Did anyone doubt that the Orlando atrocity would trigger a wave of gun-banning sentiment? Dancing in the blood of the innocent is what those people do.

We have some Democrats screaming for Prohibitionistic legislation already. And, according to Breitbart, some Republicans willing to negotiate away the rights of law-abiding citizens.

On the other hand, a few media sources are reaching out to both sides and doing some research.

The prohibitionists are gonna ride this thing at a gallop. Remember how they ramrodded the egregious SAFE Act through the NY State Legislature in a fevered over-reaction to the atrocity at Sandy Hook Elementary School? Picture the same in much larger scope.  Might be a good time to remind your elected representatives where you stand.

42 COMMENTS

  1. We’re dealing with average people that know very little or nothing about firearms. I can call the local officials.

  2. Dear Representative,

    I am writing to thank you for your support of the Second Amendment and to urge you, especially during this time when our rights are under attack, to continue to support and uphold the right of all American citizens to bear arms.

    At this time we face vague, ubiquitous threats of terrorism all around us. As you know, most of the high-profile shootings in recent years have occurred in places where guns are prohibited. Unfortunately many of your colleagues in government are working very hard to restrict and even altogether eliminate our right to bear arms in self-defense. They are using the recent act of terrorism in Orlando as a catalyst for their agenda. But as I’m sure you are aware, no law on the books today would have stopped this particular terrorist; he would have been able to obtain his weapons even if we had many of the more draconian laws that some are proposing as a solution. A look at the recent terrorist attack in France in November 2015 is also instructive: France’s extremely restrictive gun laws did not stop the terrorists from obtaining and bringing automatic rifles, hand grenades, and suicide belts to destroy 137 people.

    Now more than ever is a time for law-abiding Americans to exercise their right to bear arms daily, outside the home. We must work to reduce the number of places where concealed firearms are prohibited. An armed citizenry is not only a deterrent to crime and violence, it can also be a first line of defense against acts of terrorism that may occur in the future.

    Thank you,

  4. I had no doubt that would happen. I am trying to educate a friend right now who posted a comment on social media about banning military grade weapons and the second amendment. After my comment she admitted she knows nothing about firearms. I believe that is a too common problem on not only gun control sentiment but all issues is that people or uneducated or misinformed.

  6. Not to minimize the Orlando tragedy, which appears to have been preventable if mainstream media sources are correct, I sure wish Americans would confront the truly serious threats we and the rest of the world are facing: endemic plutocratic political corruption, the corporate national security state, the endless war on terror, nuclear weapons, climate change and so on. Apparently too many folks are more concerned about throwaway electronic media, junk TV and buying foreign-made trash at Walmart.

  8. Incrementalism. The favorite tool of those who would strip liberty from our society.

    First, convince as many people as possible that something is bad/evil. If it is a common part of society, you convince folks that if they can just agree to some common sense restrictions, life will be better for everyone. In order to accomplish this, it must be something that is not universally practiced, thus, easier to convince those that will not be affected by the restrictions, to agree.

    Take smoking as an example. A substantial portion of the population were smokers when the anti-smoking movement began. No amount of information on the ill effects to the smoker himself, from his habit, was going to convince him/her to submit to restrictions on when/where they could light up. Progressive solution? Convince those who were non-smokers that your smoking was hazardous to THEIR health. Now you have a movement.

    Then comes the incrementalism. Can’t we all agree that banning smoking on an elevator is not too much to ask? Then the lobby. Then the common work areas. Then the private offices. Then the entire building. Then within 100ft. of the building entrance. You get the picture.

    From the anti-smoking movement’s inception, the media and public schools got on board, demonizing not only tobacco, but also the evil tobacco user.

    Why would they change successful tactics when it comes to their war on guns?

    Heck, I would not doubt that some in this crowd, who were once tobacco users, are now quick to look down their noses, in critical disgust, when they see someone light up, even in one of the few legal spots they can.

