Guns and Utopia

Late last week I was on a message board discussing the Russian arms maker, Izhmash, who going out of business. It was one of the big three network news websites, so needless to say, all but me on the message board were very liberal. One such individual made the comment that they wished all American firearm manufacturers would go out of business, to which everyone, except me, heartily agreed. I quickly pointed out that if that happened, it wouldn’t be good for the only segment of our economy that was actually doing good right now, and that it wouldn’t be good for the millions of law abiding Americans who legally purchase their firearms for legal pursuits. Nor would it be good for our military and law enforcement, who need guns to protect us. I didn’t go back to the message board after that, but I’m sure the follow up comment was something to the effect of, “well if there were no guns, our military and police wouldn’t need guns, and wouldn’t need to protect us.” I’ve heard this argument before from the far “non-thinking” left-wing.

Let me address this idea of a no-gun utopia. Say, just for argument’s sake, that all US firearm manufactures really did go out of business, and authorities were actually able to confiscate every single gun in America. Literally, every single gun. No guns left. As a side note let me point out that the left are proponents of completely opening our border with Mexico, allowing anyone and everyone in, and complete amnesty for those illegals already here. Let me point out -- primarily to the left -- that with the measures you are proposing to freely let people in, **read my lips** you could not keep guns out of our country. They would come in. We are not Britain, Australia, Cayman, or any other place that has a no gun policy. We don’t live on an island. While monitoring guns into your country is hard even if you are surrounded on all sides by water, and the only way in is air, or maybe boat. It is IMPOSSIBLE if entrance into your country can be had over land. No way. Can’t be done. So once again, you have a scenario where the only people with the guns are the bad people. Except in this lefty scenario, even the police and military don’t have guns.

Now say, hypothetically, that every single firearms manufacturer in the world went out of business, and every single gun in the world was confiscated and destroyed. Not one single gun was left in the world. People will still find away to kill other people (for example, a molotov cocktail is a very simple device, or even an IED), or make weapons to gain power over others. Still, you cannot un-invent something. An individual can make a gun in his or her home. In fact, plans to make homemade guns are all over the internet. The knowledge is still there. Just the same, you can’t un-invent the automobile to prevent vehicular homocide. Or, you can’t un-invent the wheel. The knowledge is still there. People will still make them.

Bottom line: get over it. Guns are here to stay. There is no utopia. Men will kill other men. If one means to do it is gone, we will find another way. It’s time to look at the real problem; the person behind the gun. Why do some people choose to do evil with a gun, while most do not. Look at how many commit DUIs; we don’t try to ban alcohol, but instead try to treat or punish the person behind the alcohol and the wheel. We need to approach guns the same way. God forbid if the bleeding-hearts every want to punish criminals. Instead we have things like early-release and parole. Violent gun crimes should face a “do the time” penalty -- if you get charged with 15 years, then you do fifteen years. The only way you get out early is if you get shanked in jail, then you can leave early on a steel table.

Semper Fi