I agree with our Liberal friends – it is time America had a serious debate on guns. I also agree with them when they say if action saves just ONE life then it will be worthwhile. As Conservatives we have to realise one very important thing – facts are on our side, NOT THEIRS!!! It is time for us all to go on the offensive not only in the gun control debate but on every issue. This week America witnessed yet another senseless shooting, this time in Washington DC. How many of these shootings do Americans need to witness before they wake up and do something? It is an extremely sad day anytime an innocent person is murdered, however the shooting in the Navy Yard was even more disturbing and here’s why.
Every politician in Washington including Barack Obama acknowledges the members of the US military are heroes. For the last month, POTUS has been pushing for war with Syria and is going to trust military men and women with war ships, aircraft and bombs that are capable of inflicting incredible damage. Despite election promises, POTUS still has troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan where US troops are trusted with hand guns, rifles and grenades. Despite trust with all these weapons, US troops are not trusted and allowed to conceal and carry guns on their bases in America. What type of mixed message is that sending? Imagine if troops were allowed to conceal and carry in the Washington Navy Yard? Chances are there would have been fewer casualties…
As the tragedy unfolded Monday Evening (Irish time), I spoke with my mother about it. My mother has very little interest in politics and would not be a huge Second Amendment supporter but when I told her about US troops not being able to conceal and carry on base, her reaction was spot on:
She said: “Wow, but they could be a target for terrorists. How are they supposed to defend themselves?”
With all the dangers America faces right now, it is time to repeal the law signed by President Clinton forbidding military personnel from carrying their personal firearms. But that is only half the story. We all know the left believe in the saying “never let a good tragedy go to waste” and this will be used to push for more gun control. I know many have said this but it needs to be said as much as possible. Criminals BREAK THE LAW. You can create all the laws in the world. Criminals DON’T CARE and will continue to do as they see fit. Any gun control measure(s) will only take guns from the law abiding citizen. I would like to use Ireland and England as an example of what happens in places guns are banned.
I was born and raised in Ireland where guns are illegal and did not grow up around them. I have shot several guns on visits to the states and I am a huge supporter of the Second Amendment. However I am always amazed at the fear of guns from not only the left in America but around the world. They seem to think that if there were no guns, there would be no murder and/or crime… WRONG. There is gun crime in Ireland and people are murdered every couple of days. The big difference between Ireland and America seems to be the amount of people killed in one incident. When gun violence happens in Ireland it is rarely more than one or two people whereas in America it can be significantly more like Mondays 13. There is reason mass shootings like Monday get national attention and the murders that happen on a near daily basis in places like Chicago don’t. The simple truth is that all gun control in Ireland and other countries has made the average law abiding citizen hope they are not targeted by criminals because if they are… chances are its hopeless.
The left seem to think that bad guys think the following way: I am a bad person and I really want to commit a crime, but DAMN I don’t have a gun so I cannot commit a crime…. WRONG!!!! There is a city called Limerick in Ireland and guess what one of its nicknames is? STAB CITY – Guns are illegal but criminals still find a way to commit crime and hurt people. In fact violence got so bad in Limerick a few years ago, the police could not cope and had to call in the military. Guess gun control really works then!
I really hate making a political point when an innocent victim is lying in hospital (but he is in a stable condition), but this issue is too important. I would like to highlight a story from England where a young man was stabbed and then robbed. Now some liberals might be tempted to say well then we got to ban knives and we all can use plastic cutlery to eat – you know it makes us all safer. I would like to point out this young man was also hit with a brick – would liberals like to ban that to? I am sure there are some liberals would say yes and might suggest we live in a straw house. This story highlights the simple truth. There is no law that any government can pass to stop crime. Bad people who want to do bad things will not let something like more gun laws to stop them and if they cannot get a gun, they will just use something else.
However I believe gun control is not a special issue to the left. I believe it is just another part of the left’s attack on individualism in the hope of government gaining CONTROL. There is a famous parable from the bible which I believe is the battle we are fighting today, “give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him how to fish and he lives forever” or in other words Liberty versus Tyranny. The world needs to have a debate on this parable.
• The left wants the government to cater to your every need, to give you the fish, and make you dependent on the government which is tyranny.
• The right (The Tea Party is a huge help but the GOP always fights our creditability) needs to unite behind a message including – we will teach you how to fish, we will empower you as an individual and help you become self-sufficient which is liberty.
Which side are you on? The choice is yours. As for me, Patrick Henry summed it up perfectly “Give me liberty or give me death”.
* Originally published at Patriot Update