    Yep, their tactics work. Have no doubts that we are, at most, one generation away from the same end results with guns. Your grand-kids will one day tell your great-grand kids, ” my granddad used to have one of those things, but they took them away because everyone knows now, they were just too dangerous for civilians to keep”.

    Sad, but true.

  9. Congratulations! (Senator Steve Daines)

    We just learned that the Anti-Firearms Brady Group have “Rated You as Being a “Pro-Gun Lap Dog”!

    Again, we say Congratulations, and Keep Up the Good Work!

    Especially, now that that Islamic Muslim Jihadist Terrorist Killed all those Night Clubbers in Orlando, and provided the Anti-Firearms Democrats, and Liberals, with another chance to sound “Reasonable”, while again taking another step towards “Disarming” the Honest, Law Abiding, American Citizens, at this very moment in time when our “1,000 year enemies”, The Islamic Muslim Jihadist Terror’s are just Ramping Up their campaign to Attack, Murder, and Enslave all Non-Muslim Infidel’s, including most American Citizens!

    You have only to look at the way the Muslim’s “Sharia Law” holds their own Females as being no more than the mere “Property” of Islamic Males, or the way that Islamic Jihadist Males abuse, and “Gang Rape,” any American Female “Prisoners of War” in their custody, despite those captured woman’s war wounds, and broken bones, and their Rights under the Geneva Convention as being treated as a “Prisoners of War”!

    Paul, and Pam, E
    Stevensville, Montana

    PS: Senator Jon Tester, and Representative Ryan Zinke: If you except OUR VOTES, You’ll Both have to work much harder, to Obtain Your Own “Lap Dog” Status from the Brady Anti-Firearms Group!

  11. America is a very dangerous country. There are guns everywhere, and the American people are crazy Rambos. What we need to do is get the guns away from those bloodthirsty Americans. Oh, but we need to make deals with Iran, the world’s Number One sponsor of terror, so they can get nuclear missiles! And let’s give the Iranians $150 billion dollars so they can use it to do some good in the world.

  12. I have called and written my Senators and Representative so many times about the 2nd Amendment that I am afraid they no longer open my emails..

  13. I have just dropped off every one of my firearms at my local police station to be immediately destroyed as I don’t want any of them to suddenly appear at nightclubs and other locations where people congregate and slaughter those innocent folks. The only request I made of the police when I turned in my evil guns was that they not be melted down as this would contribute greatly to global warming.

  14. To quote Wayne LePierre, “Have they lost their minds?!” Why would the NRA consider opening the door to the Terror Watch List when they should be boarding up the windows? Everything the NRA has every said about the dangers of the watch lists is still true. Tragedy has not changed a deeply flawed system.

    “The bill written by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., would allow the Justice Department to block gun sales to watch-listed individuals, whom she called “known or suspected terrorists,” if authorities have a “reasonable belief that the weapon would be used in connection with terrorism.” – McClatchyDC.com

    The problem is Feinstein and all the other gun grabbers don’t have “reasonable beliefs”. They stuck the knife in the backs of gun owners in 1968 while exploiting other tragedies. The knife is still there; they are just twisting it with a vengeance.

  15. Waste of time contacting my senators. One of them is the asshole who plans to filibuster until they ‘do something’.

  16. What the U.S. is facing now is the combined attack of external and internal oppressive movements. Oppressive movements form when a critical mass of humanity falls under the sway of an oppressive ideology. By this, I mean an ideology that simultaneously (1) promises its followers that it has a “magic formula” that will dramatically improve the world and (2) promotes an “Us” versus “them” mindset that dehumanizes the identified opposition group.

    The external oppressive movement is “Radical Islam”. It promises its followers an improved world that is consistent with their narrow view of Allah’s will. It dehumanizes anyone who disagrees with this narrow vision as “Infidels”. Once these infidels are dehumanized enough, then it is perfectly fine to murder them, to behead them, gun them down in large numbers or blow them up. Allah will reward you for it! That is an example of the type of thinking inspired by an oppressive ideological movement.

