Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Americans say gun sales are up in the United States because of a fear of increased government restriction on gun ownership.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 23% say gun sales have risen because of a fear of increased crime. Twenty-one percent (21%) are not sure.
Sixty-three percent (63%) of men say the threat of more gun control is behind increased sales, compared to 51% of women. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of whites agree, while African-Americans are more closely divided on the question.
You may read the entire article from Rasmussen here.
It is good to know that 75% of Americans believe the constitution guarantees the right to own a gun. A whopping 92% of Republicans say the Constitution guarantees their right to own a gun, compared to 64% of Democrats and 71% of adults not affiliated with either of the major political parties.
The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states, “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” The amendment is part of the Bill of Rights.
Gun control advocates have argued that the Second Amendment refers to the arming of a militia for the common defense and is not a guarantee of an individual’s right to own a gun. The National Rifle Association and numerous political leaders, both Democrat and Republican, among others, disagree.
Now we have Judge Sonia Sotomayor, nominated for the US Supreme Court by President Obama, with a record on the 2nd Amendment which is troublesome to gun owners – and that is putting it mildly. US Senators are being urged by their constituents to carefully question Judge Sotomayor about her position and her rulings on cases having to do with the second amendment.
Take a look a portion of Sotomayor’s record on gun rights:
Sotomayor ruled in United States v. Sanchez-Villar (2004) that “the right to possess a gun is clearly not a fundamental right.”
She was part of a three-judge panel, earlier this year, which ruled in Maloney v. Cuomo that the Second Amendment does not apply to the states.
Fox News reported back in May (2009) that in her senior thesis at Princeton University, Sotomayor wrote that America has a “deadly obsession” with guns and that the Second Amendment does not guarantee an individual right to firearms ownership.
I ran across an interesting article on a site called “The Patriot’s Mind” a few days ago. The title of the piece is: “What the Media won’t tell you about Judge Sotomayor.” You will find it HERE.
(And we must not forget the new Obama Attorney General, Eric Holder, who is reportedly not, shall we say, a keen supporter of gun rights.)
Americans continue to practically run to gun shops to purchase weapons. They are buying ammunition, semiautomatic sport-utility rifles, and handguns, and shotguns. (Shotguns are a bit easier to employ for the beginner. You just point it in the general direction of your target and pull the trigger. There’s a pretty good chance you’ll get a piece of your intended target.)
The plain truth is – Americans are afraid this new government is going to disregard the constitution and take away their guns and/or make it nearly impossible for them to purchase ammunition for their weapons. That is one reason Americans are buying guns. The other is, or should be, self-explanatory.
Words from the mouth of, quite likely, the 20th century’s worst dictator, Adolph Hitler, is the most important reason Americans should never give up their 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Here is what Hitler said:
“The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to allow the subject races to possess arms. History shows that all conquerors who have allowed their subject races to carry arms have prepared their own downfall by so doing.”
– Adolph Hitler, Hitler’s Secret Conversations 403 (Norman Cameron and R.H. Stevens trans., 1961)
Now compare that to what Thomas Jefferson said to John Cartwright in 1824. Jefferson said:
“The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that… it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.”
When Americans survey the political landscape in Washington, DC today, one cannot escape the feeling that powers are gathering to strip Americans of a cherished right – the right to keep and bear arms.
Americans have almost instinctively understood that it was the gun that secured our freedom from Great Britain and it has been the gun that has kept us free ever since.
James Madison had this to say in The Federalist Papers, No. 46 about American’s gun rights:
“The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation…(where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.”
And finally, Patrick Henry, that fiery Founding Father, had some strong words about the people resisting the abuse of power by their government. Henry said this:
“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined.”
Through lips curled into a sneer Patrick Henry said this:
“O sir, we should have fine times, indeed, if, to punish tyrants, it were only sufficient to assemble the people! Your arms, wherewith you could defend yourselves, are gone…Did you ever read of any revolution in a nation…inflicted by those who had no power at all?”
Americans must, must, remember, that without the right guaranteed us by our Founding Fathers, in the 2nd Amendment, we would have NO WAY to secure all the other rights. Somewhere, along the way, over the past 233 years, we seem to have forgotten that.
We would remind all Americans that with our guns we are citizens. Without them, we will, fairly quickly, become slaves.
