Monday, December 24, 2012

Ron Paul Opposes Left and Right Reactions to Sandy Hook Slayings

The Hill is reporting on a statement from Ron Paul that says:

Predictably, the political left responded to the tragedy with emotional calls for increased gun control.

This is understandable but misguided. The impulse to have government ‘do something’ to protect us in the wake of national tragedies is reflexive and often well intentioned. Many Americans believe that if we simply pass the right laws, future horrors like the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting can be prevented. But this impulse ignores the self evident truth that criminals don’t obey laws.

The political right, unfortunately, has fallen into the same trap in its calls for quick legislative solutions to gun violence. If only we put armed police or armed teachers in schools, we’re told, would-be school shooters will be dissuaded or stopped. While I certainly agree that more guns equals less crime and that private gun ownership prevents many shootings, I don’t agree that conservatives and libertarians should view government legislation, especially at the federal level, as the solution to violence[...]

Government security is just another kind of violence. Do we really want to live in a world of police checkpoints, surveillance cameras, metal detectors, X-ray scanners, and warrantless physical searches?

We see this culture in our airports: witness the shabby spectacle of once proud, happy Americans shuffling through long lines while uniformed TSA agents bark orders. This is the world of government provided ‘security,’ a world far too many Americans now seem to accept or even endorse. School shootings, no matter how horrific, do not justify creating an Orwellian surveillance state in America.

2 comments:

  1. I believe that federal, state and local legislation is needed to: 1) eliminate all mandated 'gun free zones', 2)legalize the nationwide implementation of programs like the Guardian Plan in Texas (schools with teacher volunteers w/concealed-carry permits & personal defense training and paid a small stipend to maintain their proficiency), and 3) hold every business or organization that wishes to maintain their property as a 'gun-free zone' 100% liable for any criminally gun-related injuries or deaths that occur there.

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  2. I was alarmed by the NRA's suggestion to have armed guards or police stationed at the schools; we are a police state as it is. Also, we know they've been wanting to ban guns for a long time, and ANY restrictions of the second amendment at this point would be just the inch, just the chink government would need in their steps to ban all guns. They never stop with an inch. Never. We must not budge on this. "...Liberty has meaning only if we still believe in it when terrible things happen and a false government security blanket beckons"...Ron Paul

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