Citizens Are Free To Arm Themselves–Servants Are Denied Such Right…
New York Times writer Nicholas Kristof published a recent column: “Killer Speaks Blunt Truth About Gun Control”. It’s a long winded piece of drivel, substantially devoid of the credible and analytically reasoned analysis that this topic deserves.
Mr. Kristof’s rant reaches epoch proportions, as he proffers the perspectives of a convicted murderer in support of his anti-gun agenda. The expert Mr. Kristof quotes is incarcerated in a maximum security prison for killing an acquaintance during a drug quarrel.
Mr. Kristof’s distortions and convoluted reasoning stands in the face of Washington, Jefferson, Franklin and Madison.
The horrifying lessons of history indicate that governments are capable of committing atrocities against their people. In every case these genocides began with gun-control.
Cognizant of government’s inherent tendency to fixate on grasping more power and control, Thomas Jefferson wrote: “It’s the right and duty of the people to be armed at all times”. Laws disarming honest citizens, declare that the government is the master, not the servant, of the people.
A government that fails to protect its citizens has no right to deprive them of the means to defend themselves. Bureaucracies aren’t under any legal obligation to protect and save life. A fact ignored by zealots and the media is that handguns are used by good people to prevent crimes and save lives on an average of 2.7 million times per year.
The sale and purchase of assault rifles (automatic firing) is illegal. This is a politically spun term designed to create fear and support for those who want to restrict private gun ownership. At present there are more than 20,000 laws on the books that regulate a citizen’s ‘right to bear arms’. A collective emphasis needs to be placed on crime-control, not gun control.
I don’t like firearms. Proficient in their use, I prefer activities that are more in line with the arts. However, it’s a blessing to know that if I so desire, I may purchase the means to protect myself.
A nation’s people who are subjugated, completely at the mercy of a corrupted government and its politicians, is unsettling. I’m comforted by those who are clearly intolerant of a controlling authority that is heavily armed, while its citizens cower before their overseers, forbidden access to a reasonable means to defend themselves.
Under the best of circumstances, governments turn on their subjects. Government genocide and mass murders for the 20th and 21st centuries have been researched out to total 262,000,000 people. Obama’s and Bushes’ 16 year rule will add to this total.
A reasonable means to resist Fascism must remain available, if we desire to maintain any semblance of freedom. It keeps the inherent over-reaching leanings of government in check. Our founders knew that without a 2nd Amendment the government’s creeping power, no matter how well intentioned, would eradicated our hard fought for liberties.
We’ve been incessantly lied to, deceived and manipulated by a foray of American presidents. Under their regimes innocent citizens were killed (both foreign and domestic), law-abiding individuals were wrongfully imprisoned and ordinary folks were censored and harmed for their political beliefs.
It’s a little early to stand naked before such power.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Donnelly
John Donnelly, a resident of Key Largo was born, raised and went to high school in the South Bronx. Upon graduation he was awarded several scholarships to college. He chose to enlist in the United Sates Marine Corps.
While serving in Vietnam John was wounded in action. He received two meritorious promotions, one during combat.
Upon discharge and return to America, John had a difficult time transitioning back into civilian life. He found himself homeless for the next 4 years.
As he worked out some troublesome concerns, he began to yearn to make some sense of his experiences via education. He sought and received his GI Bill benefits. He applied and was admitted to New York University. He later transfered to the University of Miami where he graduated on the President’s Honor Roll.
John secured a teaching position at a Maximum Security Prison Facility for criminally insane adolescents. While working there he earned a Master of Science degree from Florida International University. He graduated Summa Cum Laude.
John spent the next 20 years teaching elementary and high school students, while doing some coaching and instructing as an adjunct college professor.
John was the recipient of the Mayor Stephen P. Clark award, which recognized him as an “Outstanding Educator”. During this time he continued his work clothing, feeding and counseling the homeless.
John has been acknowledged by the Disabled American Veterans, the Miami Vet Center and the Veterans Council of Monroe County for his efforts on behalf of homeless and addicted veterans.
Recently, John was privileged to spearhead the successful release of a wrongfully accused inmate who faced 3 life sentences, without the possibility of parole, for crimes that he did not commit. This young man has since been returned to his twin sons and graduated with honors from one of our nation’s premier vocational colleges.