Actually the Constitution doesn’t grant the people any rights. Our rights come from our creator. The Constitution actually defines what the Federal Government is ALLOWED to do. In fact, the 10th amendment actually states that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution does not mean these are our only rights. It says that anything not spefically deligated (by us) to the Federal Govt is either a states’ right or the belongs to THE PEOPLE themselves. The text of the 2nd amendment reads, in part, “THE right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”. It doesn’t say “the right is granted to the people by this document”. It basically recognizes our right, which we already had, and tells the Federal Govt not to tread on it. The Federal Govt is supposed to be very limited in its powers, but via the interstate commerce clause and very wrong-headed justices through the years, it has been allowed to overstep its intended bounds. We have all kinds of other rights that the Federal Government has no business in – not just those that are listed in the so-called “bill of rights”. Get a copy of your Constitution and read it for a change – especially you, Supreme Court, Congress and Mr. President.
How do you buy a gun in the US without alerting the government that you are armed?
You have to tell the US government or the state government that you have a gun. Why should I buy a gun that the government will try to steal from me?
Jeff in TX ,your absolutly correct that our rights are given by our creator and not the law. that’s one of the most important facts in the Constitution. The Constitution is mearly asserting that no government body can legally take these rights from us.
Doc Ellis 124, It’s very hard to give you an honest answer without knowing which state you live in. In most states you now need to register a pistol or semi auto rifle or in some instances any rifle with a clip. However, Shotguns can be transfered without any notification to the government in most states. You will need to check your state laws and act accordingly. By the way a nice 12 gauge remington pump is one of the best home defense tools anywhere (I bought my first one when I was 13). I wouldn’t suggest bringing a pistol to a shotgun fight unless your really good!
“Why should I buy a gun that the government will try to steal from me”? I guess that’s up to you to decide. I prefer to be armed for many reasons, hunting is one and self defense is another. Defense against tyranny is also one of my concerns. In case of a total and complete breakdown of society I know I wouldn’t want to be caught without the means to protect and feed my family.
Peace!
**Doc Ellis** Yes it’s true, our government will inevitably at some point achieve a true full gun rights abolishment attempt. By this I mean, the bits and pieces that they chip away here and there will eventually give them the platform and presumed ability to go for the whole enchilada. That said, the clear reason to buy a gun (if you do in fact want your civil liberties to remain even some what intact) is to put the barrel in the face of those who would attempt to take it from you. Here also is an interesting point in which I’m surprised no one seems to discuss even among libertarians, we have the right to keep and bear arms to supposedly uphold the constitution and essentially keep a collectively Tyrant government in check. My problem is this, we aren’t using the tools that have been protected for us.
Basically most of our other civil liberties have already been done away with. Our current government is definitely by definition corrupt and abusive beyond a great measure already. The people in our government are certainly guilty of far more transgressions and evil than the British Crown was prior to the Revolutionary War. These people are 100% guilty of crimes against the constitution, and ARE criminals by any definition of the word. We get in an uproar about the possibility of losing a “tool” to preserve Liberty while in the mean time Liberty has and continues to be raped and demolished. Had we used what was given us or if United States citizens of today were generally made of even half of what our ancestors were we wouldn’t be having this discussion on whether or not or when our “Governemnt” will be taking away our guns. It would have been taken care of years and years ago and the current dismal cycle would have been broken.
Just sayin.
Oh and Patrick Henry RULES!! LOL
david.boyd26@yahoo.com — my email address in case any one cares to discuss or let me know what they think about what I’ve said here (seeing as how me revisiting this page is not guranteed)
Apathy haskilled more people historically that tyranny!
When it comes to guns,
I don’t care what Ben Franklin said,
I don’t care what Thomas Jefferson said,
I don’t care what the supreme court decides.
I don’t care what congress decides.
I don’t care what anyone’s interpretation of the second amendment is,
I dont care what some trendy political leader declares.
I don’t care if we are folded into some global government and the new “global dictator” declares all guns illegal with a death penalty to enforce it,
I along with tens of millions of other Americans shall never relinquish our only effective defense against tyranny or criminals.
There is a price to be paid by anyone that dares to try to take from me that which I rightfully own. This includes all the rights guaranteed to me by the Constitution. Without freedom life is not worth living.
Justin, you are so right in that the government is run by criminals there is no doubt about it. I woke up around 20 years ago when I was deployed for Operation Just Cause. We bombed the snot out of a, for the most part defensless nation killing thousands of civilians and who knows how many innocent members of their military and police force. They were also innocent as they had done nothing but signed up to protect their country. When I came home 6 months later I was told that the war lasted only a few days and had done very little damage. So we obviously have a complicit media that is also part of this cabal. Of course I could also point to tons of other illegal activities “our Government” has commited, but this one I can attest to personally. If you can find it watch the “Panama Deception” this film won many award worldwide for telling the truth about this massacre but was basically banned in the US. It’s now online.
