Digital Dan
03-24-2008, 07:49 AM
Passing this along for your consideration:
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Editorial by Steve Garbe
Black Powder Cartridge News – Issue 61 Spring 2008
A Gun is a Gun
Recently, a new bill before the New York State Legislature (specifically Number A9543) seeks to impose the same restrictions on muzzle loading firearms in regards to purchase and ownership as modern firearms. New York State Assemblyman Michael Gianaris, sponsor of the bill, makes the argument that black powder firearms are as dangerous as modern weapons in the wrong hands and as such, should be regulated accordingly.
I absolutely agree with the first part of that statement…and before you think that I’ve put Mr. Gianaris and Sarah Brady on my Christmas card list, let me explain.
Black powder firearms are as dangerous as modern weapons. Oh, I know…when we want to use their out-dated technology for a specific purpose, like avoiding some new piece of anti-gun legislation, we are quick to say, “Well, you know, a flintlock rifle really isn’t as dangerous as an assault rifle because the flintlock only has a single shot.” Statements like this have been used, and successfully, for the justification of exempting black powder firearms from many gun laws. It has also given more than a few gun owners a safe little bulwark to hide behind while those, whose personal preference is for modern weapons, bear the brunt of new legislation and restrictions. Many shotgunners have used this same sort of argument to insulate and excuse themselves from the gun debate centered around military-style firearms.
I would submit to you that, quite simply, a gun is a gun. A flintlock longrifle is just as dangerous as the most tricked-out, high capacity assault rifle if you happen to be standing within the flintlock’s effective range. I think that it is high time that we, as firearms owners, admit that. And let’s also agree that carrying on silly debates about which firearms are “suitable” for sporting purposes and which aren’t, is only a concession to the enemy…and an extremely dangerous one at that.
One could argue that we are getting what we have been asking for. On one hand we love to point out the ineffectiveness of our black powder guns and the warm, fuzzy feeling that one gets when considering their artistic and historic appeal. Then we do an “about-face” and develop new technology to make them nearly the equal in performance to the most modern of firearms. This is true with both black powder muzzleloaders and breechloaders. It is amazing to me that many folks don’t understand that those who would take our firearms away closely monitor our “media”, whether it is magazines, web sites, or television. They are well aware of the effectiveness of your Sharps because they have watched you shoot it at 1000 yards. They’ve listened to you talk about it’s accuracy and range on the web, and they have seen how we have applied the advantages of modern sights, reloading components, and range finders to our shooting and hunting endeavors. It is no wonder that they consider our black powder guns “dangerous in the wrong hands.”
So, can we simply agree, that guns are guns? That we as gun owners- not muzzle loaders, skeet shooters, buffalo gunners, Schuetzen shooters, or pistoleros- are collectively in the same boat when it come to anti-gun legislation? That we must stand together with the guy who shoots an AR-15 or a 12-gauge Perazzi to not only defeat, but also repeal onerous gun legislation? We have diluted our strength for too many years because we naïvely think that our single shots are safe when a new gun law bans high-capacity magazines for semi-autos.
A gun is a gun…let me say it again. To the likes of Chuck Schumer and Ted Kennedy, a gun is a gun and they don’t think that you should own one. Their ultimate goal is to take them all away and they don’t care if your favorite rifle shoots black powder. Any firearm is unacceptable to the anti-gun crowd and they have more than once stated that they won’t stop until private ownership of firearms is a thing of the past.
We are at a crossroads in gun ownership history. The Supreme Court is set to rule on a case that will have far-ranging impacts for all gun owners. If we, as black powder shooters, seek refuge in the petty, close-minded philosophy that “they will never outlaw my rifles” we are doomed to lose them. All gun owners must present a united front and recognize that the line in the sand is “the right to keep and bear arms”. Not the right to keep and bear a muzzleloader, or shotgun, or M-14, but the right to own a firearm, period. Those who would ban their ownership make no distinctions…and we shouldn’t either.
It is said that “Freedom isn’t free” and this really applies to the right to own a firearm. If you enjoy this right you must invest in it; remembering that compromise only encourages the enemy. If you are worried about the new proposed legislation in New York (and you better be) then roll up your sleeves and get to work. Stop not only new legislation aimed at black powder firearms but push back laws that wrongfully infringe the right to own any firearm. We have lost too much ground because we have “fallen back” to whatever comfortable compromise we think we can live with. The problem with that strategy is that soon you find yourself at the edge of the cliff.
Everyone can effect a change in his or her own way and cohesiveness is our greatest strength. With the upcoming presidential election we need, more than ever, to stand together as gun owners to protect the Second Amendment. It’s our watch and we need to keep focused on the big picture.
A gun is a gun.
