Freedom and Liberty Watch

Well folks it’s time to get busy. This should be out in time for a last ditch effort to hammer our views home to the EPA. The public comment period ends January 7th, so if you only plan on changing the paint or adding chrome to your bike……...ignore this paragraph. If you have intentions of doing more to your scoot than that, you need to get your comment’s in to the EPA, here’s the web address With so much going on in the world right now, war with Iraq appears to be imminent, the Trent Lott controversy and with him now resigning, the Homeland Security Act, recent court rulings on your Miranda Rights and of course Gun Control is sure to come up. There’s a good deal of business to keep a PAC (Politically Active Citizen) busy. Where do you stand on the Iraqi situation? The latest scientific poll I’ve seen has American’s support of going to war dropping. Numbers are down 12% from 70% to 58%. If you want sanctions to continue or a war to kick Sadaam’s ass, whether you think they have weapons of mass destruction or could care less, you need to let the President know your feelings on this or any issue you deem important. The White house mailing address is 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington DC 20500 or email @ president@whitehouse.gov . Homeland Security was voted on so quickly the chance to comment was miniscule. The Homeland Security Act that the House of Representatives passed is a massive 484 page document that has all sorts of interesting things in it. There will be sweeping changes to some of the civil rights we still enjoy, add to that all the reorganization of security/law enforcement departments and bureaus and this is most likely the largest government reorganization since 1947. What started out as 32 pages and had little effect on the budget is now a 484 page 3 billion dollar monster……keep your eyes on this one. Recent court rulings on the use and validity of your Miranda Rights are trying to throw into question if you should use your right to remain silent. Well until they change the Constitution keep your mouth shut, whether you ran a stop sign or are alleged to have committed a higher infraction, you have the right as guaranteed by the Constitution to remain silent. If your guilty or innocent your best bet is to keep quiet and do your talking in a court of law under the advice of an attorney. The burden of proof lies with the government, so make them prove your guilt. Looking at attempts to control gun ownership by private citizens, one could be asked “Why do you oppose the governments attempts to license guns?” The opposition may claim other things are registered. Cars for example are, where in the Constitution does it state you have a right to own a car? Yet it does however clearly state the “Right to Keep and Bear Arms SHALL not be infringed”. The 2nd Amendment was arguably the 2nd most IMPORTANT amendment to our founding fathers, after Freedom of Speech. The Founding Fathers already knew it was easy to push around a disarmed citizenry, so they made sure Liberty would not be impeded and covered our ass. The argument that a “Militia” was a governmental agency in my opinion was not the intention of our Founding Fathers. The Bill of Rights was aimed at individual people not the Federal or State governments. The word “shall” is conclusive and definite, and leaves no room for interpretation. Therefore you should not need a license or permission to carry a gun, it is a right given to you by our Founding Fathers. Don’t let it be diluted anymore. Having doubts on gun control? Check the article on the Australians http://www.newsmax.com/articles/?a=2000/6/26/12629 Their draconian gun legislation which banned ownership of 60% of all firearms in 1996 proved disastrous. 1 year after the ban, armed robberies were up 44%, an 8.6% increase in assaults and a 3.2% increase in homicide. Crime went up as predicted since the bandits didn’t bother to comply with the law. Yet in 1998 the Aussie government banned Bowie Knives and other large knives. There is no such thing as self protection in Australia, Canada, or England. The Queens old Colonies will protect you. Whether these numbers are 100% accurate or not, they are close enough to show that gun control does not work.