How We Got Here

Feinstein introduced here new pet gun control bill, New York passed one of the most draconian gun control bills in the country, several gun control bills are being introduced in Maine, and the rest of the country seems to be following suit. One must ask how we, as gun owners, came to this point. Isn’t the right to keep and bear arms guaranteed by the Constitution? Isn’t self-defense the right of all sentient beings? Don’t gun control laws go against the idea that the United States is a land of laws? How did we get here?

We got here through obedience. When the state said they were going to mandate gun owners register certain firearms gun owners threw up a bit of a fuss but ultimately registered those firearms. When the state said it was going to completely prohibit the transfer of any machine guns not registered by May 19, 1986 gun owners throw up a bit of a fuss but ultimately ceased transferring machine guns registered after the cutoff date. When the state said it was going to prohibit the sale of newly manufactured magazines holding more than 10 rounds to civilians gun owners threw up a bit of a fuss but ultimately stopped selling newly manufactured magazines holding more than 10 rounds to civilians.

The reason we’re here today is because gun owners of the past have rolled over and complied with proposed gun control laws. When the first gun control law was passed in this country gun owners should have began an active campaign of civil disobedience to make it known that no gun control laws would be respected. Sadly a precedence was set when gun owners complied with the first, second, third, and every other gun control law that has been passed in this country. Now we’re at a point where gun control laws not only have legal precedence but are socially acceptable by a vast majority of the populace. What makes matters worse is that it’s happening all over again. Gun owners have responded to the above mentioned gun control proposals by marching to state capitols, giving speeches about the importance of gun rights, holding gun rights rallies where they urge everybody to contact politicians and beg them to oppose any new gun control legislation, and offered no sign that they will actively resist any new gun control laws. Compliance is the problem because so long as gun owners are willing to comply with new gun control laws the state will continue to pass and enforce them.

Once again I urge gun owners to consider civil disobedience instead of compliance. So long as gun owners are compliant they will find more and more of their guns, ammunition, and firearm accessories seized by the state. If you want to see the logical conclusion of compliance you need only look at Britain.