Gute Ziele.
__________________________________________________ ___
Editorial by Steve Garbe
Black Powder Cartridge News – Issue 61 Spring 2008
A Gun is a Gun
Recently, a new bill before the New York State Legislature (specifically Number A9543) seeks to impose the same restrictions on muzzle loading firearms in regards to purchase and ownership as modern firearms. New York State Assemblyman Michael Gianaris, sponsor of the bill, makes the argument that black powder firearms are as dangerous as modern weapons in the wrong hands and as such, should be regulated accordingly.
I absolutely agree with the first part of that statement…and before you think that I’ve put Mr. Gianaris and Sarah Brady on my Christmas card list, let me explain.
Black powder firearms are as dangerous as modern weapons. Oh, I know…when we want to use their out-dated technology for a specific purpose, like avoiding some new piece of anti-gun legislation, we are quick to say, “Well, you know, a flintlock rifle really isn’t as dangerous as an assault rifle because the flintlock only has a single shot.” Statements like this have been used, and successfully, for the justification of exempting black powder firearms from many gun laws. It has also given more than a few gun owners a safe little bulwark to hide behind while those, whose personal preference is for modern weapons, bear the brunt of new legislation and restrictions. Many shotgunners have used this same sort of argument to insulate and excuse themselves from the gun debate centered around military-style firearms.
I would submit to you that, quite simply, a gun is a gun. A flintlock longrifle is just as dangerous as the most tricked-out, high capacity assault rifle if you happen to be standing within the flintlock’s effective range. I think that it is high time that we, as firearms owners, admit that. And let’s also agree that carrying on silly debates about which firearms are “suitable” for sporting purposes and which aren’t, is only a concession to the enemy…and an extremely dangerous one at that.
One could argue that we are getting what we have been asking for. On one hand we love to point out the ineffectiveness of our black powder guns and the warm, fuzzy feeling that one gets when considering their artistic and historic appeal. Then we do an “about-face” and develop new technology to make them nearly the equal in performance to the most modern of firearms. This is true with both black powder muzzleloaders and breechloaders. It is amazing to me that many folks don’t understand that those who would take our firearms away closely monitor our “media”, whether it is magazines, web sites, or television. They are well aware of the effectiveness of your Sharps because they have watched you shoot it at 1000 yards. They’ve listened to you talk about it’s accuracy and range on the web, and they have seen how we have applied the advantages of modern sights, reloading components, and range finders to our shooting and hunting endeavors. It is no wonder that they consider our black powder guns “dangerous in the wrong hands.”
So, can we simply agree, that guns are guns? That we as gun owners- not muzzle loaders, skeet shooters, buffalo gunners, Schuetzen shooters, or pistoleros- are collectively in the same boat when it come to anti-gun legislation? That we must stand together with the guy who shoots an AR-15 or a 12-gauge Perazzi to not only defeat, but also repeal onerous gun legislation? We have diluted our strength for too many years because we naïvely think that our single shots are safe when a new gun law bans high-capacity magazines for semi-autos.
A gun is a gun…let me say it again. To the likes of Chuck Schumer and Ted Kennedy, a gun is a gun and they don’t think that you should own one. Their ultimate goal is to take them all away and they don’t care if your favorite rifle shoots black powder. Any firearm is unacceptable to the anti-gun crowd and they have more than once stated that they won’t stop until private ownership of firearms is a thing of the past.
We are at a crossroads in gun ownership history. The Supreme Court is set to rule on a case that will have far-ranging impacts for all gun owners. If we, as black powder shooters, seek refuge in the petty, close-minded philosophy that “they will never outlaw my rifles” we are doomed to lose them. All gun owners must present a united front and recognize that the line in the sand is “the right to keep and bear arms”. Not the right to keep and bear a muzzleloader, or shotgun, or M-14, but the right to own a firearm, period. Those who would ban their ownership make no distinctions…and we shouldn’t either.
It is said that “Freedom isn’t free” and this really applies to the right to own a firearm. If you enjoy this right you must invest in it; remembering that compromise only encourages the enemy. If you are worried about the new proposed legislation in New York (and you better be) then roll up your sleeves and get to work. Stop not only new legislation aimed at black powder firearms but push back laws that wrongfully infringe the right to own any firearm. We have lost too much ground because we have “fallen back” to whatever comfortable compromise we think we can live with. The problem with that strategy is that soon you find yourself at the edge of the cliff.
Everyone can effect a change in his or her own way and cohesiveness is our greatest strength. With the upcoming presidential election we need, more than ever, to stand together as gun owners to protect the Second Amendment. It’s our watch and we need to keep focused on the big picture.
A gun is a gun.
Gute Ziele.