General Categories > General Firearm Discussion
Open Letter to NFOA Membership
armed and humorous:
First of all, let me say I?m pretty new to this group, and I will not presume to tell anyone here what they should or shouldn?t do regarding the business of the organization. On the other hand, I am a member now, and I should be entitled to voice my opinions. We have a first amendment, too, in case some of you forgot about it.
The purpose of my letter is to express my opinion (I remind you that it?s my opinion) on how to effectively go about spreading our message and garnering support for our cause. I realize, too, that we don?t all have the exact same goals, we have varying interests in terms of firearms, and that even among our group, we may not all agree on what is right or wrong regarding any kind of gun-control legislation. However, my advice should apply equally no matter what side of an issue you may support.
I think it is safe to say that most of us would like fewer restrictions (infringements) on our right to bear arms and to use them in whatever legal endeavor we choose. Personally, I believe there are reasonable restrictions and conditions regarding firearms that will not unduly interfere with our rights. I know some of you, and the NRA in general, are opposed to most any kind of restriction based on the ?slippery slope? concept. ?Give them an inch, and they?ll take a mile.? This is not to say that there isn?t some validity to that idea. Still, if we refuse to budge on reasonable restrictions, we are likely to face a more staunch opposition that will seek to totally disarm us. There are those already who strive for this goal, and there is no need to increase their numbers by failing to compromise on truly reasonable legislation.
I?m not going to get into specific laws that I would accept or oppose. Let it suffice to say that I am willing to accept some reasonable restrictions on my second amendment rights. Even I don?t believe that everyone, regardless of their personal background, should be allowed to possess and carry firearms. Where we draw the line is difficult to say, but I don?t think any of us want people who have a history of violent criminal behavior running free on our streets with guns and no way to stop them until after they commit another violent crime. Believe me, I realize laws mean little or nothing to these people, but we don?t need to make it easy for them.
Finally, to get on with the point of my letter, I want to say that sharing your opinion on any issue is a good thing to do, if you do it in the right way. Name calling, taunting, using foul language, inarticulate rambling, and demonstrations of illiteracy are not the right way. I?ve followed enough forums and online articles allowing comments to know that these things only further alienate the opposition and convince the fence-sitters to side with them. Sure, I have most of the same emotions as the rest of you. I get the same charge out of using phrases like ?you?ll get my gun when you pry my cold dead finger off the trigger? and ?an armed society is a polite society? and ?when you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have them? that many of you do. However, we must realize that the feeling of power and righteousness we get from owning guns won?t help when it comes to preventing or changing anti-gun legislation. We can?t point our guns at those who make the decisions and force them to vote our way. We have to convince them with logic and common sense, and perhaps, a willingness to give a little. Even if you don?t want to compromise at all, you can still be civil and logical and respectful of the other party?s perspective.
You have to keep in mind that many of those who are anti-gun either have no experience with them, or have had only bad experiences with them. The poor, hardworking citizens living in a crime ridden neighborhood who see their children being killed on a daily basis have good reason to think that if we can get rid of guns, everything will be better. The upper-class mother whose son was killed when his friend took him to the basement to show him Grandpa?s gun wants nothing more than to see guns go away. The friends and family members of those killed at Von Maur a while back probably would like to see stricter laws that might keep similar incidents from happening in the future.
Most of us realize that few of the existing laws do anything more than provide additional penalties for those who would assault, kill, rob, kidnap, rape, or even accidentally shoot someone. They don?t prevent the problems. But, not everyone acts on logic alone. Many act on emotion, and emotions run high on issues such as gun control.
We, as responsible gun owners, need more than anything, to convince the rest of the public that we pose no threat to them. We need them to understand that we stand in opposition to all that they fear from guns: both criminal and accidental shootings. We need them to understand that we respect their right to have their own opinion, and rather than put them down for it, convince them that they are wrong to support over-burdensome and ill-conceived anti-gun legislation.
Please, for the sake of our second amendment rights, think about what you say when you speak out. Do it, but do it with respect, with logic, with common sense, and with at least a little bit of realization that, just maybe, the other person has some valid concerns.
Jay:
--- Quote from: armed and humorous on July 23, 2009, 04:23:50 PM ---First of all, let me say I?m pretty new to this group, and I will not presume to tell anyone here what they should or shouldn?t do regarding the business of the organization. On the other hand, I am a member now, and I should be entitled to voice my opinions. We have a first amendment, too, in case some of you forgot about it.
--- End quote ---
Thank you for joining and for particpating on these forums. Your opinions are indeed welcomed, that is what this forum board is here for.
--- Quote from: armed and humorous on July 23, 2009, 04:23:50 PM ---I think it is safe to say that most of us would like fewer restrictions (infringements) on our right to bear arms and to use them in whatever legal endeavor we choose. Personally, I believe there are reasonable restrictions and conditions regarding firearms that will not unduly interfere with our rights. I know some of you, and the NRA in general, are opposed to most any kind of restriction based on the ?slippery slope? concept. ?Give them an inch, and they?ll take a mile.? This is not to say that there isn?t some validity to that idea. Still, if we refuse to budge on reasonable restrictions, we are likely to face a more staunch opposition that will seek to totally disarm us. There are those already who strive for this goal, and there is no need to increase their numbers by failing to compromise on truly reasonable legislation.
