Loss of Second Amendment, a loss for human rights and individuality

04/04/2018 / By News Editors

There is a lot of talk about the Second Amendment right now. The Bill of Rights is a document that has been enshrined in the annals of America. Ultimately, it is the fundamental rights that is provided to individuals to protect them from an overbearing government. While of the amendments on the Bill of Rights that are under attack, the amendment that takes the greatest beating is Amendment #2– the Right to Bear Arms. (I believe I could make valid arguments on all ten are under attack, yes even Amendment #3– No Quartering of Soldiers, but that is a different article.)

(Article by Danama republished from WebNewsOrder.com)

What the Second Amendment Says

In total, if it is not ingrained in your heart or tattooed on your arm, the Second Amendment reads, “A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” A plain reading and understanding of this text is that the people are the standing army and therefore should be armed as such. There are multiple documents, court opinions, and articles on this amendment that date from when it was written to now.

A Defense of the Second Amendment

The article you are reading is not about interpretation of the Second Amendment; it is about the defense thereof. This right is under greater threat now than at most likely any other time in history.

School Shootings and Protection of Children

We are all aware of the current shootings, especially in schools. It is well established that people are more protective towards their children than themselves. So, if they feel their children are threatened, they will act.

Media Banging Gun Control Gong

The media (regardless of party affiliation) is banging the Gun Control gong for politics and ratings. My disgust of the media hit an all-time high when a broadcaster on a conservative channel reported about a burglary where the shop attendant was pistol whipped by a semi-automatic handgun. While some may see that as simply descriptive reporting, it is clearly inflammatory by relating a non-relevant fact due to the current hysteria. It would be akin to replacing the words “shop attendant” with “illegal immigrant shop attendant.” It is pandering to the audience in the worst way. The attention has heightened greatly. In addition, the media is working strongly on the Republican base (the traditional stalwarts of the Second Amendment).

Look at current news articles. Although Trump proposed providing teachers with guns for protection, it was repeatedly titled “gun control”. Any Republican who indicates he is in favor of any kind of gun restriction finds their name in print. Typically, I dismiss these ravings as they resurface every several years, but I nearly lost control when my brother, who is traditionally conservative and an outdoorsman, is now seriously leaning towards gun control laws and believing the nonsense that is spouted by the media.

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

(Matthew 24:21)

How Bad Are The Lies?

So how bad is it? The lies are everywhere. I wanted to search some basic facts, which I will share here, about gun violence. There are multiple sites that promote gun facts, such as Gun Violence Archives, Everytown Research, et cetera. These are decidedly anti-gun sites. They are sponsored groups that are perverting real data. This is what the Average Joe America is reading right now. You need to be worried. You need to stand up and be counted.

Real Statistics

What are the real statistics? The best statistics on homicides (excludes injuries and suicides) is the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) by the FBI. This was fantastic data for the last twenty years. It provides a wealth of data, including age variations, location (urban vs. rural), and many other interesting statistics. What was very interesting is the Expanded Homicide Data Table 8. This is the definitive statistic on gun deaths annually. How many of you have heard this referenced? I did not until I did significant research on my own. What I found of even more concern was that it is very difficult to find the UCR for 2015 through today. Instead, you have to rely on Center for Disease control (CDC). The CDC has a site called “FastStats”. It has two categories– All Homicides and Fire Arm Homicides.

Charts From FBI and CDC

Please see the chart below from the FBI. Courtesy of the FBI:

Courtesy of the CDC: And now a chart from 2011 CDC (with a link so you can verify):

CDC’s 2011 Report on Homicides

In 2011 the homicides reported by the CDC total more than 16,238 vs. 8,897 (from the FBI). That’s more than 54% greater. Why is there a difference? The CDC includes accidents, suicides, and every other gun-related event. Suicides and accidents are a tragic loss. I have lost a dear friend to a suicide, and my heart goes out to every hunting accident I read about. However, including these numbers into the total is a significant statistical modification, if the argument for gun control is due to “criminal attacks” or “mass shootings”. It is a clear and deliberate misrepresentation of gun homicides (defined as the deliberate and unlawful killing of one person by another with guns). It is all about intention. There are groups working diligently to vilify guns.

Advocates for Gun Rights Quiet on Fatalities

The strongest advocates for gun rights, including manufacturers and the NRA, are not providing data to the American people and seem to want to avoid discussing the fatalities. This is a mistake.