John continues to research and write on issues facing our ‘One Human Family’.
hear hear and as a card carrying member of GOA i salute you.
I find your finger pointing amusing…One man’s “truth” is another man’s “rant”…The defense of the second amendment is consistently linked with the specter of the government taking away your guns. Not going to happen. The slippery slopers need to get a grip and stop gnashing their teeth. We regulate all sorts of things in this country and the sky does not fall.
Truly a brilliant expose. Reasoned, well-thought out and beautifully written. The picture introducing the article is spectacular. How refreshing it is to get the ‘rest of the story’ and read an intelligent reply to those frothy and emotional appeals, to deny those American citizens, who choose to arm themselves, with the means to do so. Alex Symington claims that “we regulate all sorts things”, none of these things are a “Constitutional Right”, born of a bloody struggle. The enormous suffering endured by our founders during the seven years of our Revolutionary War, made it certain that the 2nd right given to the citizens of this newly formed nation would be the 2nd Amendment. As the other poster, I salute Donnelly as well. Thank you for publishing his penetrating perspectives.
My head is spinning. Finally, an analysis that bears down on the truth behind this precious right of the American people. A ‘curriculum changer’, to be included in every student’s history class. It is not about guns… It’s about Freedom, Mr. Symington.
I’m sure that private gun ownership, including “assault rifles (automatic firing)” will protect us from our government’s drones.
As for personal protection, the NRA has refused,for over 50 years, to protect my 2nd Amendment right to bear a sawed-off shotgun. Automatic “street sweeper” shotguns are the BEST home-protection firearms you can purchase.
Damn the anti-gun NRA!
I’ve never liked nor cared for guns. But I do know how valuable they are if you need one to save your life, or the life of someone else.
Why should our government, the power that controls every aspect of our lives, be the only ones armed. They bully and push people around enough as it is. Should we have no means to resist them?
These people that want to deny a person the right “to keep and bear arms” are a strange and dangerous bunch. They make me feel uncomfortable. Diane
Students of history realize the veracity of Mr. Donnelly’s words. How can anyone be so blind and ignorant to the unfortunate realities surrounding this issue. Of course the Government wants to disarm its citizens. Control and forceful agendas will have little, if any resistance. Government knows best.
Control Crime–Aggressively Prosecute gun crimes with the 20,000 plus laws that are on the books–Publicize lengthy and severe prison sentences for gun violence–If you Kill someone with a firearm–you are expeditiously executed, publicly–Murder is a serious crime, taken seriously.
–Teach gun safety programs for children, such as the very creative Eddy Eagle Program put forth by the NRA–As stated by the author guns are used 2.7 million times a year to stop crime.
Prevent the ATF and associative government agencies from engaging in schemes to demonize gun ownership, such as their infamous ‘fast and furious’ operation, which killed a border agent and put 2,000 AK-47’s into the hands of drug dealers on our southern border.
We must stand up to the insanity being doled out by those who haven’t any answers to the problem, other than to surrender over to the government a right guaranteed to us in our Constitution. The government does not need more Power—
Ok…Everybody take a deep breath and relax. We’re all Americans and our beliefs are all legitimate. I respect everyone’s right to own firearms. I wish the passion of the second amendment supporters was equally showered on our first and fourth amendments. In my humble estimation, those are the amendments in real danger of being perverted and dismantled. Happy New Year.
mr symington what part of “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” do you not understand?
it does not say ‘may’ not it says ‘shall’ not!
the fascist/communist/marxist/collectivist mindset must be rejected in all its disguises.
Mr. Wanka, you ignore the rest of the words in that amendment, which conveniently gets ignored by the gun fanatics. The true intention of the 2nd amendment is highly subject to interpretation, and using it as a carte blanch commandment allowing any and all forms of anything having to do with “arms” is a major over-reach….
The macho/big-loud-toys/ignore-ramifications/end-of-days mindset must be rejected in all its disguises….
It’s fantastic, more sense has been made in this one essay, then all of proffered noise chronically replicated by the ideologues and their minions, determined to “infringe upon the right of the people to keep and bear arms”.
Oh! Forgive me they know what’s best for America. They know what will preserve life, maintain our freedom and keep us safe. Just like Obamacare is going to take care of all our medical needs and concerns, as we will still be able to maintain our insurance policies, premiums and the doctors that we’ve come to trust and love.
