How much more will it take before we act?

Many in the post-Civil War North attributed the Confederacy’s early victories to the Southerners’ greater experience in shooting, riding and living off the land. For this reason, in 1871 two Union Civil War veterans organized the National Rifle Association to improve the marksmanship and gun-handling skills of potential army recruits. This organization has only become political comparatively recently, a complete turnaround from its original purpose.

Well into the 20th century the NRA promoted gun safety and also assisted Congress in writing the 1934 National Firearms Act and the 1938 Gun Control Act, both of which reasonably regulated firearms ownership and usage. In 1939 NRA President Karl T. Frederick testified before Congress, stating, “I have never believed in the general practice of carrying weapons. I do not believe in the general promiscuousness of toting guns. I think it should be sharply restricted and only under licenses.”

But in 1971 the NRA abruptly changed its policies after longtime member Kenyon Ballew, suspected of stockpiling illegal weapons, was shot and paralyzed during a Treasury Department raid on his suspected illegal gun cache. An NRA spokesman called the federal agents “Treasury Gestapo.” It was then that the NRA began insisting that the Second Constitutional Amendment guaranteed individual gun ownership. But let’s take a closer look at that.

If read carefully the Second Amendment clearly authorizes “a wellregulated militia” and fails to even mention individual gun ownership. But all these Second Amendment arguments are for naught anyway. The right to individual firearms ownership was established long ago in the English Common Law. Largely based on custom and precedent, this right was extended to the American Colonies. In fact, in some colonies adult males were required to belong to the colonial militia and to own firearms. Former Chief Justice Warren Burger, a conservative Nixon appointee, declared the NRA’s interpretation of the Second Amendment “has been one of the greatest pieces of fraud, I repeat the word ‘fraud,’ on the American public by special interest groups I have ever seen in my lifetime.”

What I am saying is simply this. Under both American statute law and common law no citizen in good standing can be denied the right to own firearms. But rights are also subject to certain restrictions and Americans have rights to their own protection. Thus, the law may limit the places an owner may take firearms and may ban certain massively-lethal rapid-fire military weapons. It may also deny ownership to convicted felons and individuals with mental distress.

The insistence by the NRA and the firearms industry lobby that any move to register firearms or to regulate their sale will eventually result in the confiscation of our guns is a blatant fear tactic and an outright lie. They can get by with such deception only by preaching to congregations incapable of thinking for themselves. Who might that include?

How much longer must this insane killing of school children continue before we finally act as every other civilized, developed nation has done long ago with sane, reasonable firearms control laws?

George B. Reed Jr., who lives in Rossville, can be reached by email at reed1600@bellsouth.net.