[Editor’s note: This guest column from Martin Hyde – an American businessman who immigrated from England to Florida 22 years ago – was written in response to an editorial from the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Reporting Project. Mr. Hyde is primarying Congressman Vern Buchanan, R-FL16, because of Buchanan’s support for HB8.]
by Martin Hyde
The article by “Sir Max” Hastings pontificating on things in my adopted homeland that aren’t his business rather proves that some Brits haven’t learned much since the days of King George.
Specifically, I speak as someone born and raised in the UK who has proudly called The United States and Florida in particular my home for the last 22 years.
“Sir Max” rambled on for an eternity decrying America and Americans for not agreeing with his statement that “We are a better, much safer society without handguns.”
Furthermore, he opined that it’s “terrifyingly easy” to “touch a trigger and broadcast devastation and death.”
What this rather classically British “twit” doesn’t get is that is EXACTLY the point about the right and need to defend oneself.
To understand (if you care to) how such opinions are formed – it started with his hugely privileged education at Charterhouse School (over $50,000 annual tuition) followed by Oxford University and then to the home of the British media elite at the BBC.
He touts himself as someone who grew up with guns because there were some unused weapons in his home. To my mind, that’s like saying I’m a great vintner because I have a bottle or two of wine in my drinks cabinet that I’ve never opened.
In any event, “Sir Max” doesn’t restrict himself to stupid comments on guns. He’s also been quoted recently as saying that the Welsh people wanting independence from the UK couldn’t survive independently from the UK because they are “dependent on English largesse,” so his buffoonery isn’t restricted to comments about American gun rights.
He also rather outrageously suggested that a war between China and the US over Taiwan is imminent and inevitable, with China to be the victor of that conflict. These comments tell everyone that “Sir Max” is indeed a “Brit twit” of the highest level.
The thing I learned a long time ago is that the United States is NOT the United Kingdom, and that Americans fought to leave the control of Britain for good reason.
I arrived here 200 years after the Revolutionary War, but when I came here I did so BECAUSE we have a Constitution and a bill of rights.
“Sir Max” is a noted historian with many books to his name. but when it comes to the history of America and our Constitution, he’s sorely lacking in understanding.
America was established with the certain knowledge that its people were escaping a form of dictatorship and censorship, and dreamed of a life where government stayed out of our daily lives.
The writers of the Constitution knew first hand that the rights enshrined in it would be of limited value without a means of protecting those rights from a future attempt by government to take these “inalienable” rights away.
The Founding Fathers foresaw what happened a couple of weeks ago in the White House Rose Garden when President Biden tried to start America down the road to gun confiscation which his assertion that “no amendment is absolute.”
When I came here, I didn’t use the phrase, “That’s not how we do it at home” because I subscribed to the much more reasonable, “When in Rome do as the Romans do.” In the same way that Floridians use the mantra, “Don’t New York my Florida” might I suggest not “UK-ing” my Florida either?
My personal journey on the Second Amendment and gun ownership has evolved over the past 22 years to the point where I’m now the proud owner of guns for self-defense because I have learned from living here what self-reliance and independence really mean.
Like most immigrants, I’m more recently aware of how lucky we are to live in America and how important our Constitutional rights are. When I saw that our local Congressman, Vern Buchanan, had voted with just seven other House Republicans and with every House Democrat over HR 8, which is a step toward gun registration and ultimately confiscation, I was horrified, as I know exactly how slippery that slope is.
As a former Brit, I want to let people know what we’re not all anti-gun twits like “Sir Max.” I’m so concerned to protect our Constitutional rights that I’m now running to replace anti-gun Rep. Buchanan in Florida’s 16th District because I KNOW what “shall not” means when “Sir Max” and Vern apparently do not.
Mr. Hyde has found that the taste of freedom is sweet! It’s too bad many Americans don’t appreciate their blessings of freedom.
Well said!
Good for Martin Hyde, and congrats on enjoying 22 years of freedom in the US and sunshine in FL. A word of advice, though — don’t lose the accent. A lot of women dig it.
“A word of advice, though — don’t lose the accent. A lot of women dig it.”
And it’s quite valuable to the women, as well. A 50 y.o. British woman I know here had mentioned she was looking to re-enter the workforce. I advised her to market herself to upscale law firms as a receptionist, as her accent would be an instant credibility boost.
She did, and the firm she is with now *loves* her… 🙂
Huzzah!
To Sir Cusclown:
It’s not called a trigger, it’s called a death toggle.
Mr. Hastings attitude is exactly why “We the People” kicked George III and his rabble rousers the Hell out of Your Country and had to save their Asses twice from the Huns and the Nazi’s.
Hear, hear! If I lived in Martin Hyde’s congressional district, I’d vote for him.
Lots of brits arent weenies!
“If I lived in Martin Hyde’s congressional district, I’d vote for him.”
You can probably do the next-best thing, donate a few bucks to his campaign…
That didn’t stop a lot of people during the last election.
You’re getting my vote! And everyone I know in the LWR area!