Government is miraculous.
Happy and grateful that you picked up this piece.
I am the NRA. Along with 4.7 million other Americans and their families, we value the rights and principles contained in our founding documents.
mr lybrand i surely do not ignore the Supreme Court’s opinion in ‘district of columbia vs heller’
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/07-290.ZS.html
please note its an individual right not one reserved to milita in fact the 2nd congress defined milita as every free individual being ‘required’ to own a military style firearm with adaquate ammunition. the 2nd ammendment read is very clear to comprehend and
your liberal/collectivist type argundo dosen’t hold water. no it is not “subject to interpretation” as your misdirection implies.
mr symington thank you for your respect of the 2nd ammendment and i do agree equal passion needs be shown for the 1st and the 4th indeed. i too am astonished at the lax of protest to uphold the 1st and 4th.
Mr. Symington, there would not be a First and Fourth Amendment, without the 2nd…
The pen is mightier than the sword, however, the sword has maintained the pen’s might.
George, I think they go well together. Not to beat this horse any further, but I don’t care how many guns one has, the government has more and badder weapons and if they want to “take over” in some tyrannical fashion it will happen. That’s why the pen is what keeps the government in line, not your popguns in the closet.
Alex Symington and David Lybrand, please get a grip. You’re far too emotional on this matter. As you know, an intelligent and scientific review requires a clear head devoid of all bias and prejudice. Ideologues have no business in a discussion such as this. They’ve already drank the Kool-aid. Their indoctrinated minds only regurgitate the propaganda that has infected them.
Some of the gibberish that both of you have been promoting in your frothy emotional appeals are beneath you. You guys have gone bonkers with your rants. They don’t make any sense.
I may appear dumb to some at times, however, there are instances when it is best for me to remain silent, rather than to remove all doubt.
Those who would give up essential liberties, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety.
— Benjamin Franklin
To disarm the people (is) the best and most effectual way to enslave them.
— George Mason, 3 Elliot, Debates at 380
A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity.
— Sigmond Freud, General Introduction to Psychoanalysis
… the very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference — they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good.”
― George Washington
“The unarmed man is not just defenseless – he is also contemptible.” – Machiavelli
“Gun bans don’t disarm criminals, gun bans attract them.” – Walter Mondale, Democrat, former Vice President
“Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest.” – Mahatma Ghandi, 1927
“That rifle on the wall of the labourer’s cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there.”
– George Orwell
“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
– The Dalai Lama, May 15, 2001, The Seattle Times
“All political power comes from the barrel of a gun. The communist party must command all the guns, that way, no guns can ever be used to command the party.”
– Mao Tze Tung, Nov 6 1938ment
“No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government”
– Thomas Jefferson, 1 Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334
“Germans who wish to use firearms should join the SS or the SA — ordinary citizens don’t need guns, as their having guns doesn’t serve the state.” – Heinrich Himmler, Nazi
“The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation.”
― Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf
“Today we need a nation of Minute Men; citizens who are not only prepared to take up arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as a basic purpose of their daily life…” – John Kennedy January 29, 1961
“Certainly one of the chief guarantees of freedom under any government, no matter how popular and respected, is the right of citizens to keep and bear arms…. The right of citizens to bear arms is just one guarantee against arbitrary government, one more safeguard against the tyranny which now appears remote in America but which historically has proven to be always possible. ”
— Senator Hubert H. Humphrey
After reading this article and the adjoining comments, along with my many conversations about this topic, it’s clear to me that instability and fanaticism rests squarely in the camps of those wanting to ‘infringe upon’ or do away with the 2nd Amendment. They are indeed scary people.
Maybe they have a deep seated mental disorder that triggers an unsubstantiated fear of firearms. They should get their troubled minds treated, rather than force law-abiding citizens to surrender their rights under the Constitution.
It amazes me to see comments like this that could just as easily replace the target names (e.g., Alex’s and mine) with the writer’s name (e.g., Mr. Martin and Mr. Wanka and others) and without changing a single other word it would be a perfectly valid statement. And of course far far more of HUMANITY would agree with THAT version of it, than the band of paranoid anti-humanist greedy “I’ve got mine, the hell with the rest of the world” gun nuts who think THEY are the ones with the ultimate truths.