After the initial invasion (taking out army barracs and police stations) one of my primary duties was kicking in doors and confiscating weapons while dragging off the “offenders” who hadn’t turned them in. Of course setting up constantina wire roadblocks to enforce curfew was fun too. Anyone who panicked or refused to stop was taken out. Everyone who did stop was detained and handed over to MP’s for further investigation. Welcome to Fascism this is how they would like to treat us as well. Never give up your guns folks, these people are truly evil.
Peace!
We have guns, yes, but we are fat, lazy and conditioned to passivity and I fear we will comply with whatever law is passed.
We are spied upon and we don’t protest.
We may be detained and tortured without charge and we don’t protest.
We are slaughtered in spectacles like 911 that defy basic laws of physics and we believe the lies rather than face the truth.
We are sheep without the will to resist and they know it and will use it against us.
When they pass the law requiring registration and safe storage and they come to inspect our homes, who will resist? No one.
When they confiscate BAD guns from the list who will resist? No one.
The net tightens and we hesitate. Searches at events, airports and public buildings are becoming common. Soon the airport fascism will spread throughout the society. Still we hesitate.
We shall richly deserve our fate.
Free men need weapons, true, but more they need the will to risk their lives to stay free. That we lack.
All I have to say about it is…..
http://www.losthorizons.com
How do you control an out of control federal government? Take back your money being withheld by educating yourself about the truth of taxation.
Cheers,
I too am fed up with never ending debacle called American Government. I don’t recall who mentioned it but they are mostly right. Todays society is too passive and lazy. But who is to blame? Ourselves for letting it happen, or the government for taking advantage of us? The one fact that I have come to openly speak, is that I will disolve any attempt made to disarm me, with great prejudice. I make no apologies for my opinion. I have spoken my beliefs. I have never broken the law and never will. I believe our Founding Fathers wrote the things they did with the intentions of making this the greatest country on the planet. Others are in fact evious. Those that don’t agree with the American Way need to get the hell outta Dodge because I am sick and tired of all of the bleeding heart douchbags and their retorical outbreaks of sympathy. Do I fear the Government? No. Will I exercise my inherent rights? You damn right. No elected official has the right to walk on my liberties.
I suspect we hesitate out of regards for being civil. But the numbered days are getting shorter. Patience is wearing thin and tempers are starting to flare.
They call us Right Wing Extremists. I say thank you for that compliment. Because if it were not for people like us they would not be able to bitch and moan when lines are crossed.
I’ll end my comment by saying this. If anyone wants to try to relinquish me of my inherent rights, put up or shut up.
Thinking about it honestly, we are in dire need of a news channel that tells their stories from a 100% Constitutional defense stand point. Even Fox news is a little too flimsy for my taste, and contribute to more party line bickering. It should be obvious that both parties are dead wrong leaving literally only a few individuals on capitol hill that are actually trust worthy and really have our best interest in mind. Ron Paul is an obvious part of this short list. If I had the monetary ability I would definitely invest in a different form of media that doens’t just claim to be unbiased and will in fact shoot straight when it comes to Constitutionally protected rights.
JD,
I enjoyed your article but was dismayed that you promoted the myth that you don’t have to aim a shotgun. That is absolutely incorrect.
The pattern size across an average room will only be about 6″ or so. The human body is about 16″ across. If you simply aim in the direction you will likely miss. At best you may strike the felon with a couple of pellets which won’t do much good. By aiming you are likely to deliver the full load on target. That will give you a much better outcome.
Please take a defensive shotgun class and learn the facts rather than do your readership a disservice by spreading myths.
Cordially,
Tom
Oh, America the great experiment! The fact that the government has thus far gotten away with as much as it has (by attrition) is evidence that Americans dont need to have guns. How is that you may ask? Well IF YOU HAVENT SEEN THE NEED TO USE THEM YET ( look at what your govt is doing to you) then you really dont need them at all, now do you. The proof is in the pudding as they say. Americans may well bear arms but it is a moot point if THEY ARE TO COWARDLY TO THINK OF USING THEM! So if you wont use them for their “INTENDED” purposes then you dont need them at all. See the guns then just get invoved in “crimes” and are not being used as the tools (for checks and balances) that they are. We dont need more crime now do we? It appears to all watching that Americans do not know how to operate the trigger or when it should be operated. So just get rid of those pesky household “dangers” (redneck toys) and let the Dems (and Libs) SHOW you the love that they have invisioned for you. (Breath in, release and squeeze).