"One of the fiercest gun-control advocates in Congress, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), pounced on the shooting massacre in Tucson Sunday, promising to introduce legislation as soon as Monday."

With the tragic shooting in Arizona, I feel compelled to repeat my blog post dated October 10, 2007 … because it is still representative of the recent situation and a reminder that no amount of legislation or personal protection can protect against a crazy person who wishes to harm an individual or society in general.

If there is one particular lesson to be learned from the current tragedy it is: people noticed the shooter’s strange behavior well in advance of the shooting. They were either too politically correct, apathetic or uncaring to get involved to the extent of reporting this individual to the authorities. Possibly because today’s policing is all about politics and political correctness, where the authorities are afraid to take action until after a tragedy occurs.

And, once again, I find it despicable that politicians, media pundits and ideologues of all stripe are using this occasion to espouse their own personal philosophy and social agenda … with some going to far as to use this tragedy as the center-point of a fundraising campaign.

-- steve

Original blog post …

GUN CONTROL: "CRAZY IS CRAZY"

The proponents of gun control are a stubborn and contentious bunch. They not only misinterpret the statistics , but actually ignore the elements of human nature that give rise to rage and violence.

To put the issue in perspective, we need remember only a few things...

One,  human beings are subject to human nature where emotion often trumps logic to force an individual to set aside caution and common sense and exhibit the very worst of behaviors.

Two, a person who is enraged, seeking revenge or has profit motive to act violently against another human being or group of people, will do so regardless of their choice of weapons. For some it is a blunt object, others a knife or gun; and others, perhaps poison or a bomb. And, let us not forget the use of a vehicle as lethal weapon.

Three, those who believe that a person will "calm down" and return to a state of normalcy if a weapon is not immediately at hand, underestimates the degree of rage which may drive a person to an irrational act.

Four, those who believe that guns permit one to kill more people in a shorter period of time are correct. There is no easy answer to this claim for it is true. But it still is not a legitimate reason to outlaw guns. Truth be told, bombs can do the job more effectively as we have seen in the Oklahoma City bombing and the loss of live during 9/11.

Five, all people are granted the God-given right of self-defense against those who would usurp their lives, property or freedom. It is codified in the Second Amendment to insure. among other things, that we remain free of tyrants and dictators whose first move would be to disarm the populace in order to quell or limit any potential rebellion against unconscionable acts.

Six, "crazy is crazy." You can not deal effectively with a irrational person whose brain chemistry or defect circumvents normal logic and normal societal behaviors. There is no way to stop these people from perpetrating any particular action, short of 24/7 incarceration.

And seven, and most importantly, an armed populace is the greatest deterrence against those who would commit criminal acts against others. Criminals will always be able to make or purchase weapons to gain an advantage over those who cannot adequately defend themselves.

I believe in arms control...

Yes, I actually believe in arms control. I believe that certain individuals should be prohibited from purchasing weapons is they have been adjudicated as being mentally impaired or convicted of a criminal act. This is not foolproof and there are any number of crazies walking around in our immediate vicinity.

I do not believe that any individual has a right to own or possess a bazooka, anti-aircraft missile, machine gun, grenade or claymore mine any more than they have a right to a personal nuclear weapon.

I have no problems with handguns, rifles and shotguns -- as long as they are safe to shoot and accurate enough to hit their intended target.

While I am ambivalent about weapons such as the 50-caliber rifle, which can be used as a long range sniper rifle, there is no evidence that one of these weapons has been used against another human being outside of a combat zone. The weapons are large, bulky and, from personal experience, extremely uncomfortable to shoot. Even if one were to outlaw a weapon of this nature, one could be fabricated fairly easily with a fair amount of machining skills or simply buy one from a foreign source.

As for those who claim that only law enforcement and government officials should be allowed to carry handguns, I present the following story from the Associated Press. However, like I said, "crazy is crazy" and you can never eliminate all risk from any type of weapon, be it a handgun or a vehicle used as a weapon. 

"Wisconsin Town Mourns 6 Shooting Victims"

"CRANDON, Wis. (AP) - An off-duty sheriff's deputy killed six young people and wounded another during a homecoming weekend gathering, a rampage relatives of the victims said may have been fueled by a romantic dispute. "

"Tyler Peterson, 20, was shot to death after opening fire early Sunday at a home where authorities said the friends met for pizza and movies. He was off-duty from his full-time job as a Forest County deputy sheriff; he also was a part-time Crandon police officer."

"'I heard probably five or six shots, a short pause and then five or six more,' she said."

"Then she heard eight louder shots and tires squealing, she said."

"'I was just about to get up and call it in, and I heard sirens,' she said. 'There's never been a tragedy like this here. There's been individual incidents, but nothing of this magnitude.'"

"Sheriff Keith Van Cleve said he would meet with state Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen on Monday morning to discuss the case. Crandon Mayor Gary Bradley said Sunday that a sniper killed the suspect, but Van Cleve would not confirm that officers shot him."

"The shooting raised questions among residents about whether Peterson had met requirements to become a law enforcement officer. David Franz, who is married to Marci Franz, said it was hard to accept that someone in law enforcement was the gunman."

"The first statement we said to each other was, 'How did he get through the system?'" Franz said."

"How did he get through the system?"

Common sense tells us that crazy people may not be or act crazy all of the time. For some normal people, crazy is an immediate reaction to being hurt badly enough to allow the suspension of common sense, moral training -- hence the term "temporary insanity."

What can YOU do?

Realize that there will always be problems with human beings... it's human nature. If the emotion is strong enough, it will always trump logic and rational behavior.

Recognize that we all have the inalienable right to defend ourselves against criminals and those who will take away our lives, property and freedom.

Recognize that duly sworn law enforcement personnel can not be everywhere at every moment of the day. Local, state and federal government owes no duty to its individual citizens to protect their life or property. The sole concern of all government actions to to "maintain the general order" and to provide somewhat of a regulated environment of laws. We, the people, have the right to defend ourselves in the most expedient manner. While there are common-sense restrictions on killing another human being unless you are in fear for your life or that of another human being, we should always realize that our country was founded on self-reliance and action -- no matter what those who have hidden agendas or special interests claim.

Do not confuse "crime control" with "gun control." People who use a weapon in the commission of a crime should not be allowed to plead the offense downward or be granted probation or parole. There should be severe penalties for using a weapon in a non-defense situation.

Those who are afraid of guns should enroll in a gun safety course. Most people who graduate from a safety course have more respect for weapons than those who merely cry the "sky is falling/"

Children should be taught about guns as well as the other hazards that they are likely to encounter. Schools and other venues that maintain a "zero tolerance" policy need to temper the policy with common sense. Drawing a picture of a gun is not a major problem -- unless you are a liberal hell-bent on establishing a cradle-to-grave "nanny state."

It is time that the citizens of the United States realize the limitations of the government to protect individuals and return to the original concept of "self reliance."

Do not vote for any candidate or current politician who is willing to subvert the safety, security and sovereignty of the United States for personal power, prestige or profits. Or curtail the individual's right of self-defense. 

Do not vote for any candidate or current politician who is willing to subvert the safety, security and sovereignty of the United States or limit an individual's right of self-defense for personal power, prestige or profits.

As always, opposing comments are welcome.

-- steve

A reminder from OneCitizenSpeaking.com: a large improvement can result from a small change…

The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. -- Marcus Aurelius

Wisconsin Town Mourns 6 Shooting Victims|Associated Press 

Arizona shooting: Rep. Gabrielle Giffords hit at meeting with constituents