The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Energized 2nd Amendment Activists Defend Their Civil Rights In Sunnyvale, CA

C0untZer0 · July 4, 2011, 01:46 PM

20 years ago - if you would have told me that CA would have concealed carry before IL - I would have said - "No Way"

My general opinion was that the people in CA were electing anti-gun politicians. LAPD under McNamara was this seeming proving ground of anti-gun ideology. If anything I feared CA making significant anti-gun legislation that would serve as precedents for the rest of the nation, especially on the federal level, that would afffect me in IL. I always thought that the downstate IL citizens, hunters and target shooters, would prevent significant anti-gun legislation on the state level, but the whole thing seemed like an uphill battle. I always felt we were on the defensive, just reacting to whichever latest anti-gun legislation was launched at us.

Here we are in 2011 and CA has CCW (albeit limited / restricted), and Illinois does not.

When I first started learning about gun laws and the constitution, I was mystified how there could be laws against gun ownership when the constitution so clearly says "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." Then I learned how complicated it all was, the caveat that anti-gunners hung their hats on "A sound militia..." etc...

I think I just have to have faith that the constitution is what it is, the meaning that our forefathers had when they formed this country and created the 2nd Amendment was and is clear. The constitution is probably the most powerful man-made document in the world, perhaps the most powerful document humans have ever created.

In time even the Chicago political machine can not stand against the power of constitution.

July 4, 2011, 01:46 PM	#7
C0untZer0 Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,555	20 years ago - if you would have told me that CA would have concealed carry before IL - I would have said - "No Way" My general opinion was that the people in CA were electing anti-gun politicians. LAPD under McNamara was this seeming proving ground of anti-gun ideology. If anything I feared CA making significant anti-gun legislation that would serve as precedents for the rest of the nation, especially on the federal level, that would afffect me in IL. I always thought that the downstate IL citizens, hunters and target shooters, would prevent significant anti-gun legislation on the state level, but the whole thing seemed like an uphill battle. I always felt we were on the defensive, just reacting to whichever latest anti-gun legislation was launched at us. Here we are in 2011 and CA has CCW (albeit limited / restricted), and Illinois does not. When I first started learning about gun laws and the constitution, I was mystified how there could be laws against gun ownership when the constitution so clearly says "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." Then I learned how complicated it all was, the caveat that anti-gunners hung their hats on "A sound militia..." etc... I think I just have to have faith that the constitution is what it is, the meaning that our forefathers had when they formed this country and created the 2nd Amendment was and is clear. The constitution is probably the most powerful man-made document in the world, perhaps the most powerful document humans have ever created. In time even the Chicago political machine can not stand against the power of constitution. Last edited by C0untZer0; July 4, 2011 at 01:52 PM.