RANT OF THE DAY (by David P.) 3/8/00

Gun control is UNCONSTITUTIONAL and UNNECESSARY!!!!

Firstly, regardless of how anyone may feel about the subject, all gun control is unconstitutional.
Some people may think that it is a good idea but it is still unconstitutional. Others may say:
"Who cares? I don't care about owning a gun." Either all rights in the Bill of Rights are absolute or none are.

You can't say that we will reduce this right but we won't touch any others. Once you
step over the line, the line keeps moving until there is nothing left. So you can through out the
rest including: the first, the fourth, and the fourteenth. And some will claim that the Second
Amendment doesn't apply because it mentions "Militia." However, in Miller vs. US, 1929, the
US Supreme Court ruled that the Militia "comprised all males physically capable of acting in
concert for the common defense...these men were expected to appear bearing arms supplied
by themselves and of the kind in common use at the time."

Secondly, making guns illegal will not prevent people from killing each other. Violent behavior
exists regardless of guns and there are countless other weapons that may be implemented for the
"dirty deed." If a criminal wants a gun he will just buy it illegally. All this accomplishes is
preventing law-abiding citizens from buying a gun at all rather than break the law. We don't
need more gun control laws, we need to get rid of the ones that we have. We need a judicial
system that doesn't slap someone one the wrist for murder. Our judicial system is supposed to
be based on rehabilitation. If you believe a convict is still a danger, don't let him out of jail. If
you believe that no amount of time in prison will change his behavior, don't ever let him out or
execute him. Bring back public executions, that may make a good deterrent. If a man is rehabilitated,
if it is believed that he will no longer break the law, release him from jail; but further, there is no reason
why he should not be allowed to carry a gun. And if someone pulls a gun on you, pull out your own
and shoot him first. Either that or, get out of the way and I'll shoot him.

Gun control laws chip away at our Constitution and blanketly punish everyone out of fear of what a few may do.
DUI kills many more people than guns, why don't we make cars and alcohol illegal. And while we are at it,
why don't we sue the producers of both for all of those that have died. All rights can be used to the
disadvantage or displeasure of another but they must all be protected.

David.

P.S.
For anyone out there that wants to quote the statistic that claims that your are 34 times more likely to shoot a family member than an intruder, 85% of those deaths are suicide. In that situation, I would hope that you would hit a family member - YOU! If you miss shooting yourself and hit an intruder, you are either a really good shot or a really bad one.