Tribbz

With gun rights come responsibilities


Instead of moving toward the direction of personal responsibility & private property & 2nd amendment, we moved in the opposite direction. We turned it over to the federal government. Private industry protects their property all the time. But here is one example when the federal government was involved and they messed it up. For years, gun-control activists argued that the Second Amendment is only about a state's ability to form a militia of armed citizens, while gun-rights advocates say it is geared toward individuals' rights to bear arms. Common sense dictates that no personal right is without limitations.
Gun-control advocates tell us that removing guns from society makes us safer. But that is simply an impossibility. The fact is that firearm technology exists. It cannot be uninvented. As long as there is metalworking and welding capability, it matters not, what gun laws are imposed upon law-abiding people. Those who wish to have guns, and disregard the law, will have guns.
Gun control clears a path for violence and makes aggression more likely, whether the aggressor is a terrorist or a government. I don't really believe "gun-free" zones make any difference. If they did, why would the worst shootings consistently happen in gun-free zones such as schools? And while accidents do happen, aggressive, terroristic shootings like this are unheard of at gun and knife shows, the antithesis of a gun-free zone. It bears repeating that an armed society truly is a polite society. Even if you don't like guns and don't want to own them, you benefit from those who do.
For instance while the First Amendment guarantees United States citizens the right to free speech, people are still restricted from committing libel, slander, inciting a crowd to commit illegal actions or yelling "fire" in a crowded theater.
Gun control makes people obviously less safe--as any honest examination of criminal statistics reveals. It is no coincidence that violent crime flourishes in the nation’s capital, where the individual’s right to self-defense has been most severely curtailed.
Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito restated that the court supports barring firearms possession by felons or the mentally ill, and has no objection to laws that prohibit carrying weapons in "sensitive places" such as schools, hospitals and government buildings. Nor does the court disapprove "conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms," which presumes no constitutional bar to reasonable background checks and waiting periods. The court also noted that extending the Second Amendment to the states "limits but does not eliminate their ability to devise solutions to social problems that suit local needs and values."
While the contentions of gun ownership rights will never dissolve, one aspect is
not open for debate _ mandatory responsibilities that accompany gun ownership: safety and proper training. According to the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, more than 600 deaths each year are attributed to accidental shootings. Not homicides, suicides or personal protection, but accidental deaths resulting from firearm mishandling or improper storage procedures. Safety courses are available to educate people on aspects of firearm safety.
At the very least, counseling on firearm safety can begin with these gun safety pointers. (1) Guns in the home should be unloaded and locked up, with ammunition stored separately. (2) Treat guns as if they were loaded and ready to fire. (3) Never allow children unsupervised access to guns.
What we need to remember is that every right bears responsibility.




Source: Liberty Defined, by Rep. Ron Paul, p.112-145 , Apr 19, 2011