Gun Control History and Keeping Perspective

[chasfm11]

I was taken aback by a post regarding the anti-gun actions attributed to Ronald Regan. Obviously, I'm ill informed about gun control history and I'd like to start working to fix that.

First, I'm trying to compile the specific list of gun control legislation that got us to this point. I'm currently reading the GCA 1968 and trying to understand all that is included in it. I hope to expand to the full list of such legislation. and build my own chronology of it so that I will remember it for future discussions. History tells me that taking someone else's list will not work for me. My memory will not begin to cooperate if I don't take the time to study each one myself and "internalize" it. Then, I have at least a chance to recall the information when I need it.

But I'd like to take it one step further. I'd like to gather as much information as is available about the actions regarding the legislation. We all understand that people are not supposed to enter our country illegally under Federal law but all of the recent administrations have chosen, with impunity, to take a selective enforcement approach to that situation. In the GCA1968, for example, under the Prohibited Person's provision, it would be interesting to try to find out how well the enforcement has been carried out, if at all. I understand that in many cases, there just isn't data support any judgment of the effectiveness or even the attempts to enforce specific provisions. That, by itself, is important to me.

I suspect that I'm not alone in my ignorance and would appreciate help from others who may have already preceded me in this search.

I'm tired of trying to defend the 2nd Amendment with the just the knowledge that I have. Since I'm committing myself to attempting to do that more, I need to be better prepared. I have to feel comfortable that I'm beyond just talking points.

Thanks,

Chas

[chasfm11]

Sorry. I should have added that I've started from here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_law_in ... ted_States

I'd like to at least expand on this information.

[LSUTiger]

II am surprised that with all the historical facts and evidence/statistics to argue against gun control that the NRA in coordination with some other groups do not publish some sort of book that would easily explain why we need the 2A and "regime change" weapons. I myself would like for someone more knowledgeable than myself to put together a comprehensive document that covers:

History of Gun Control in the World and it's consequences
Stalin,Lenin-Russia
Mao Tse Tung-China
Hitler-Nazi Germany
Australia
UK
Hugo Chavez-Venezuela

History of Gun Control in the US
NFA 1968 etc.

Common Sense Arguments against Gun Control, not just about hunting and sport shooting, but all this historical documents that show what was the thinking behind our constitution and the history that formed that thinking. The 2A is to defend against tyrrany not the right to go duck hunting. We need "regime change" weapons because its the technology of the day and what is in use by military and police. Limiting us to weapons less capable of what our enemy has takes away our power to defend.

The fallacies of Gun Control and the tactics used to gain power, just like using healthcare to declare dissenters crazy and take their guns away or take them away never to be seen again.

This has all been done before, and keeps repeating itself, take control of mass media, disarm the population, institute a police state. Wash, rinse, repeat.

You get the idea. Maybe if our side had all of its arguments ready in one volume we could convince more "useful idiots" to see the error in their thinking. We won't convince those who are the power elite with a Globalist Agenda to give up, they know we are right and what they must do to gain more power.

[K.Mooneyham]

The Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986 (FOPA) was a VERY hard fought for bill that was actually originated by an "old school" Democrat to roll back or correct many of the abuses brought on by the GCA of 1968. The FOPA gained a good Republican supporter in the other side of the Capitol and they slowly, but surely, gained enough support to get it passed. At the last minute, a more left-wing Democrat from New Jersey named Hughes, introduced his amendment to ban any further fully-automatic weapons from being added to the registry as a "poison pill" attempt to kill it. The sponsors of the bill, and President Reagan, did the right thing and got it passed/signed it anyway. It had FAR more good than bad in it. I wish I could remember the names of the originator and their Republican compatriot who crafted and nursed this bill through, but I just can't and I don't have time right now to look them up, my apologies. This information can be found in much better detail at the NRA website. As to Ronald Reagan during his time as Governor of California, I admit I don't have much knowledge on that subject.

[LSUTiger]

.

You get the idea. Maybe if our side had all of its arguments ready in one volume we could convince more "useful idiots" to see the error in their thinking. We won't convince those who are the power elite with a Globalist Agenda to give up, they know we are right and what they must do to gain more power.

PS. Enslavement will come from those who have guns and are against us.
Freedom will come from those who have guns and are for us.

[chasfm11]

The Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986 (FOPA) was a VERY hard fought for bill that was actually originated by an "old school" Democrat to roll back or correct many of the abuses brought on by the GCA of 1968. The FOPA gained a good Republican supporter in the other side of the Capitol and they slowly, but surely, gained enough support to get it passed. At the last minute, a more left-wing Democrat from New Jersey named Hughes, introduced his amendment to ban any further fully-automatic weapons from being added to the registry as a "poison pill" attempt to kill it. The sponsors of the bill, and President Reagan, did the right thing and got it passed/signed it anyway. It had FAR more good than bad in it. I wish I could remember the names of the originator and their Republican compatriot who crafted and nursed this bill through, but I just can't and I don't have time right now to look them up, my apologies. This information can be found in much better detail at the NRA website. As to Ronald Reagan during his time as Governor of California, I admit I don't have much knowledge on that subject.

Thanks for that clarification. That is exactly the kind of information that I'm looking for. Following the links on the Wikipedia NFA, I selected terms and then ATF to get to the explanations behind Ruby Ridge and the fact that ATF had been substantially and primarily targeting legal gun collectors rather than criminals, leading to FOPA.

For me, that is exactly the type of information that needs to be used in a gun control debate. It doesn't appear that, in spite of the constant shifting of the placement of ATF among the Federal departments, much has changed in the way that they approach their job. The is no reason to believe that further gun controls would be more enforced against criminals than law abiding citizens. That is really the underlying theme that I want to be able to demonstrate.

[mojo84]

Chas, I suspect TAM could point you in the right direction. If he doesn't see this thread, you should consider sending him a PM.