Simpson Column: No logic to gun fears

Tomorrow, Saturday, July 4, we celebrate American independence! During this time I hope that Americans will take a few minutes to reflect on how we gained our independence … while so many, to this
very day, are still unable to achieve liberty.

The fact is, we can thank our success on one thing — the individual right to bear arms. If it were not for the firearms owned by private citizens in the late 1700s, the British would have easily defeated us.

Yet so many today are willing to give up this basic right in the hope that government will be there to protect them and will never become oppressive.

Thomas Jefferson wrote “… that even under the best forms, those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny …”

A couple weeks ago the issue of limiting private gun ownership reared its ugly head again when a piece of human excrement — who I will not give the honor of mentioning by name — got drunk and killed
a duck next to Tim’s Rivershore Restaurant.

This act elicited an Our View editorial by the News & Messenger that queried: “It makes one wonder why people should be allowed guns in restaurants, period.” With the follow-up rhetorical question “Do
we really want a criminal and a patron exchanging gunfire in a crowded restaurant?”

I have heard many accounts of murders in restaurants — I still remember the incident (late ‘70s I believe) of a massacre that took place inside a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant on Rt. 236 (Duke
Street) next to Interstate-95. Someone walked in and killed many patrons, and no one was armed and able to stop him. Or the event where unarmed people were massacred in a New York subway train,
again where the citizens were unable to defend themselves. So yes … I would rather have a fighting chance than be a helpless victim.

Criminals are going to obtain weapons. If more laws are passed reducing private ownership, crime will increase as evidenced in places like Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C. Even in
countries where private ownership is outlawed, criminals acquire weapons.

If guns were the problem, then thousands of deaths would be reported at gun shows. Anyone who takes a minute to shrug off the fear indoctrinated into many by the liberal media will rightly conclude that
most gun violence occurs in areas where people have been disarmed — universities, public schools, places of employment, restaurants, etc.

The Our View piece from June 20 also states that “Guns should be banned from restaurants, plain and simple.” It goes on to suggest that if the government won’t ban guns, then restaurant owners should
post signs banning guns as the law provides for establishments to prohibit them if they desire.

This would only serve as an invitation to anyone wanting to rob a restaurant or its patrons.

The fact that we need a “permit” to carry is already a serious infringement of the Second Amendment. We don’t need to ask the permission of government to practice a religion, speak our minds and
peacefully assemble. Every step that is taking to remove our God given right to protect ourselves moves us one step closer to tyranny. Many are fighting very hard to remove the private sale of guns,
requiring the government become involved in every transaction … as well as requiring that all individuals register their guns. The latter has been used numerous times throughout history to confiscate guns
once those governments realized that their tyrannical nature was inciting a citizen revolt.

From a document issued by the Second Continental Congress on July 6th, 1775 titled Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms: “From thence the troops proceeded in warlike array to
the town of Concord, where they set upon another party of the inhabitants of the same province, killing several and wounding more, until compelled to retreat by the country people suddenly assembled to
repel this cruel aggression.”

These people did not reply to tyranny by throwing stones. Our government is currently diving headlong into financial ruin. You can’t just magically produce trillions of dollars and not have significant
repercussions. You can’t have the government take over huge parts of the private sector and not have significant repercussions. It will not be long before our government turns oppressive.

Freedoms, once lost, are very difficult to regain. Please try and remember why we celebrate July 4 as you are watching the fireworks.

James Simpson lives in Lake Ridge.