    The internal oppressive movement is “left-wing political correctness”. It consists of a whole set of polices that also promise, to its “true believers”, an improved world. It is a world which is promised to be free of injustice, racism, poverty and crime. A world of peace where no one has or even wants “weapons of war”. A world where the hideous “gun culture” has been destroyed. This is the Utopian promise of the left.

    Just like their radical Islam brothers, they also despise their opponents. The NRA member is their infidel. It is significant that Hillary Clinton identified the NRA as her #1 enemy rather than ISIS.

    Gun owners and NRA members are being dehumanized in a similar fashion to the way ISIS dehumanizes its infidels. It is true that the gun-grabbers are not yet as “advanced” (if that is the word) as the foreign fanatics. They have not yet moved to beheading gun owners or blowing them up. However, judging by their rhetoric, they are moving rapidly in that direction. In New Jersey, anyway, they have moved to throwing them in prison.

    I have to say that, at this point, I don’t see much difference between a radical gun-grabber and a radical Islamist. The specifics of their ideologies may be sharply different but they are both fanatics and they are both enemies of freedom. They must both be defeated or, else, they will combine to destroy America.

  17. Legislators do not like being proven to be powerless to prevent criminal behavior. This unwillingness to embrace this fact does little to prevent them from taking actions that have no effect on criminals but degrade our ability to defend ourselves when they cannot. It makes you wonder how may have even read the Constitution.

  18. I knew this would happen, somewhere, sometime. I fear this is just a start. The imams in the states and outside have been stirring the pot with the utmost vigor.
    This was a fail for the alphabet agencies spying on us. Prepare, no one is coming to help. You are on your own.

  19. Whenever we have a “War” on something, someone somewhere is behind it making money. The War on Opiods will make millions for Big Pharma to slightly reengineer meds, drug rehabs, while screwing innocent people with chronic pain, a huge group. The War on “Assault Weapons is not different, especially in “Wars” always hurting the innocent, in this case, innocent gun owners. So who makes money from this War…politicians!

  21. Steer clear of the NRA – they are proposing a ban on buying/owning guns if you’re on a watch list. This is completely insane – they should be decrying the use of watchlists.

    If someone is a risk for committing a crime, prove it in a court of law, don’t ban them from doing anything without due process.

    Kurt

  22. The letter composed by Ryan is good. Here is a link for a packaged response to your representatives (House and Senate) that has been set up by the NRA.

    https://act.nraila.org/composeletters.aspx?AlertID=261

    I took some of their verbiage and some from Ryan’s letter to compose emails that were sent to my Representative and Senators. This is the easiest and quickest way to have your voice heard to counter the misinformation and panic. They may not read the emails, but they will certainly count them.

    DO IT NOW!

  23. Also, I forgot to say that the above link will have a web page that will take your address and come up with the correct Representative and Senators to send your email to. You do not need to go look up your representatives in Washington – the link will provide everything.

    DO IT!

  26. @ TN_MAN Says:

    Congratulations!! I just LOVE the comparison you have drawn between “Islamic Muslim Jihadist Terrorists”, and the “Liberal Left Wing Democratic Gun-Grabbers”!!!

    Keep Up the Great Work!!

    The external oppressive movement is “Radical Islam”. It promises its followers an improved world that is consistent with their narrow view of Allah’s will. It dehumanizes anyone who disagrees with this narrow vision as “Infidels”. Once these infidels are dehumanized enough, then it is perfectly fine to murder them, to behead them, gun them down in large numbers or blow them up. Allah will reward you for it! That is an example of the type of thinking inspired by an oppressive ideological movement.

    The internal oppressive movement is “left-wing political correctness”. It consists of a whole set of polices that also promise, to its “true believers”, an improved world. It is a world which is promised to be free of injustice, racism, poverty and crime. A world of peace where no one has or even wants “weapons of war”. A world where the hideous “gun culture” has been destroyed. This is the Utopian promise of the left.

    Just like their radical Islam brothers, they also despise their opponents. The NRA member is their infidel. It is significant that Hillary Clinton identified the NRA as her #1 enemy rather than ISIS.