--- End quote ---
Negotiating our rights away is how we have gotten ourselves behind the eight ball in the first place. Yes, if we stand fast in our beliefs and refuse to budge, we will undoubtably face staunch opposition from the other side. However, if we give in, even on small issues that seem to be relatively harmless on their own, we do not make that opposition go away, we just let them win little by little, one unneccesary piece of legislation at a time. At least when the opposition is forced to be firm and vocal, we can see their true intentions. When we let them remain relatively quiet by appeasing them with small concessions, it becomes more difficult for us to see the path we are truly on. Make no mistake, those seeking to restrict our 2A rights truly do want to totally disarm us whether we make them come out and say it or not. Personally, I would rather fight the battle openly, stand up for what I believe in without waivering, and force my opponents to truly show their hand.
--- Quote from: armed and humorous on July 23, 2009, 04:23:50 PM ---Where we draw the line is difficult to say, but I don?t think any of us want people who have a history of violent criminal behavior running free on our streets with guns and no way to stop them until after they commit another violent crime. Believe me, I realize laws mean little or nothing to these people, but we don?t need to make it easy for them.
--- End quote ---
I realize my thinking is rather idealistic here, but personally I don't want anyone I can't trust with a firearm to be running free on our streets with or without a gun. If instead of negotiating our rights away, we could stand up and be more vocal in our desire for the laws already on the books to be enforced, then maybe we could head off some of these nonsense laws at the pass. If we could keep the bad guys from running free on our streets in the first place, then the perceived "need" for more laws that only infringe on the rights of law abiding citizens would no longer be there. I honestly believe that every human being has an inherent right to defend themselves. If a person can not even be trusted to do that, then they do not need to be walking on the same streets my family walks on.
I really believe that we should take some of our time we dedicate to fighting anti gun legislation, and divert it to spend on fighting to keep convicted criminals off the streets in the first place. It is the criminal element that is our true adversary, even more so than the anti 2nd Amendment crowd, because for the most part it is the actions of the criminals that cause the uninformed antis to feel the way they do. Keep the "gun crime" down, and the cries for anti gun laws will dissipate.
--- Quote from: armed and humorous on July 23, 2009, 04:23:50 PM ---Finally, to get on with the point of my letter, I want to say that sharing your opinion on any issue is a good thing to do, if you do it in the right way. Name calling, taunting, using foul language, inarticulate rambling, and demonstrations of illiteracy are not the right way.
--- End quote ---
I agree with you on that. Yes, it can be difficult at times to remain calm, but we must try. I personally do not always succeed in that, but I am human and when you are passionate about something, it is difficult at times to keep your emotions at bay.
--- Quote from: armed and humorous on July 23, 2009, 04:23:50 PM ---We, as responsible gun owners, need more than anything, to convince the rest of the public that we pose no threat to them. We need them to understand that we stand in opposition to all that they fear from guns: both criminal and accidental shootings. We need them to understand that we respect their right to have their own opinion, and rather than put them down for it, convince them that they are wrong to support over-burdensome and ill-conceived anti-gun legislation.
Please, for the sake of our second amendment rights, think about what you say when you speak out. Do it, but do it with respect, with logic, with common sense, and with at least a little bit of realization that, just maybe, the other person has some valid concerns.
--- End quote ---
I completely agree.
These are just my opinions. Nothing more. Thanks for posting.
*Edited for spelling and grammar as my brain tends to work faster than my fingers are able to.
AAllen:
--- Quote from: Jay on July 23, 2009, 09:44:14 PM ---I really believe that we should take some of our time we dedicate to fighting anti gun legislation, and divert it to spend on fighting to keep convicted criminals off the streets in the first place. It is the criminal element that is our true adversary, even more so than the anti 2nd Amendment crowd, because for the most part it is the actions of the criminals that cause the uninformed antis to feel the way they do. Keep the "gun crime" down, and the cries for anti gun laws will dissipate. .
--- End quote ---
As well as fighting to keep convicted criminals off the streets I feel we need to be proactive and try to lead the next generation in a direction that does not include crime. This means we need to support quality education and a way out of poverty, a chance for these children to see there is another way other than the drugs and violence that seems to the way of life for far too many. This does not mean a hand out, but helping them find the path out; this can be as simple as being involved and a good role model for these youth.
Jay:
Absolutely, Andy, education is VITAL to the future of the 2nd Amendment. I have preached about that before.
Thank you for bringing that up.
huskergun:
"Shall not be infringed". Period. Those words say it all for me.
This is my opinion... and yea I can be very passionate......
So what your saying is that if we refuse to cave to "resonable restrictions"(resonable according to whom?) on our rights the anti's get stronger? And if we cave what does that do? Make them weaker? I think not. That line of thinking makes no sence to me. That's like saying if we just sit down and talk to Alqaida that they'll stop attacking us. The only way they will stop is if we all convert to thier twisted version of Islam. Just like the Anti Second Amendment crowd. If we cave they won't be happy until they accually do totally disarm all of us. That is thier ultimate goal.
Please give examples of the "reasonable restrictions" that you are in favor of. Just curious
I for one believe that gun owners have for too long stood by and watched as thier rights were slowly infringed upon. That isn't going to happen any more. I do agree that we have to convince people through education and conversation however I won't give up what I believe in just to make some political points with someone who could care less about the Constitution and my rights.
Furthermore, I will respect anothers opinion when that opinion does not infringe upon my rights. If that "opinion" infringes upon my rights then respect goes out the door.
Anti's are wrong and the Constitution is right. That simple. No compromise.
I'm off my soap box.
Thanks for posting and joining.
Rich
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