested in protecting themselves and by extension their family, friends, and society as a whole, then to truly be able to do that requires the responsibility of responsible gun ownership. Of being legally able to carry a concealed weapon with them as they live and work in society so that heaven forbid they are suddenly thrust into their worst nightmare, then they have the means to survive and live to see their loved ones again. Firearms are as much an insurance policy as an insurance policy. I can honestly say that I hope to never have to use my weapons to defend myself or someone else, but if the day comes that I need to, then I will be very glad that I have them and can defend myself and others. When that moment comes you can't say "If only..." it doesn't work like that. You either have, and are prepared, or you have not, and it really sucks to be you.

Don't let the government take away our ability not only to defend ourselves, but also our "power." Every subjugated people on the planet in history has lost, or never had, the ability to keep and bear arms like the Constitution grants us. The day we lose that right, we lose a great deal of our freedom, arguably the greatest. It must be in the back of every politicians mind that millions of gun wielding Americans ultimately can choose to kick them out and start over if they mess around with our country too much. And as corny as it sounds, should America ever be "invaded" a la Red Dawn, or riots like after Hurricane Katrina (much more likely and chaotic) we would be able to ensure that we could look after and protect our families.

I don't know who said it first, but remember possibly the 5 greatest words in the English language, "From my cold dead hands."