But of course that’s always what happens in America when even the slightest attempt to save lives by sensible restrictions on access to dangerous toys arises. They crawl out of their bunkers and grunt loudly. Thankfully most of us can avoid their fantasy world by tuning out such gibberish and continue to try to do some GOOD for the world while they gnash their teeth and stockpile more toys……
lybrand you sir are the nut here! your libtard ranting is that of the ‘gun grabber’ who blathers and babbles for gun control. all emotional clap trap with no facts to support your theorys. in fact the opposite exists in the world void of your illusions. just observe chiacgo as a prime example of your ‘gun control’ limitations. then observe the same in nyc and washington dc and any number of gun restricted jurisdictions. i rest my case! btw you may wish to read trent lotts book ‘more guns less crime’ but it may cause you to confront your liberal edu-indoctrination underpinnings and we couldn’t have that now could we!
correction john lott
It is already happening in New York state. In some of the socialist cities as well.
This was done with ” Operation Exile” OE promoted federal gun crime laws and sentencing in area where the criminal was used to a revolving door justice system. The criminal would receive real hard time for committing a crime with a firearm.The same repeat violent felon that was afraid of robbing a bank was now afraid of robbing a 7-11 . The criminal did not want to serve a mandatory long sentence in the federal pen.
What type of sensible restrictions would have prevented or reduced any of the school massacres from happening? Nothing.
After the massacre in my town last year our village was overrun with national and international news organizations. I am half Swiss , hence I speak german. I was interviewed by many german news stations. The news person would ask me if gun control would have prevented the deaths . I told them that criminals do not abide by laws. Scotland and Denmark have the strictest gun control in the world and they still had mass school shootings. I then would ask them” Hey, you had a guy that moved to Germany from Austria once. You elected him leader and he gave you gun control. How did that work out for you all ??”” End of interview .
In the history of our country there was never any question about the intention and meaning of the second amendment. Only after a few decades of anti freedom indoctrination of college and university students by marxist professors have people questioned it. Indoctrinated people think all of the articles in the bill of rights pertain to personal freedoms except the second one ?? The most senior , liberal member of congress is the former president of The NRA. The indoctrinated democrat members of congress can’t stand it when Congressman Dingell(D Michigan) lectures them on The Second Amendment. It totally conflicts with what they have been indoctrinated with by their marxist professors.
“Blaaah blah blaaah blaaah blah…..”
David Lybrand, it amazes me how you can publicly write such distortions, absurdities and contradictions. Your mental state is alarmingly dysfunctional.
Delusional as you are, you continue to plow forward. Haven’t you any shame.
Mahatma Gandhi and the Dali Lama support the ‘gun nuts’ that you trash. Please read their posted quotes.
The nasty name calling slurs that you use to denigrate supporters of the 2nd Amendment, is a reckless attribute employed by many on your side.
Referring to firearms as toys desired by a band of greedy paranoid ant-humanists, who crawl out of their bunkers to grunt loudly, is an ignorant remark.
I’m not disappointed by your comments, for I believe as Sigmund Freud, you are a very sick individual. “A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity.
— Sigmond Freud, General Introduction to Psychoanalysis
Mr. Lybrand, unfortunately for you, your unhinged and unstable emotional state of mind has been exposed. I’m grateful that you abhor firearms. Your angry and threatening nature is a possible danger to society. Deeply disturbed as you are, you should not be armed.
Guns are instruments of freedom. They have liberated the world from tyrannical despots since their invention. They were used in the formation of our Nation.
Criminals and despots will always have high powered firearms. Law-abiding citizens will never match the governments weaponry. However, if these firearms’ owners maintain a reasonable means to forcibly access those in government who control such weaponry, a deterrent to tyranny will be maintained.
As previously stated, governments no matter how well intentioned, have turned on their citizens. Murdering, torturing and imprisoning them for no legitimate reason.
The 2nd Amendment and our Bill of Rights are an attempt to protect us from such a catastrophic event. Donnelly and The Blue Paper are Ambassadors of Freedom……
Hey, amazingly, I can pass along quotes, too:
“By a curiosity of evolution, every human skull harbors a prehistoric vestige: a reptilian brain. This atavism, like a hand grenade cushioned in the more civilized surrounding cortex, is the dark hive where many of mankind’s primitive impulses originate. To go partners with that throwback, Americans have carried out of their own history another curiosity that evolution forgot to discard as the country changed from a sparsely populated, underpoliced agrarian society to a modern industrial civilization. That vestige is the gun – most notoriously the handgun, an anachronistic tool still much in use.”
