Freedom

The Erosion of Freedom, Overnight

Tonight is an interesting night. Tonight, myself and the rest of the law abiding people of Connecticut are free people. Tomorrow however, Connecticut's legislature will vote to make us all criminals. Us, people who have followed the law; who pay taxes; who stood on the soap box against our elected officials. And yet, they still will sign away our rights, most likely to thunderous applause.

They are planning to introduce, pass and sign sweeping gun legislation. There is still no published text of the bill, only what sound bites the politicians are releasing. This bill, whatever it is, is being labeled by supporters as the best gun control laws in the country. I tend to agree with them as it sounds like it criminalize almost every type of common use weapon and make the sale/possession a crime, but what will that solve?

We can debate all the pros/cons of doing banning everything but frankly I couldn't give a crap anymore. The nation has been divided. You either want to ban everything or you don't want any changes. I heard an interesting quote a month ago "The country is quickly picking sides. There are the people who want to ban guns and the people who have guns. I want to be on the side with the guns."

Another saying I have heard which I think is relevant here:

"First they came after the old and disabled, and I did not care because I was not old or disabled.
Then they came after the sick and the poor, and I did not defend them because I was not sick or poor.
Then they demonized guns and their owners, and I did not step up because I did not own any guns.
Then they came after me. And no one was left to defend me."

I am sure we have all heard different versions of that but it rings true. Gun owners are being demonized, degraded and isolated as villains in this country. We are mocked, attacked and humiliated on tv programs and radio shows. Slowly, over time, our enemies will take our guns away. There will be no revolution, no shots fired, but people will probably die. And when we as a collective whole are gone, who will they go after next?

Alcoholics? (alcohol kills more people than assault weapons each year by a huge margin)
People who have phones capable of texting? (texting while driving)

The mantra of:

can be adapted to anything. "We need to ban text capable phones as too many children per year are dying in texting while driving related accidents." If it saves 1 life, it is worth it. Think about that, what can you think of where that mantra couldn't be used to ban something else? I can't think of any. 

You may be staying home, and staying out of this discussion, but after this is all over, they may come after you. And I wont be there to help you.

"I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

We have all heard that one too or something to the same effect. Well what do you think our 1st Amendment is about? Freedom of speech, exactly. It was given to us as an INALIENABLE RIGHT by our founding fathers. What are you going to do when someone tries to take that right away?

Enter stage right: The 2nd Amendment.

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.

Ive got news for you, we are the last protectors of the free state. 'We the People' have to fight for our freedom. Thankfully most of the time it is a peaceful fight, through the courts, or by persuading our elected officials to vote for liberty and freedom. But sooner or later, others will try to take your right to free speech, your right to not be the subject of an unlawful search, your right not self incriminate. And if you let them take your right to bear arms away, you won't have much to fight back with. 

You may not agree with my desire to exercise my 2nd Amendment rights, but we are all linked in the fight to preserve liberty, freedom and the pursuit of happiness. I would hope you would stand by my side just as I would stand by yours. 

75 years later. 

Tonight I am a free man. Tomorrow I will watch helplessly as they turn me into a felon. I will have done nothing more than wake up and go to work yet by the time I come home I might be a felon. They will make the things I own into class D felonies. Here are a list of other Class D felonies. 

Sexual assault of a minor

Promoting prostitution

Larceny 3rd degree

Perjury

Bribery

Incest

Possessing child pornography

Stealing a firearm

For each magazine I have, for each gun I have I would be guilty of 1 count of a felony equal to the above (I have a grace period to register each item with the state police and give them access to verify). Each punishable by 1-5 years in prison. So what is perfectly legal tonight, tomorrow could put me in jail for a maximum of 75 years. 75 years....For what? What did I do? What did my guns/magazines do? I have no interest nor desire to hurt anyone outside of self defense. Yet I could be thrown in jail until I am 101 years old? 

It is a weird feeling, becoming a felon. I liken it to being slowly boiled alive. You know things are changing, you can feel the heat, but by the time you realize what is happening you are already dead. I saw this all coming and am prepared.  To keep my rights, I will be forced to move since 75 years in prison doesn't sound appealing. I doubt this state will miss my tax money, my donations to charities or my guns as I pick up and move to a state that fights for freedom. I won't even look back.