I HAVEN'T HAD TO KILL ANYBODY YET

Crime is exploding in all of our major cities. The politicians, of course, are blaming guns. We have to get rid of guns. Nobody needs these assault weapons of war. Nobody needs a magazine that will hold fifteen rounds of ammunition. One city, San Jose, Calif., has even passed a law requiring individuals to carry liability insurance in order to carry guns. Wow, that ought to fix it. 

 

I have a question. Who thinks for one moment that gang bangers, armed with stolen guns, ready to kill at any time, are going to rush out and buy liability insurance for these weapons? Why is it so difficult for politicians to understand that gun crimes are committed by bad guys, not law abiding citizens? Regardless of how many gun laws you pass, it isn't going to have any effect on the people who are committing these gun crimes. Chicago, which has some of the most restrictive gun laws in this country, is the murder capital of the country. 

 

Personally, I have owned guns for most of my life. I have had extensive training in the use of firearms. I have enough ammunition to last quite a while if I had to. And, guess what? I haven't had to kill anybody yet. I have a conceal/carry permit and so does my wife. We, and people like us, are not the problem. And, by the way, while I use these guns for hunting, I also have them for the purpose of self protection. Protection not just from criminals but also protection from my own government.  

 

It should be pointed out to these politicians that there are probably more guns in this country than people. One of the first things dictators do when they try to take over a country is to ban weapons. They do that so they won't have to face those guns. 

 

Does anybody believe Castro would have been able to take over Cuba if the Cubans were armed? The message is clear. Disarmed people are subjects and armed people are citizens. 

 

My view on the gun control issue, as you might expect, is a bit different. Most of the people who are arrested for committing crimes today have long records of crimes and convictions. Why are they on the street and not in jail? What do you have to do to be put in jail? I can remember when auto theft was punishable by a minimum of twenty years in prison. I saw a case recently where a twenty year old was arrested for auto theft and an examination of his record showed he had been convicted three times in the past for the same crime and had served his time. What? How much time? Without a doubt he should have been in prison. 

 

Now let's examine the current position of the Democrats. They want to abolish guns. They want to defund the police. They want to open our borders to anybody who shows up. They want to abolish cash bail. What could possibly go wrong if they get their wishes? Do you think you would be safe in your home or even on the street?

 

I have some suggestions for these liberal cream puffs. How about we give as much regard and concern to victims as we do for criminals. How about we stiffen our laws and punishments for the bad guys who never seem to get the message. How about we show support for law enforcement instead of constantly trying to blame them for the crime they are working to eliminate.  

 

It might be wise for us to consider a famous Benjamin Franklin quote. Loosely translated he said, those who would trade liberty for security will get neither nor will they deserve it. I'm with Ben. Deal with crime by dealing with criminals and leave the good guys alone.

 

Ron Scarbro July 20, 2021