There are some decent groups advocating, including Just Facts, but no gun advocacy group is willing to take a hard look at the statistics, and this allows the anti-gun groups to control the conversation.

Tidbit Found on Just Facts

One interesting tidbit I found on Just Facts is:

Realize that the anti-gun groups have control of the argument. They control the data and nobody on the advocacy side is taking a stand. There are intelligent, business savvy and successful people who understand the impact of statistics and data on both sides. Yet all the data is being driven by the gun opponents. The worst part is that most people are now used to getting answers with a simple search. To get to the truth you have to be intelligent and make an effort. Otherwise you are relying on the media and politically motivated informational advertisements. The media is taking their information and broadcasting from these political sites.

Take a stand and educate yourself. Learn the true facts. According to the PEW Research Center, nearly 30% of Americans are legal gun owners. Based on current population statistics that means we have nearly 98 million gun owners. This also means that gun owners are a minority. There is a significant push to take away the rights of these people and of all 326 million Americans. Gun deaths will grow statistically on the CDC’s leading causes of death. The media will continue to spout nonsense like guns kill more people than driving. The gun advocacy group holds to their smug guns don’t kill people; people kill people. Yet we are losing the war even if we win a few battles.

Statistically Significant

While I do not want to sound callous, when discussing large numbers there is a term called “statistically significant”, i.e. the results have impact on the greater outcome. This is usually represented by the formula p<.05. Any number less than that does not impact the outcome of the whole. The percentage of deaths caused in the U.S. by homicide is roughly .00004. Yet, as part of our core, we value individuals, so even a single person lost is a tragedy. Unfortunately, nobody is talking about the other relevant statistics, because we do not have them readily available.

Basic Statistics on Current Events

We need someone to develop basic statistics on current events. It is possible with appropriate resources. What is the probability of a mass shooter in a school versus other public places? This is a definable number, and it is important. Why? Because if it is statistically significant, it demonstrates that schools are unsafe. We need to understand what facts are significant.

Potential For Other Outcomes

Significant means there is a potential for other outcomes. Back to the school example, if significant it then leads to important questions about why schools are targeted. Is it a social issue? There is a need for facts to a host of important items, including but not limited to mental health, video games, illegal gun purchases, the “gun show” loop, as well as other potentially pertinent facts. Why? Because these arguments are being weaved together to strip you of your rights.

Gun Show Loophole

How often have you heard the media talk about the “gun show loophole” where you don’t need to have a background check? While even the fact is primarily false, at least in the state I live in, it would be interesting if any media provided a report on whether any of the shooters (especially the mass shootings) purchased their guns legally or through the “gun show loophole.” It would be an interesting comment if your typical media talking head started spouting about the “gun show loophole” and there was a statistically relevant response like, “none of the mass shooters in the last decade utilized that loophole, and less than 10% of all criminal attacks with guns do.

Loophole, Incarceration, and Facts

In addition, utilizing that loophole and committing a crime results in a 33% greater chance of incarceration and 20% longer term.” While the former sentence is fiction, it would be wonderful to have a logical and factual discussion. As ideal as it would be to have an advocate understanding the facts, we may be too late. Youtube has recently shut down a host of independent conservative channels who actually question some of these issues. While they claimed it was an accident and many have been restored, it was a surprising, comprehensive, specifically targeted, and swift attack. It was not as if Youtube accident shut off 5,000 channels of a random nature. No, this shutoff was specific. You need to be aware.

World is Fragile

We come to SurvivalBlog because we understand the world is fragile. It is fragile from many perspectives, including geopolitical, economic, and moralistic. The collapse may come all at once, or it may be gradual with rumblings (like the 2008 Panic). This could be one of the political rumblings.

Loss of Second Amendment, A Loss For Human Rights and Individuality

The loss of the Second Amendment (although significantly weakened already) would be a loss for human rights and individuality. It would eliminate the strength of one of the last bastions in the world that stands for freedom of the people and respects people as individuals (not as a collective). The loss of gun rights would take the power of the people and put it squarely in the hands of the government.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” While quoted often, it is more than apt now. It is worrisome that the people of our great land would willingly subjugate themselves to any government when generation after generation fought to preserve our freedoms. Stand up and fight for the Bill of Rights. You have been warned.