Firearms Safety and right to own/carry

I'm working on this page at this time. I'll keep it short for now.

Link to my writings page for a letter I wrote to MSNBC regarding anti-gun & anti-nra article they posted on their site.

A firearm should always be treated as if it is loaded until you have personally proven to yourself otherwise.
EVEN then it should be treated as if it is loaded.

NEVER point the barrel of a firearm at anything you do not intend to destroy.

A loaded firearm should never be left unattended.

Everyone should be educated on the safe use and handling of a firearm.

An armed society is a polite society.

Some quotes:

"No free man shall ever be de-barred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain their right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government."
Thomas Jefferson

"That which doesn't kill me better leave me incapable of returning fire."
Gregory McGill (stolen from unknown)

"Far better it is to dare mighty things than to take rank with those poor timid spirits who know neither victory nor defeat"
Theodore Roosevelt (1899)

"an armed society is a polite society"
Heinlein

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriot and tyrants". - Thomas Jefferson

Three Fundamental Rules of Practical Firearms Safety

The firearm is loaded until you personally have proved it is not.
Aim the firearm at nothing you do not intend to kill.
If you cannot accommodate rules 1 and 2, put the firearm down.

This implies:

If you can't determine whether it's loaded, you don't know enough to keep holding the firearm. For the sake of your safety, and all those near you, expect that it is.
If you can't determine what is and isn't a target (e.g., insufficient lighting), you don't know enough to aim the firearm at anything.

Others will have their own rules. Details change, attitude among those who understand the issues won't.

For those of you that think guns = violence think again. Guns are a tool, just like a hammer, that can be used for violence or negative actions, or for prevention of violence/death or positive actions. It really depends on who has the gun or hammer or automobile in their possession doesn't it? An automobile in the wrong hands can kill much more efficiently than a gun.

Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

Here's some bumperstickers I found... (too many to list on this page right now)

There are no bad guns, just bad people.

Self Control
Not Gun Control

IF you have not read Unintended Consequences

a possible future...

Concealed Carry Permit holders and those interested in concealed carry should read this!

This is one of the best TOMES of CCW and handgun carry knowledge I've seen.

Self control, not gun control
(enough said..)

READ ONLINE NOW
Just click!

Stopping Power

Gun control does not work.

Lets spend our money on things important like feeding the hungry or housing the poor or advancing cancer and AIDS research or something useful. If these organizations that spend millions of dollars a year trying to ban firearms spent those millions on AIDS research we may be able to find a cure for that horrible disease faster!

There are already enough laws against harming each other, that if enforced properly would negate the 'false need' for arms control. People will always find a way to hurt each other if that is their intention. Regardless of the tool or weapon they use to do it.

Banning Firearms does nothing but prevent law-abiding people from arming themselves to protect their property or loved ones from non-law abiding people.

Criminals will always have access to weapons and there is nothing the government can do to keep them from illegally obtaining them. Look how good they are at keeping the illegal drugs out of our children's hands. And you expect them to be able to keep firearms out too?

If you look at the statistics you will find that states that allow concealed carry have a lower crime rate than states without armed citizens. Florida's recent conceealed carry law has proven this to be true. The amount of crime has decreased exponentially.

Just like any other tool or potentially dangerous item it is OUR responsibility, not the government's, to keep children educated and safe. If we aren't intelligent and wise enough to keep firearms out of children's reach and unloaded and secured unless in use then WE are the ones at fault. All of my firearms are secured and unloaded when not in use. Your children are YOUR responsiblity and YOU should educate them YOUNG on how to respect the power of a tool such as a firearm or any other potentially dangerous object around the house. Just as you are responsible for educating your children on the dangers of drugs, drinking and driving, jumping off tall buildings, and other things that some of us take for granted, and think are just common sense.

LINKS TO FIREARM AND FREEDOM RELATED WEB PAGES

AK List home page I sponsor an email chat list for AK arms.	AK List FAQ page frequently asked questions about AK's	ar15.com
www.nra.org	www.amfire.com	Constitution of the United States
www.glock.com	Kimber of America	State Firearm Laws
The Oregon Gun Page	Gun Index	The Pro-Firearm Activist
A Nation of Cowards	Crime, Deterrence, and Right-to-Carry Concealed Handguns	Safe, not sorry
	Women and Firearms	My Firearms Collection