–Lance Morrow
Or how about:
“No one’s taking away ALL the guns. But now I get it, now I see what’s happening. So this is what it is. Their paranoid fear of a possible dystopic future prevents us from addressing our actual dystopic present. We can’t even begin to address 30,000 gun deaths that are actually, in reality, happening in this country every year because a few of us must remain vigilant against the rise of imaginary Hitler.”
— John Stewart
But hey, thank you for your diagnosis! I always wondered why I (and far far more Americans than the loud deadly toy fanatics) are so deranged…..
yep lybrand you sure got to the bottom if it ya did! like a stout card carrying libtard when thier show is over and they’ve run out of alinsky marxist bullshit.
lance morrow of time magazine? liberal journalist professor? fine ‘unbiased’ publication eh? how collectivist can it get?
john stewart? the sarcastic comedy goofball guy on tv? real great quote choices lybrand!
This former KGB agent will explain how they were able to socialize these ant constitution people.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeMZGGQ0ERk
Why thank you, Mr. Wanka! I was afraid I’d be accused of cherry-picking/out-of-context quoting like 90% of the quotes the gun-slingers love to toss around…..
your sure seem proud of the publication that conspired for this quote!
“We are grateful to the Washington Post, NY Times, Time magazine & other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings & respected their promises of discretion for almost 40 years. It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But, the world is now more sophisticated & prepared to march towards a world govt. The supranational sovereignty of an intellectual elite & world bankers is surely preferable to the national auto-determination practiced in past centuries.” — David Rockefeller, Baden-Baden, Germany 1991.
i would assume you support agenda 21 also.
The 30,000 deaths per year stats are agenda driven false states. The anti gun people conflate gun deaths committed by police in the line of duty as well as suicides in that figure. Also criminals that have been killed by their victims are included in that 30,000. I would like to believe that you were misinformed instead of being untruthful with us. Please look into counter information the next time you are critical of our bill of rights. Furthermore if you subtract the gun deaths committed by illegal aliens and accidents , that would also reduce the number. In a perfect world we would not need guns for self protection. Guess what, this is not a perfect world.
An open and measured article like this one, which examines the clear and present danger of gun control, is a valuable instrument that can be utilized to generate a serious discussion addressing every citizen’s concern.
I was uncomfortable with the 2nd amendment and private gun ownership. My liberal democratic upbringing indoctrinated me with their gun hating propaganda.
Many of my family members were gassed and burned in Hitler’s ovens.Even though I was aware of the gun-control measures that were a part of this genocide, I had a difficult time freeing myself from the ideologies of the left.
Perhaps I was frightened of the harsh consequences that awaited me, from the political correctness police.
I’m no longer a child dependent upon others to do my thinking for me. I’ve developed the clarity of mind to do my own independent analysis of the issue. I’ve sought the truth through my extensive travels through Europe, visiting the sites where my family was exterminated during Hitler’s genocides.
Berlin was the jewel of Europe, the German government cared about its people and only wanted what was best for them……
No other right in our Bill of Rights, is as necessary as the 2ND Amendment. I weep for the society that is unable to realize its importance
Excessive, unjustified and illegal deadly force is an all too common practice by governments and their police forces. In the Florida Keys there are 47 law enforcement agencies licensed to use deadly force.
Who protects the ordinary citizen from rogue elements within each one of these agencies. Or is their primary objective to band together and protect themselves from law-abiding citizens.
The courts have ruled that law enforcement is not under any statutory obligation to protect the people.
If there are corrupt government agents with enormous firepower, who are not required to protect the people who pay their salaries, May I Please Have The Means To Protect Myself And MY Family…………..
Freedom is a precious commodity. A compromised or corrupted government, criminals, and tyrants must know that there is a price to pay if they should ever turn on their citizens.
Bullies must be stood up to. They are cowards at heart and pick their prey carefully. As long as a Free People has the means to stand up to a Bully, they will keep it in check. The spirit of an armed citizenry is, and will always be, a deterrent.
Very entertaining thread. I am just happy to know that no children actually died in the Sandy Hook false flag event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1yfJDCMU64