    Gun owners and NRA members are being dehumanized in a similar fashion to the way ISIS dehumanizes its infidels.

  28. Here is the message that I sent to my Senators and Representative:

    I see that the gun control debate has heated up again. I was trying to come up with a way to express my views on this matter. I know your time is valuable but I hope you can spare me some patience while I relay to you a parable that will clarify my views:

    Once upon a time, there was a group of people who suffered seriously from the fear of flying (aviophobia). Their fear was so great that it even took the form of hatred for the instrument of flying. In other words, they hated airplanes.

    So, they formed a movement to restrict and (eventually) ban the use of airplanes. Of course, they thought up many spacious reasons to justify their hatred and to make it seem rational. They pointed out that airplanes burn fossil fuels and contribute to global warming. The complained about the noise pollution caused by airplanes. They called their group the “Campaign for Airplane Safety” and, in an attempt to appear rational, argued that they only wanted a few “common sense” restrictions on airplanes. However, every time they secured one of their demands, they simply “upped the ante” and issued new demands. While they seldom came out and said so, their ultimate goal was a complete ban on airplanes and their use.

    Their main argument, however, was that airplanes are unsafe. That airplanes were designed for military use and, really, there was no reason why a civilian would need to own one or (even) fly commercially.

    For months and years and decades, this group of airplane-haters lobbied for their cause. They tried a “divide and conquer” strategy by attacking first one segment of the airline industry and then the other. They made up catchy names for airplanes to use in their propaganda. They called small, compact, relatively inexpensive airplanes “Short Hop Specials”. Large commercial jets were named “Wide-Body Weapons”.

    Their favorite tactic, however, was to wait for an airplane to crash in a dramatic fashion. While such an event was a tragedy for the victims, it was Godsend to this group. They viewed each airplane crash as a “Golden Opportunity” to push for their cause. They had press releases ready to go the instant a crash made the news. They paraded the names of the victims before the news media. They got surviving family members to speak out and help them lobby against the continued use of airplanes.

    Their efforts were so persistent that, eventually through shear repetition, many members of the public began to feel that airplanes were, indeed, unsafe. Of course, many people also saw through the pretenses of this group. That its underlying position was driven by fear. That it was not rational. These people spoke out and pointed out that disastrous crashes were rare events. That millions of people flew safely each year.

    However, the aircraft haters simply drowned the logical people out in waves of emotion and “knee-jerk” reaction.

    Eventually, members of congress felt increasing pressure to yield to the demands of this super-vocal group. Most saw that the ideas of this group were irrational but, nevertheless, felt that they could not stand up to the pressure this group could mount. Especially during the crisis period, right after a crash that had killed many victims, when the news was fresh on the public’s mind.

    In the end, a vocal group of aviophobes managed to shut down the aircraft and airline industries. The airports became silent. Travelers were forced to use other, and in many cases, slower and more dangerous methods of travel because flying was no longer an option. The sky was no longer friendly.

    So, what is the point of this parable. The answer is simple. Just substitute hoplophobia for aviophobia. Gun for airplane. Replace fossil fuels and global warming with lead poisoning and the California Condor (you can keep the noise pollution unchanged). Substitute Saturday Night Special and Assault Weapon as necessary, shooting for flying, mass shooting for crash, etc.

    When you are done with these substitutions, the above parable will accurately describe the current situation on gun control.

    If the banning of airplanes, based upon the above parable, seems rational to you, then you will be consistent to vote for the new gun control measures that are being proposed.

    If, however, restricting and banning the use of airplanes seems crazy to you, then you must (logically) see the faults in gun control. If so, then please, please, please stand up for the Freedoms of the American People and tell the gun-grabbers that you will not support their crazy schemes to gut the Second Amendment.

    I am asking you to be the Guard Dog of Freedom. I am counting on you, Sir.

  29. I recalled something morning after reading the headline about gun sales “surging among gays and lesbians”. Years back, a friend of mine who is lesbian followed in lockstep with all Left-wing talking points but one: She wanted to know how to handle firearms and get her licenses because “when they come for the gays, I want to take a dozen of them with me”.

