| An Open Letter |
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| Written by Kim D. Campbell | |
| Wednesday, 07 March 2007 | |
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...to our counterparts at Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, Brady Campaign, Violence Policy Center, Freedom States Alliance, et al. What then? Let's suppose, for the sake of argument, you manage to get every one of your pieces of dream legislation passed. Will you then fold up your tents and move on? Or will you, like most organizations that "work themselves out of job," expand your original mission statements to embrace heretofore unrecognized threats to our safety? My money's on the latter. Of course, I sincerely hope it never comes to that. I'm not naïve enough to think you'll ever be convinced of the fallacy of your positions, but I do have faith in the common sense of the average citizen when presented with actual facts rather than the emotional rhetoric supplied both directly by you, and through the (generally) sympathetic-to-your-cause media. Let's be frank. You and I both know you won't be happy until you've completely outlawed the private ownership of firearms. What then? ...on to banning knives? Seems to be the wave of the future in one of your favorite examples, England. Of course, that whole firearms banning thing doesn't seem to have had much effect on their criminal element, but I guess I'm just nitpicking. Sorry - didn't mean to bring facts into it. So, where was I? Oh, yeah. OK, you've gotten President Hillary (let's not be coy - that is what you're hoping for) to sign legislation saying all my guns are illegal. How will I be compensated for the government's taking of my property? And how will it be done? How will you know - no, I mean really KNOW - I've been a good subject - er, citizen - and turned them in? And since you've now taken away the one truly effective means I have for personal defense, how will you ensure my safety? Up to that moment, I'll have taken a large degree of personal responsibility for it. Now what? I'm 5'4" and 140 pounds soaking wet - and old, slow, and weak. And careful though I may be, there really are bad people out there. Shall I use harsh words with them? So, back to my original question - what then? I'd really like to know. Sincerely, Kim D. Campbell |