A Rubicon moment?
Posted by Richard on February 22, 2013
Eric Peters believes the left’s overreach on gun control (“Instead of gradually increasing the temperature so that the frog doesn’t notice he’s being boiled alive …, they’ve cranked up the heat suddenly …”) is causing something very good to happen (emphasis in original):
… Millions of Americans have decided they will not abide by any demand they register their firearms – much less surrender them. And are saying so – openly. More than a few local sheriffs have also publicly stated they will not enforce any such demands. For the first time in living memory, the debate is not fundamentally about which guns – or how many guns. It is about whether the government has any business even knowing whether you’ve got guns at all – much less dictating the type you’re allowed to have.
It’s a Rubicon moment – because this idea involves a great deal more than merely firearms. It is an assertion – though not fully conscious, yet – that trampling the rights of any individual because of the actions of another individual is an ethical outrage. Not just the right to keep a gun.
All rights.
The Beat-era author/philosopher William S. Burroughs once quipped: “After a shooting, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn’t do it.” He said that decades ago and at long last, people are coming to resent being vilified – and punished – not for anything they did. But because some other person did something.
I hope he’s right. There are increasing signs of pushback. As of Feb. 1, more than 225 county sheriffs (including 28 of Utah’s 29) have pledged not to enforce new federal firearms restrictions and in some cases to protect the citizens they represent from those restrictions. The Tenth Amendment Center’s model legislation, the 2nd Amendment Preservation Act, or some variation thereof is being considered by a growing number of state and local governments. At least 18 62 (see comments) firearms companies are refusing to sell to government agencies what they cannot sell to civilians. Resistance, as Christopher Cook noted, is spreading.
I’ll be at the Day of Resistance rally on Saturday helping to contribute to the pushback. I hope you will, too.
UPDATE: The crowd was much smaller than the one at the January 19 rally — I’d guess about 250-300 — but determined, resolute, and energetic. Robert Wareham, the highlight of that earlier rally, wasn’t there this time, and none of the speakers approached him in quality. But they said the right things and the crowd cheered. The most notable was probably Columbine shooting survivor Evan Todd, who recently addressed an open letter to the President in opposition to gun control.
Rick Shultz said
I have said publically for many years that when they come for my guns they will need those vests they’ll be wearing, and now I am beginning to hear a lot more people saying it or something very similar to it. It would appear a lot more people have finally had enough and they are saying so. I think I know Americans well enough to say that the tone I’m hearing along with the words says “we mean it!”
Rick Shultz said
After reading the Second Amendment Preservation Act I immediately filled it out and sent it to my state representatives, and I recommend seriously that everyone who reads Richard’s blog do the same thing. As Richard would say, read the whole thing, and then do what you know you should.
jed said
The total is now 26 or 28.
Richard said
And now it’s 62. Sean Sorrentino is keeping a list, too, and has some links for contacting manufacturers. The lists don’t completely overlap.
Freedom Outpost’s Tim Brown is tracking the Sorrentino list and has quotes from some of the companies’ statements.
Billll said
Burroughs is exactly right and I’m saying it to all the politicians I write to. I’m tired of being blamed for the actions of every madman and criminal that comes along.
Billll said
And there were an additional 750 people at Senator Girons town hall in Pueblo, and another 200 at a similar event on the western slope.
My Senator, Newell is another Dem. Her Townhalls are:
Second Saturdays of the month at Blueberry’s Café in Littleton at 9am
Third Wednesdays of the month at Heather Gardens in Aurora at 6:30pm