By Stephen H.
On February 21st, Robert posted a letter from three former mayors and members of MAIG (Mayors Against Illegal Guns: We’re Not Gun Grabbers!). A single line in the letter penned by the former mayors lodged in my memory. Despite my best efforts to pry it from my brain, I’ve thought of that one line (nearly) every day since. “As former mayors of Binghamton, Albany and Utica, we know that a mayor’s most important responsibility is to keep their citizens safe.” This ideology is simply frightening, and it elicited a visceral reaction as I continued to read. It forms the basis of the gun grabber’s entire argument and shows the deep divide between those who cherish liberty and those who fear it . . .
When I hear a politician make a plea toward “citizens’ safety”, what I hear is “you children just need to listen to me”. I know that tone of voice. I’ve used some version of the same to my children many times. The more I hear a version of this from politicians, the more I believe they truly see “citizens” as children (their children, no less) and themselves as the parents. In their ignorance, they fail to understand two things: the job of mayor (or city councilman or school board member or even president) is more administrator than CEO and children don’t really listen that well.
A mayor is elected to steward the tax dollars provided by a city’s residents to accomplish the things we deem necessary; no more, no less. Often those things include roads, water treatment facilities, and other necessities of modern life that we “citizens” have neither the expertise nor the time to deal with ourselves. By all means, spend some of that money on police and fire departments, but politicians need to realize that no amount of money exists to pay for each person and each home to have their own personal guard to protect them from harm. Police exist to hold criminals responsible for the crimes they commit and firefighters to keep fires from completely destroying the town. They do not exist to prevent crime or fires. This concept was put on brilliant (as in “easily seen”, not “good”) display during the rampage in Santa Barbara.
Police were warned about and even investigated the perpetrator in the weeks preceding the “massacre.” However, evil exists and terrible things are done by terrible people. These terrible things are a part of life and every adult needs to be prepared to deal with them. It is not the responsibility of a politician, or someone else, to do this for you. Firearms and the RKBA are an integral part of that very adult “responsibility”.
Speaking of adults, this brings us back to the “politician as parent” mentality. Even if I bought into the idea that the only “adults in the room” were elected officials, I would have to say nearly all politicians, and the three former mayors in particular, are terrible parents.
Good parents don’t shield their children from everything they believe is dangerous. They introduce the danger in a way that is appropriate to the child’s maturity, teach the child why the danger exists and how to deal with it. A great parent never exaggerates the danger and is honest about things that may not be truly dangerous. Our mayors would rather keep their “children” ignorant of what they see as “dangerous” (guns, drugs, the demon rum or anything else that may be associated with your liberty) by eliminating the “danger”. They don’t understand the “introduce the danger in the proper way” idea and they cannot understand their “children’s” lives, no matter how smart they think they are. They also fail to grasp that they have no real power to eliminate “danger”.
The idea that you can simply banish danger with a law was demonstrated starkly by the father of one of the Santa Barbara victims. His impassioned pleas for someone to “do something” are misplaced, but heart wrenching. In his grief he calls upon politicians to pass more laws. I’ll give him a pass for now, because I empathize with him. But I disagree wholeheartedly.
The NRA did not cause this latest tragedy, nor any other. And no law banning guns, knives or other weapons would have stopped it. Even a good guy with a gun wouldn’t have stopped it, but that good guy may have limited the scope of the tragedy greatly.
Ultimately, I have a message for our three former mayors and their Sugar Daddy, Michael Bloomberg. I am not a child looking for a politician’s love and guidance. Neither are you. I am not a psychopath waiting for something to trigger a rampage. Neither are you. Our safety is not your “responsibility” and we don’t need you to keep us safe. We will take care of ourselves in the best way we can. We may or may not be successful, but that’s the chance a free person takes. What we need our politicians (and would be rulers) to do, is the job for which you were hired. If you are not capable, let us know. We’ll gladly find replacements.
Great essay.
Additionally — the idea that people have a RIGHT to safety is AMORAL.
That is because “safety” is an END STATE. Ethics is about process — and exists in the time domain — not as a snapshot. You find a dead human. Is that right or wrong? Wait? How did he die?
Elevating an END state to a right (an absolute) = THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS — the very definition of amoral and unethical thinking and acting.
In reality THE MEANS JUSTIFIES THE ENDS — and if (hypothetically) your society has fair rules & laws — THEN end results are just.
