Why weapons of war belong on our streets

“Weapons of war do not belong on our streets” was a direct quote from Barack Obama concerning the AR15 and AK47 styled semi-automatic rifles so common in America. These rifles can carry 30rd (or higher) magazines, have a rapid rate of fire and can be reloaded in a two or three seconds.

Let’s step back to the year 1776, muzzleloaders, or muskets as I believe they were called, were “weapons of war” in 1776. These muskets were the high-tech “badass” assault weapons of the late 1700′s and without them being readily available to the citizens of the 13 British colonies then I’m afraid we might still be under British rule.

I’m reminded of a passage I read last year. I’ve searched and searched but cannot find it. In any case, it went something like this…

“This new weapon is so destructive, so lethal, that no man in good conscience would ever deploy it even against his worst enemies. It changes the fundamental nature of war.”

There was more to it than that, and much more eloquent, but that’s the gist. As one read the passage one naturally thinks the author is referring to nuclear weapons. But no. The author was writing about – the crossbow.

The point made in that book was that weapons do not change the fundamental nature of conflict and war and this is the very foundation for the second amendment.

Assault weapons and their definitions change as technology changes. “Weapons of war” may be different than they were 200+ years ago but their place in our society has not changed.

Weapons of war belong in every home, next to every couch and next to every bed, just as they did in 1776.

Dave, Sept 2013 www.howtoburyyourstuff.com