Are Gun Owners Paranoid?

There is an old saying “Just because you are paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.” The liberal media and others that don’t want you to own guns keep saying gun owners are paranoid, that nobody really wants to take our guns. That is their new mantra and they are sticking with it, no matter the facts.

We have a good reason to be paranoid when it comes to our gun rights. History proves if we don’t react immediately to each and every threat, we lose. Andrew Jackson, in his farewell address in 1837, said: “eternal vigilance by the people is the price of liberty.” Many others have echoed that theme and it has never been truer than it is right now.

A good example of how the liberal media is using the paranoid label is a segment on CNN broadcast on March 27, 2009. In it Correspondent Sean Callebs stated: “In fact, it may not be rational at all. It might even be paranoid. But one thing is certain. Many gun owners believe this president is somehow out to curb their rights and they’re stocking up just in case.”

Paranoid? Not rational? During the above segment, where the talking head called us paranoid, a text across the bottom of the screen said Obama supports the 2nd Amendment, supports giving police more rights to trace gun data and wants to close the “gun show loophole.” Newsbusters says a crawl that does not show up on the segment on the internet stated Obama wants to reinstate the “assault weapons” ban and make it permanent.

That is really supporting the 2nd Amendment and supporting gun owners’ rights! They are out to get our guns.

Sometimes we seem to overreact. Recently an email went around about SB 2099 being passed in secret and would make us pay a $50 tax on each gun we own. Problem is, that bill was introduced in 2000, nine years ago, and went nowhere.

But there is a grain of truth to the scare. According to Chris Cox of the NRA, Obama, when he was a Illinois state senator, supported increasing the federal excise tax on guns by 500 percent.

That’s not paranoid, that is history. Do rational people really think Obama no longer supports such an extreme tax hike on our guns?

To show the lengths the gun control fanatics will go, several groups sued in court to reinstate the ban on carrying guns in national parks. For years if you drove into Kennesaw Mountain National Park with your legally carried loaded handgun you broke a park rule. Even though you were legal outside the gates of the park because you have an Georgia Firearms License, before you got on park lands you were supposed to unload your gun and put it away.

Last fall under President Bush this rule was reviewed and removed, allowing you to keep your gun with you. Expected groups, like the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and groups that should know better, like the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, sued, saying said they did not want you and me to be able to take our legal guns into parks.

It always amazes me when people seem to think a murderer or robber will get to a park gate, stop and think “I better not break a park rule while committing murder.” Only us law abiding citizens obey the law!

It was no big surprise when a liberal judge overturned this rule. Then last month Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), attached to a bill an amendment that gave us the right to carry our guns in parks legally.

After 67 Senators voted for the amendment the bill passed 90 to 5. In the House they passed the bill then held a separate vote on the amendment, just to see who wanted to take away our rights. The amendment still passed by a vote of 279 to 147. As expected, all 147 votes in the house and 28 of the 29 in the Senate against our rights were liberal democrats.

Warning – this law doesn’t go into effect until next February, 2010 so only criminals can carry guns into National Parks until then.

This shows we can protect our rights if we stay vigilant, even if we are a little paranoid.