I appreciate your bringing ethics into this debate. It’s often overlooked.
Yeah, I’ve heard this “the state/parent people/the children” argument many times before. When confronted with it, (yes, people actually argue that this is how it is and should be) I usually respond with historical facts that prove that the state is the one who frequently acts in the manner of a child.
And while I’m on it, the amount of times I’ve heard this president preach about the #1 Job of the federal government is the Safety and Security of the country makes me sick. Safety and Security. The two words that try to kill Freedom an Liberty. There’s a psychological reason why they say “Safety and Security” so repetitively, and always together.
It’s been said by others but needs to be repeated:
“The Bill of Rights is about liberty not safety.”
+1,000,000
Magnificently put! May I humbly suggest that Paul T. McCain be eliminated as a candidate?
Many moons ago his avatar started popping into my mind whenever I hear the word patronize.
+1 William Burke
We’re forgetting a critical legal precedent:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Rock_v._Gonzales
There is legal precedent allowing a government agency not to protect someone.
A lot of precedent, (Warren vs DC, Riss vs The City of New York, Ballesteri vs Pacifica Beach PD) and some states like CA even put it in their government code:
845. Neither a public entity nor a public employee is liable for
failure to establish a police department or otherwise to provide
police protection service or, if police protection service is
provided, for failure to provide sufficient police protection
service.
…
846. Neither a public entity nor a public employee is liable for
injury caused by the failure to make an arrest or by the failure to
retain an arrested person in custody.
I’m a small town mayor. Other than occasionally being quite annoyed by WASTING 1/2 of out tiny city budget on the contract with the local Sheriff by only “public safety” thought is improving and better funding the Vol. Fire Dept (real world actually useful group).
The Co. Sheriff is actually a pretty good guy (for a damn Democrap) who collects all manner of .22 rifles as a hobby. Not sure if he has the cajones to tell the State Police or the Feds to FOAD if necessary or not. Have been thinking thru how to have a discussion on Oathkeepers
Bravo! It needed to be said, because, unfortunately, for many people, it is not obvious,
It used to be obvious to all, but the would be nanny government at all levels, and the indoctrinated nanny statist supportive main stream liberal media have brainwashed far too many into NOT believing or remembering the obvious; that one is ones own first responder in all situations and must be resourceful and vigilant, or suffer the consequences.
“… and children don’t listen very well.”
True of life.
I had to give a safety class to the Cub Scouts on the “Dangers”. I read the literature and went to the Centers for Disease Control. It turns out I never needed to mention gun safety. The number of injuries and deaths was far too insignificant. And I covered a lot of topics. In short, put a bike helmet on your kid’s head when they scooter, bike, or jump off furniture…And make them wear their seat belts… You’ve got your 99% solution.
I am not the property of the State. Period. Full stop. It is my property, and any who decide to work in it are MY employees. High time we starting treating them like the minimum wage scum they are.
Well done Dan.
“A mayor is elected to steward the tax dollars provided by a city’s residents to accomplish the things we deem necessary; no more, no less. Often those things include roads, water treatment facilities, and other necessities of modern life that we “citizens” have neither the expertise nor the time to deal with ourselves. ”
It’s amazing that this simple explanation of being a steward should be the theme for all elected representatives..
If you were going to disarm me before starting the next civil war, would you tell me?
If a foreign entity or government were paying you to disarm me before their attack, would you tell me?
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/06/05/pentagon-chinese-military-capabilities-are-growing-amid-rising-regional/
“Common sense will tell us that the power which hath endeavored to subdue us, is of all
others the most improper to defend us. Conquest may be effected under the pretence of
friendship; and ourselves, after a long and brave resistance, be at last cheated into
slavery…. Wherefore, if we must here-after protect ourselves, why not do it for ourselves?
Why do it for another?” ( Paine Common Sense pg. 47)
“If any party’s claim is such that: “I cannot defend you until you have surrendered the means by which you can defend yourself;” only the first half of the statement is true.” – TERMS, J.M.Thomas R., 2012, pg. 46.
It absolutely disgusted me after Sandy Hook when I heard Chris Rock encourage people to support Obama’s gun control agenda by saying, “The president is the Dad of the country. If you don’t listen to your dad, bad things happen.”
I nearly broke my TV right then and there. I knew Rock was a liberal and anti-gun, but that level of absolute surrender of adult personal responsibility clashed so heavily with his usual message of taking responsibility for your own body and life.
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