In the last couple of years, living in one of the most restrictive states in America, I’ve gotten more serious about the Second Amendment than ever before. This is ironic because I grew up in Texas, and my first ever “op-ed” (a persuasive speech assignment written for my fourth grade class) was on the topic of gun control—which I opposed even then.
When I applied for my most recent handgun purchase permits I asked a plain clothes FBI agent and a former police commissioner of the NYPD to serve as my references which are required in my state. They have an extensive questionnaire to fill out, and it takes a couple of weeks for that process to occur, be filed and for a law-abiding person to then be notified that they have been cleared to purchase a handgun.
Further, in our state said permit is good for only 90 days, and not more than one can be issued for use in a 30-day period.
Then, once you’re given the go ahead, once you get to your firearm dealer, you fill out more paperwork, present your credentials to purchase, pay for the gun you want, and wait up to another two weeks to be again cleared to come and pick up the gun.
So this week, when for my birthday, I was at my local dealer it was interesting to overhear the man who came in behind me. He was purchasing one handgun and not one but two AR-15s.
“Stocking up?” I asked him.
“I’m buying a lot right now,” he replied.
“How do you feel about what we’re hearing out of ‘Washington’ these days?” I continued.
“The more they want to tighten the screws, the more it backfires,” he said. “I’m buying as many as I can—WHILE I can!”
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I got to my car, pretty happy with my purchase—a snappy little sub-compact 9mm. But the entire drive home I reflected on the words of the man in line behind me.
He’s right, of course.
The rate of gun purchases under President* Biden’s former boss saw an enormous spike in private and legal gun ownership. Now with President* Biden threatening executive action on guns, the pattern is returning.
And not just amongst the rank and file.
Entire states are rebelling. Iowa’s governor just signed into law a true “Constitutional Carry” bill that no longer requires any additional permits for open or concealed carry by legal gun owners. Tennessee is considering similar legislation, joining an increasing number of states who not only distrust the feds on gun control legislation but who are also following the science in violent crime and the presence of legal guns in the population.
When evil doers expect a citizenry to fire back they move on to vulnerable people.
How else do you explain that mass shootings almost 100 percent of the time occur in dedicated “gun free zones?”
A change is coming even in restrictive states. Either in legislative policy or from citizens merely exercising their constitutional right own and bear arms.
Law-abiding people who own legal firearms should carry.
They should do it as often as they can, everywhere they can.
The courts have recognized citizens’ rights to do so.
And if President* Biden decides to move forward with executive action on massive gun control look for thousands to millions of law-abiding gun owners to lock the issue up in court that could define and greatly limit not only his own ability to abuse executive action in such a manner, but set the precedent for future challenges that the second amendment is not to be trifled with.
Wisdom would dictate that if he wanted fewer guns sold he should move away from big talk of unenforceable and anti-constitutional ideas.
The questions remains—is he wise?
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