    At least she understood what those colored stars and triangles meant decades ago and that history ALWAYS repeats itself, even if the names change.

  30. @ Paul Edwards:

    Glad you enjoyed my previous post. Note that I was serious in the views expressed in that post. I truly see the Gun Control fanatics as an oppressive movement. They are a left-wing oppressive movement with an ideology very similar to that of the old oppressive movement for the Prohibition of Alcohol. The old Prohibition of Alcohol movement was finally defeated. Now we must repeat history again and defeat this new variant of it.

    The Radical Islamists are, of course, a different species of oppressive movement. They are radical religious instead of left-wing.

    However, when it comes down to it, it does not matter the flavor of the ideology. All oppressive movements are enemies of freedom and I oppose them all. Both these movements are serious threats to freedom in America. They must both be stopped if we are to remain a free people.

  32. Mary Beth Robinette:

    Much better to ban slimy liberals and other evil criminals instead of cars, which we need, unlike the former two.

  33. Big surprise.

    http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/ban-assault-weapons-now-4?source=s.tw&r_by=1037239

    Why couldn’t one of the pro-2A groups start a petition drive to repeal the current ban on true “assault weapons” (full auto) (without going through the onerous NFA Class 3 licensing process), using the same route moveon.org did (in coordination with the Obama administration, I’m sure). If it accomplished nothing else except possibly some media attention, it would at least point out the differences between a true military grade rifle and the civilian semi-auto AR’s.

    Maybe it could be called the Second Amendment Restoration Act of 2016, requiring that any graduate of military basic training and/or honorably discharged veteran, be issued the current issue individual combat rifle, to be kept until he/she is no longer physically able to serve if called.

    I know, I know, but let an old man muse out loud.

  34. @ TN_MAN Says:

    Thanks, I couldn’t agree with with You more, about the similarity of Oppressive Groups, like the Stone Age Belief’s of the Islamic Muslim Jihadist Terrorists, and the “They Know What is Best, for the Rest of US”, Liberal, Democratic Politicians, who would Disarm All Law Abiding American Citizens, while Surrounding themselves with Armed Secret Service Agents, or Contract Armed Security Guards, 24/7.

    Come to think of it, From the number of Women that have been abused by the Liberal, Democratic Politicians, their beliefs as to a “Woman’s Place in this World”, is equal to, if not more, “Stone Age” than that of an Islamic Muslim Jihadist Terrorist’s view of their own Islamic Females!

  35. Tom,
    I know we need cars, just like in todays world law abiding citizens need to be able to protect themselves and a concealed firearm is one of the most effective tools to do that.

  36. A voice of reason in the middle of chaos. Please keep your observations coming. This is going to be especially true in an election year with such two polarizing candidates. Your observations always come from a deep understanding of the issues and continue to be thought provoking.
    Political “leaders” have to do “something” so the first thing is to knee jerk and ban the firearms used in this atrocity. But this individual was an employee of a security company with clearance and passed background checks. When will the emphasis be directed a the lunatic who committed the crimes and not the tools used in the crime? This latest call for universal background checks and reinstatement of the assault rifle ban are directed at those of us who will actually obey the law and not those who could care less. So those who need to “do something” will again take aim at those of use who obey the laws as we are the easiest and most available target while totally disregarding the fact that the bad guys are in the background cheering them on!
    Less guns, easier targets. Less guns, more carnage. Why can’t those in the capital see this issue or do they think that the government will rise and take all necessary actions for protecting the population from this types of attacks? How can any reasonable citizen believe Washington can/will protect the population when they can’t even decide on how to respond, except to attack those who demand calling a terrorist act what it is, a terrorist act, carefully not mentioning those behind the terrorist act for fear of offending a certain ethnic group. Call ISIS what it is, a group of radical Islamic fundamentalists bent on killing all infidels. No all Muslims but a radical fringe, a very dangerous radical fringe.
    DC simply does not trust is populace with firearms in any way, shape or form. Political correctness this the theme. Attack gun owners, attack the NRA, attack congress for not passing more gun control measures to appease the grabbers but do NOT attack the significant foreign influence that’s all ready here.
    Makes me wish I was born about 50 years earlier. I’d be 116 now!

