SITREP: April 1999
By Dan Shea
For those who remember, 1994 was a very good year. It didn't start out that way, with the Bans and all, but that was the year that we gun owning Americans caught fire. Our efforts had a lot to do with changing the control of the United States Congress, which passed from an anti Second Amendment group of Democrats, to a group of fire-breathing Young Republicans. Or so we thought they were. Even though much of the change was de-railed by clever Clinton lies and coverups by his fellow traveling media toadies, it was still a very exhilarating time for those of us in the firearms community. The Committee of 1776, before collapsing on itself due to uncommon interests, roared loudly. We put 100,000 people on the streets in 26 states during our "Rally for Firearms Rights", and another 15,000 people for the rally we held in Washington DC.
There was revolution in the air. The Committee was one of the most significant grass roots movements of our generation of gun owners. Our elected representatives heard our voices. The name and direction started at a kitchen table in the backwoods of Maine, and many similar groups joined in.
It's hard to think about it today. Our constitutional rights have been slowly betrayed by many of our government institutions. The losses continue to mount. No one seems to mention our victories, because the general media in the United States is against us and covers it up or distorts the news.
Why am I bringing this up you ask? I'll put it very simply. After the recently failed Senate trial of the president, the Clintonista's have privately declared war on their "enemies". We firearms owners are part of that group. Expect the worst. Gun control if not more bans. Certainly, the continued demonization of firearms owners.
Well, it's déjà vu all over again.... We have been here before, friends.
Something I learned as a street kid in the sixties, and had it re-iterated to me in the Army. Same thing goes in business. Master Sun Tzu taught it thousands of years ago- It is best to win without having to fight. The corollary to that is; if you have to fight, you give it your all. Never give up. Both fists clear in the air, nose to nose, eyeball to eyeball, wit against wit. Strike hard and fast, and keep striking. Haymakers. Sucker punches. Rain it down on them, and yes, if they really want to hurt you, kick them harder when they are down.
The politics of compromise with the anti Second Amendment zealots must end. We need to go to the courts. We need to go to the polls. Clinton and his corrupt bunch of cronies have a plan to destroy all of the last of our freedoms in the coming elections. We need to stand tall, and our resolve must be firm.
SAR is a magazine about military firearms ownership. We usually don't beat the drum of political change. However, by the nature of our avocation, we are all students of history. As such, we know that the loss of arms, is the loss of freedom itself.
It's time to start the preparation for the next elections. We lost in the last election due to apathy in the voters- the lowest voter turnout in fifty years was accompanied by a massive "Get out the vote" drive by the Clintonistas- bussing in the welfare crowds, free lunches, allegations of illegally registering immigrants prone to voting for the free lunch society.
Disillusionment of our side.
We need to start now. A number of stalwart individuals have put together lawsuits on the NFA issues. Now it's time to lock arms and head for the next election together. This is my personal call to the NRA, the GOA, the SAF, all of the organizations, to work together. We need to do this! Let's start the grass roots rolling again. Let's get everyone to the polls, let's contact every candidate and see what they are made of. What's Jesse Ventura doing in say, another year?
Generally speaking, when you realize the gloves are off, things are looking up. Take your own off and start to make the hits count
-Dan Shea
This article first appeared in Small Arms Review V2N7 (April 1999) |
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