It was Christmas morning. I was 12 years old. Like any boy, I was very excited about my Christmas gifts; however, I did not expect anything special. The gifts I got, I always liked.
Then I saw it. It was long -- about 3 feet in length -- and skinny.
No way. No! Way!
It was -- a Ruger .22 caliber.
I ripped off the wrapping paper, barely able to believe my eyes. I forget the next few minutes, but the home video shows a little boy yelling, screaming, squealing with excitement.
All I remember was that first moment -- opening the gift and seeing the gun. It was pure bliss.
Fast forward to today.
Under proposed legislation by Illinois U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, 12-year-old-Darin would be a criminal. That's right, I'd be a felon. And so would my parents.
The bill, Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, would require every gun owner in the U.S. to get a gun license and be part of a national database.
Now hold on, you might be saying. I'm certain that the law would allow parents to give guns to children who don't have a license.
Nope.
Under the Blair Holt Act, forget that 9mm gun birthday gift to your 15-year-old son, or that 30.06 for your teenage daughter.
You've gotta wait until Uncle Sam says they're good and ready.
I know it sounds silly. But Congress is deadly serious.
The bill is currently in the Congressional Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. Don't think for a moment that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won't try to push this through.
Now, let's compare Rep. Rush's act with another law -- from China:
"Whoever, in violation of firearm-control regulations, secretly keeps firearms or ammunition and refuses to relinquish them shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than two years or criminal detention." Kinda cozy, isn't it ...
Compare Rush's act to the words of James Madison, author of a great deal of the U.S. Constitution.
"Americans," Madison said, have "the advantage of being armed ..." in contrast to many European governments that "... are afraid to trust the people with arms."Now gun control advocates will whisper soothing tones. "Don't worry," they'll say. "We're not trying to take away your right to have guns. We're just trying to keep guns away from the criminals."
Uh huh. So this is the last gun restriction law that will ever be passed? No more restriction from here on out?
Right. There is an agenda -- not to impose a military dictatorship on the United States, but to use this law as a catalyst toward tougher and tougher gun standards, such as reinstatement of President Clinton's assault weapons ban.
In the end our guns laws will reflect those of Europe and other "Western" nations. Here are a few examples of what we can look forward to:
In Germany a person applying for a gun license must be over 18 years old. In Italy, no one may own more than three guns. In Spain personal firearms must be inspected annually. And in Switzerland people have to actually prove that they need a gun -- before they get a gun license. Folks I'm not a machine-gun-totin' type of guy. I'm not in the NRA and the only gun that I own is still that little Ruger .22.
But I do believe in the United States Constitution. We must not fall prey to the idea that we can apply a "living" standard to the Constitution, making it evolve to fit our personal feelings.
If James Madison -- author of much of the Constitution -- stated that individuals have a right to bear arms, then we, the people have that right. End of story.
This past week the Alaska State House unanimously passed a resolution condemning the Blair Holt Act. Let us join with our fellow Alaskans in urging Congress to oppose the Blair Holt Act, an act that whispers peace, while slowly stealing freedom.
they DO want your guns
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