A house divided…
One of our greatest leaders in this country once gave a great speech in which the introduction from that speech applies to gun owners today. Today as gun owners we are divided, and as Abraham Lincoln “A house divided against itself cannot stand.“ It is important to note that we gun owners are currently divided against each other and we must unite or we will loose. Perhaps it is time for each of the different camps to spend a little time in each others shoes, I like to think of myself as a Balanced gun owner and I hope that you also, or at the very least are willing to become one.
There are currently 5 camps in the gun owners world, members of which are dead set on “These other gun owners want to toss me under the bus” mentality. The first camp is called the “Fudds” by the others. They are hunters and outdoorsmen who who’s firearms are threatened every time there stories and potential legisilation about “sniper rifles”. The second camp is called the “Rambo’s wannabe’s” by their peers. They own and shoot “Evil Black Rifles” that were banned under the Clinton so-called “Assault Weapons Ban.” The third camp that is responsible for the in fighting are called the “Wyatt Earps” or “Doc Holidays” by their peers. They carry guns on their person and have a more defensive nature for their firearms. The next camp we come to is the “Professionals” whose lives may depend on their firearms. The Professionals carry and use firearms as part of their job which could be Law Enforcement, Security, or Military. Finally we have the “Competitors” camp who use firearms to compete in sanctioned competitions.
The Clinton so called “Assault Weapons Ban” affected Some of the “Fudds”, had a serious impact on the “Rambo Wannabes”, affected the “Wyatt Earps”/”Doc Holidays”, Affected the non-government portion of the “Professionals”, and impacted the “Competitors” showing that we all can be hurt by bad legislation. The current political climate is ripe for an effort to repeat a greatly expanded and much more permanent so called “Assult Weapons Ban” that will affect firearms that were not included in the original. If this happens we may never again see the level of freedom we enjoy today.
Once more we come back to the quote “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Our opponents are united against us and yet we have all been calling each other names and fighting over minor things, this must change or we will loose our rights. First off lets refer to each other as gun owners, Second lets get membership up in groups that defend our rights, Third lets go and join at least one of the other camps. Finally lets contact the politicians and let them know that if they attempt to take away our rights then they will loose their jobs. Should we do this as a united mass of gun owners they will have to listen. If we try it as five different camps then they will say “We have to ban the very dangerous assault weapons, but it will only be those.” Next it maybe “We have to stop people from carrying a gun anywhere they feel like so we are banning carrying of arms in public, but thats all we intend to do.” Then it maybe “We have to ban those extremely dangerous sniper rifles that ignore bullet proof vests, but those are all we will ban.” Finally they will come to the competitors who will have to have their firearms stored in a government approved facility and can only use them when when allowed for practice and competition. Eventually they will even turn on the professionals who will not be able to carry unless they are working and have a so called “legitimate” need for them.
I hunt with an AR15 while my daily carry stays concealed on me, so I like to think of myself as a balanced gun owner. I try not to see “Fudds”, “Rambo wannabes”, “Wyatt Earps”/”Doc Holidays”, Professionals, or competitors as I prefer to see “gun owners”. I try to introduce new people to the shooting sports, I have signed up people for the NRA and I have encouraged people to join the other gun owners groups. I strongly believe that we must unite our divided house before it falls in on our heads. Will you join with me and unite with other gun owners before its too late?