Guns

["Hunter Gray" <hunterbadbear@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is apropos  of a discussion on one particular list -- but the "gun
issue" occasionally surfaces in various List settings.

While I'm not inclined to spend a great deal of time at this moment on the
right to keep and bear arms, I do have a few things to say.  It's been my
experience that almost all of the people who push gun control [often for the
best of motives] : (1) know absolutely nothing about guns; (2) have never
had to deal with an armed intruder in or immediately around their home --
when the police are, for whatever reason  [e.g., racism], reluctant to come
to one's aid or  simply take an inordinate amount of time to do so, or are
themselves supportive of the intruder(s);  [3] have never had to deal
personally  with genuine threats and hostile actions from racist hate groups
or company thugs; [4] and are, in this push for "gun control," diverting
important attention and enduring focus away from the real causes of crime:
racism, ethnocentrism, economic deprivation and poverty, urban congestion --
and, in that context, interpersonal and value alienation.

I know of virtually no Native American people in this hemisphere who are
about to give up their firearms!  [Always remember -- that unyielding
traditionalist, Geronimo, loved his Winchester 1876.]  But I'm talking now
about the contemporary moment -- and the future. And I certainly don't think
other "minorities" in this country [or Canada] are willing to give up their
guns -- nor are economically poor people -- or the workingclass generally.

I'm always intrigued by people who tell me that "rights come from the
state."  Sorry, there's too much history -- including the 20th Century -- to
the contrary.  In any event, from my Native American perspective, rights
come from Whatever created us.  But they have to be implemented and
maintained by the people -- and rights very much include economic
well-being and a healthy measure of liberty. I don't think we can ever get a
full measure of rights  [i.e., food and freedom] under any variety of
capitalism -- and I think we can and will very much  achieve and retain
those rights under  bona fide socialist democracy.  My idea of "utopia," by
the way," does not involve living in a rabbit hutch.  Even in a genuine
socialist democracy, arms -- held by the people -- will be necessary to
protect it, always.  [Remember the Bay of Pigs?]


Here, from the socialist Western Federation of Miners  -- founder of the IWW
and, later, rechristened as the always radical International Union of Mine,
Mill and Smelter Workers:

Edward Boyce, President, Western Federation of Miners, at the WFM's Salt
Lake City Convention, 1897:

"I deem it important to direct your attention to Article 2 of the
Constitutional Amendments of the United States -- "the right of the people
to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."  This you should comply with
immediately.  Every union should have a rifle club.  I strongly advise you
to provide every member with the latest improved rifle, which can be
obtained from the factory at a nominal price.  I entreat you to take action
on this important question, so that in two years we can hear the inspiring
music of the martial tread of 25,000 armed men in the ranks of labor."
Cited from Vernon H. Jensen, Heritage of Conflict:  Labor Relations in the
Nonferrous Metals Industry Up to 1930, [Ithaca: Cornell University Press,
1950], page 67.

Once, in the past, I made reference on a couple of lists to a long article
that I did several years ago for the excellent Against the Current journal:
"Civil Rights and Self-Defense."  Here, once again, is that link to that
piece [much reprinted, by the way] and some other comments of mine:

http://www.hunterbear.org/liveissueshtm.htm

Hunter Gray [Hunterbear] --  Idaho -- [with six lever action hunting rifles
and one single-barrel shotgun]
www.hunterbear.org