  37. Dennis – I must be too busy these days as I am just reading your excellent proposal to issue combat rifles to us vets. This really is timely as I am retiring in 3 weeks and just last night received a green light from my bride to buy an AR. I have no illusions about active shooter scenarios or putting it in the trunk of my car. Too hard to: secure/keep from being stolen/explain to LE in the advent of an accident/routine stop, etc. Then, there is this: LE, in no way, needs a non-uniformed guy entering a gunfight with a rifle, no matter how good he is. At the very least, it takes manpower away from the task at hand to check you out – don’t do it! My AR will be for home defense only. IMO, anyone carrying a handgun should be working HARD on their long distance capabilities (think: headshots at 50 meters) – in the hope of being able to at least delay one of these cretins. Just my 2 cents, folks.

    If I haven’t told you recently – when you write to your legislators, take the time to HANDWRITE your letters. I have worked in legislative offices and can guarantee your EMAILS get ignored, people. We need everyone on this and on this as hard as you can.

    Please keep your wits about you and stay safe.

  38. Mary Beth Robinette:

    Absolutely! We need both cars and guns, but could do very well without nutty liberals and other criminals which would make our once great nation a much better place again. Take care, we are living in very dangerous times and depending on who sits in the Oval Office next year, things could get much worse.

  39. Don-Pa,

    While the suggestion was sort of tongue in cheek, my real point is that we need to take the offensive in this fight. We constantly find ourselves on the defensive against the incessant barrage of the anti-gun crowd.

  40. Mas, thank you for mentioning NY’s SAFE (UN-SAFE) Act. I fear this is what will be proposed for ‘common sense’ gun banning on a national level. For those 2A activists who thought ‘it can’t happen here’ and ‘thank God I don’t live in New York’ guess again. Google it. I have to live with it.

    No laws or regulations prevented this tragedy; hatred and bigotry, combined with a high doses of fanaticism. If something like this happens in close proximity to me, I can only be good enough to not fail within my legally mandated 10 round magazine or 6 in a wheel gun. One positive came out of that extreme violation of my rights; lots of tactical practice.

  41. @ Gil Kuhn – “DC simply does not trust the populace with firearms in any way, shape or form.”

    You comment reminds me of a passage from The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli which I will quote as follows:

    “Some princes, so as to hold securely the state, have disarmed their subjects; others have kept their subject towns distracted by factions; others have fostered enmities against themselves; others have laid themselves out to gain over those whom they distrusted in the beginning of their governments; some have built fortresses; some have overthrown and destroyed them. And although one cannot give a final judgment on all of these things unless one possesses the particulars of those states in which a decision has to be made, nevertheless I will speak as comprehensively as the matter of itself will admit.

    There never was a new prince who has disarmed his subjects; rather when he has found them disarmed he has always armed them, because, by arming them, those arms become yours, those men who were distrusted become faithful, and those who were faithful are kept so, and your subjects become your adherents. And whereas all subjects cannot be armed, yet when those whom you do arm are benefited, the others can be handled more freely, and this difference in their treatment, which they quite understand, makes the former your dependents, and the latter, considering it to be necessary that those who have the most danger and service should have the most reward, excuse you. But when you disarm them, you at once offend them by showing that you distrust them, either for cowardice or for want of loyalty, and either of these opinions breeds hatred against you.”

    Note that Machiavelli wrote those words about 500 years ago. Yet, the politics does not change. President Obama and his supporters, like Hillary Clinton, have followed the playbook outlined in the first sentence. They have sought to disarm the people so as to enhance their own security and power and they have created divisions among the American People (especially by race) so as to keep the People distracted as they assume more and more power.

    As Machiavelli predicted in the last sentence (above), these actions have acted to breed hatred for the Left-Wing Power Grabbers. The rise of Trump is just one of many consequences.

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