Originally posted by beet1e
It made bugger all difference to me personally.
Isn't this always the case when freedoms are taken away, even rarely used freedoms. Since the change in the law doesn't effect the majority of people, they simply don't care. Moreover, they don't care that a small minority have lost something they valued.
That's why incrementalism is so insidious. It exploits the people's unwillingness to defend the rights and freedoms of small groups. Take away rights and freedoms in tiny increments and the masses won't notice or care. Gun ownership in Britain has never been widespread. Yet, there were gunowners who lost some personal freedom. However, because they were uneffected, the masses (Beet1e being one of them) couldn't care less.
Ben Franklin spoke well when he said, "Anyone who would trade a little of their freedom for a little security; deserves neither" (paraphrased).
A lazy democracy is the worst kind. During the two years I lived in Europe, I never saw anything that remotely approached the level of political activism that exists in the USA among the general population. Many Europeans see the political hullabalu in America as uncivilized mayhem. However, we like it that way. We thrive on the mayhem. Probably because we have a far more chaotic society and by nature and breeding, are a rebellious people.
After the end of WWII, German generals were interviewed to determine their opinion of the American soldiers they fought against. This was instituted to determine if changes in training and command structure were needed. When asked why he thought the American army was so adaptable to changing battlefield circumstances, German Field Marshal Kesselring replied: "The reason the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis." Naturally, the American Army is nothing more than a reflection of the American people.
In the 1970s a Soviet officer made the following notation in his personal journal: "One of the serious problems in planning the fight against American doctrine, is that the Americans do not read their manuals, nor do they feel any obligation to follow their doctrine."
Amen Comrade.....
We shall see what the future holds, but as it appears now, Britain has gained no increased security via their gun ban. But they have surrendered a bit of their freedom.
Despite his obvious derangement in his later years, as a young man Mao Tse Dung wrote: "All political power comes from the muzzle of a gun." He was right.
Can any European grasp what would happen if a US President issued an Executive Order to confiscate all privately owned firearms? Do they understand that his nation fought a civil war over issues less volatile than this? That is why incrementalism is the preferred method, because the left recognizes that any overt gun-grab attempt would be met with unimaginable violence that the government might not survive. If I were still in the military and was ordered to collect personal firearms, I would refuse. Under the UCMJ, I can refuse any illegal order. Moreover, I have taken an oath to defend the Constitution against ALL enemies, both foreign and DOMESTIC. That oath did not expire when I received my honorable discharge. The left understands that most police departments would refuse to enforce any such order. They also know that the military (rank and file) would resist as well.
We are a nation of sharp contrasts. We are a difficult people to understand. We are often self-righteous. We are impatient with dawdlers. We have zero tolerance for foreign interference in our domestic affairs. We are often ill-mannered and prone to being hotheaded. I believe that most Americans recognize these things. But we also have a low tolerance for being looked down upon by many younger Europeans who seem to forget that their current freedom was founded upon the power, treasure and blood of the unsophisticated Americans who never asked for anything in return but respect. During my most recent visit to Europe, I was shocked at how the current generation, who never watched the Nazis march thru their cities, who never fought for their national existance, how they displayed virtually no respect for the sacrifices made by their grandfathers and those of America and Britain in bringing freedom to their lands. It was stunning to listen to their idiotic and distorted view of history (you will find that Hitler is viewed by a growing number of students as being a misguided genius and that anti-semitism is florishing in universities). I think Europe needs to spend more time looking at itself rather than at America.
Yes, we certainly have our faults. However, we haven't forgotten how we got to where we are. American's clearly have a better understanding of the price of freedom and no small amount of us believe that the right to keep and bear arms is an integral part of our Constitution and would resist the loss of that freedom as violently as we would the loss of free speech.
*Nemo me impune lacesset......
I always thought the country should have adopted the Gadsden flag of the revolution. It was a gem..
My regards,
Widewing
*Translates to: No one will provoke me with impunity.
