News from the Sight M1911
Volume 176, 11/29/04
THE DEER HUNTER MASSACRE
By now, I'm sure everyone has heard of the incident in Wisconsin in which six hunters were killed and two wounded by another hunter armed with an SKS rifle. Since I wasn't there and have no inside channels to the law enforcement agencies investigating the case, I will forgo speculation on what happened and what went wrong.
An incident such as this makes me think about the struggle for freedom that has been a hallmark of the American experiment since the beginning. Freedom has two dimensions: the individual and the collective. Our individual freedom does not operate in a vacuum; it operates and defines itself in relation to the freedom of every other free individual. We are responsible to and for our fellow free citizens because we cannot be truly free if everyone around us is enslaved. I am free to own a powerful rifle, but I am not free to go out into my front yard and fire it into the other houses on my street. I am free to carry a pistol, but I'm not free to shoot someone who cuts in front of me in line at the post office. Why? Because I don't want other people acting that way and so I accept some conditions on my absolute personal freedom for the common good. I accept the responsibility of a free man to structure my life in ways that do not needlessly endanger others or deny the individual freedom of others. When we all subscribe to the ideal of individual freedom and mutual respect for the rights of others, we get along, enjoy a great deal of personal freedom, and live in a fairly civil and peaceful society. As soon as we forget the responsibility of personal freedom, it is diminished for everyone.
The issue of gun rights puts this into sharp focus. When a man in Wisconsin abuses his right to own a firearm, six people are denied the right to live their lives, hundreds of thousands of hunters are denied the right to hunt without looking over their shoulders, and my right to own a military-style rifle is threatened. Freedom is diminished for everyone.
Historical Note: The Hmong were our friends in Vietnam and Laos. They fought valiantly under the direction of our special forces and suffered horrendous casualties and persecution because of it. Most of the first wave of Hmong people who were allowed to immigrate to this country were brought in to spare them of the genocidal slaughter that they would have received at the hands of their communist overlords. Their transition to this country has not been altogether smooth. You can’t transplant a mountain tribe from Southeast Asia to St. Paul, Minnesota and not expect some difficulties along the way. They are a noble and courageous people who are deserving of our respect and gratitude. This is not meant in any way to excuse the actions of Mr. Vang. It is to say, let’s not pillory a whole people for the misdeeds of one individual.
The upshot of all of this may be that we need to do a better job of teaching the concept of freedom in its fullness to our citizens. New citizens need to be taught and those who have been here all along may need a refresher course. Freedom may be promised by the Constitution, but it can’t be assured without the active participation of every member of our society.
STATE STRIFE TURNED RICE INTO LEADER
During the bombings of the summer of 1963, her father and other neighborhood men guarded the streets at night to keep white vigilantes at bay. Rice said her staunch defense of gun rights comes from those days. She has argued that if the guns her father and neighbors carried had been registered, they could have been confiscated by the authorities, leaving the black community defenseless.
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/NEWSV5/storyV5RICE1117W.htm
"I am," she answered crisply, "a Second Amendment absolutist."
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/will080700.asp
AIRMAN SETS SIGHTS ON SHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIP
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123009182
HOW I LEARNED TO LOVE FIREARMS
http://slate.msn.com/id/2109816/
NEW BOOK HIGHLIGHTS MODEL 1911
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/newssummary/s_276973.html
SPARTA SHARPSHOOTER IS RIGHT ON TARGET
For more than 40 years, Don Whitacre has one-upped his own shooting achievements. First there was the Army Distinguished Pistol Shot medal he received in 1964. Then the United States Distinguished International Shooter award, followed by medals from the Pan-America Games and World Olympics. There were also many national titles.
http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2004/11/22/news/z1marksman_22.txt
WALK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG GUN
http://www.onlypunjab.com/travel/fullstory-newsID-690.html
FEDERAL JUDGE CONDEMNS SENTENCING LAWS
http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/11/17/federal.sentences.ap/index.html
AIRPORT SCREENERS FIND 75 GUNS PER MONTH
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20041124-115904-7635r.htm
STOPPING VIOLENCE IS ABOUT MORE THAN GUNS
Philadelphia faces poverty and a strong drug trade. Advocates call for change to ease the problems.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/10258259.htm
POLICE WARN OF THREAT FROM KEY-FOB GUNS
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1378513,00.html
GUN RANGES UNDER SIEGE: JUDGE REJECTS REQUEST TO KEEP STATE-RUN GUN RANGE OPEN PENDING TRIAL
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/10223509.htm
GUN RANGES UNDER SIEGE: PARKS PANEL SAYS VENTURA SHOULD CLOSE PISTOL RANGE
COLORADO: THE ACTIVIST JUDGE
http://www.journal-advocate.com/Stories/0,1413,120~7821~2538934,00.html
ILLINOIS: MORTON GROVE TO CONTINUE ENFORCING GUN BAN
ILLINOIS: ACTIVISM ON GUNS? JUDGES WISELY RESIST THE URGE
ILLINOIS: GUN SUIT DECISION WON'T END EFFORT, SLAIN TEEN'S FATHER SAYS
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/gun20.html
ILLINOIS: WHAT HAPPENED IN ILLINOIS REFLECTED WHAT HAPPENED AROUND THE U.S.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/otherviews/cst-edt-ref28b.html
MINNESOTA: GUN RIGHTS WASN'T MAIN ISSUE TO BRING DOWN BOUDREAU
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/politics/10187272.htm
NEW JERSEY: CAMDEN NAMED MOST DANGEROUS CITY
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/11/22/dangerous.cities.ap/index.html
NORTH CAROLINA: NEW LAWS FORBIDS ALL GUNS FOR FELONS
Convicted felons will have to give up their guns when a new state law takes effect Wednesday.
OKLAHOMA: BOSSES FRET OKLA. LAW ALLOWS GUNS IN CARS
UTAH: SCHOOL FIGHTS FOR GUN BAN
University of Utah duels with officials who say it must submit to law that ordered it to allow concealed arms
INDONESIA: AUSSIE'S FREEDOM BID DENIED
JAMAICA: YES TO TESTING OF GUN OWNERS
GUN-FREE UK: PRISON FOR MAN WHO SPARKED AIRPORT GUN SCARE
A father of two who set off a massive security scare at Coventry airport when a gun was discovered in his car has been sentenced to five years in prison.
KNOW THY ENEMY: HAMMER DOWN
Gun lobbyist wrong caliber for Hall of Fame
MORONS: GUN, SHOWN ON WEB SITE, FOUND BY POLICE
http://www.wmtw.com/Global/story.asp?S=2584250&nav=7k6rTKRi
THE WHAT NOT TO DO FILE: MOM ACCUSED OF IGNORING TODDLER'S HANDGUN WOUND
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2909411
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