And I’ve been trying to say not all Australians are disarmed. There are 15,000 privately held legal firearms in my postcode, which covers about 5 suburbs in western Sydney. And I’m responsible for 0.1% of them.
If such numbers of firearms were going to cause a problem it would be very obvious very quickly. To date, they have not caused a problem.
I had a pommie git as a manager who expressed shock and disdain that guns could be owned and used legally in Australia. I did not last long when he found out I was a gun owner and frequent competitor.
quote——————–He also rather outrageously suggested that a war between China and the US over Taiwan is imminent and inevitable, with China to be the victor of that conflict. These comments tell everyone that “Sir Max” is indeed a “Brit twit” of the highest level.———————-quote
Sir Max is quite correct and history has proven it. Even the normally warlike U.S. Generals have in the past warned the U.S. Government never to get into a land war with China and its huge army. It was Chinese intervention in the U.S./Vietnam war that tipped the scales for a humiliating U.S. defeat because China not only financed a large part of the war but it sent 1 million Chinese Troops into Vietnam to free up 3 million North Vietnamese troops to fight in the south against at its peak only 1/2 million U.S. troops. Also during the Korean Conflict it was only the threat of the U.S. using nuclear bombs that prevented the NATO forces from being annihilated. The Korean War truce was no accident of history.
QUOTE——————–The thing I learned a long time ago is that the United States is NOT the United Kingdom, and that Americans fought to leave the control of Britain for good reason.—————-QUOTE
There was not any good reasons for the American Revolution. It was started by greed monger American Businessmen who were too cheap to pay a few pennies in taxes to support Britain when it was Britain that was the hand that was feeding them by increasing its prosperity through Global Trade. The war set back America’s economic development by decades and the American people lost the opportunity to secure a truly democratic parliamentary government with multiple political parties. Instead America ended up with a sham democracy and a ruthless oligarchical government that was established for the rich and by the rich and remains so to this very day. In the beginning the criminals who founded the U.S. did not even give the people the right to vote.
quote————-The writers of the Constitution knew first hand that the rights enshrined in it would be of limited value without a means of protecting those rights from a future attempt by government to take these “inalienable” rights away.————quote
Laughable Right Wing propaganda. The founders of the U.S. were criminal businessmen who feared democracy and called it mob rule, they denied the people the right to vote and reluctantly were forced to put something in the Constitution about gun rights but slyly wrote it in the vaguest of terms so that they could restrict the right to own firearms and the courts have ruled for restrictions and confirmed just about every anti-gun law ever passed. They also condoned slavery making a mockery of their Constitution and the slaves were not just blacks but all women including white women as well.
quote————-Like most immigrants, I’m more recently aware of how lucky we are to live in America and how important our Constitutional rights are.———–quote
The Constitution is a sham and always was as the Courts have traditionally paid little attention to it voting along partisan lines and or according to popular prejudices. There were laws against interracial marriage, school integration, the condoning of slavery, religious discrimination, hiring practices, the list is endless according the prejudices of the era. Today the U.S, is actually the worst Industrialized country to live in and has the highest crime rates especially homicides with firearms, it still does not have a paid for National Health Care system that the rest of the civilized world has had for decades. People die by the thousands from lack of health care and affordable drugs every year. Life is considered cheap in Capitalvania.
quote—————“Sir Max” rambled on for an eternity decrying America and Americans for not agreeing with his statement that “We are a better, much safer society without handguns.”
Furthermore, he opined that it’s “terrifyingly easy” to “touch a trigger and broadcast devastation and death.”————-quote
Sir Max makes some very good points. Unlike Britain that has very good vetting procedures the U.S. for the most part has none because in most states you can buy a second hand gun with no background check which lets criminals and psychopaths buy all the firepower they want. For example (one of many) last year in Britain some terrorists could note even buy shotguns so they resorted to knives when they invaded a local bar. The Bar patrons annihilated them with broken beer bottles and chairs. In the U.S. the terrorists would have wiped everyone out in the bar in seconds with high capacity assault rifles. Many U.S. States with lax gun laws funnel in thousands of second hand guns to big cities and states that have tough gun laws rendering their tough laws useless. Yes Sir Max is quite correct about Britain being a safer country to live in and the almost daily mass murders in the U.S. certainly prove the lack of vetting in the U.S. has much to do with it. A mental health qualification test to get a gun owner I.D. card, and a much better vetting system for “all gun” purchases like the in depth vetting system used to buy second hand machine guns is sorely needed
In conclusion with proper vetting we would “not need to ban any guns” and with the passing of term limits, and the abolition of lobbying and abolition of gerrymandering and the corrupt electoral college the Republican party would practically cease to be a threat to the U.S. population because they seldom win an election through the popular vote and the U.S. would get a National Health Care plan along with affordable drugs almost immediately. When much smaller and less rich countries have had such health care plans for decades it proves what liars the prostitute Republicans are when they claim we could not afford it or that some sane gun vetting laws would result in gun confiscation.
You must be getting paid by the word.
It looks more like he’s getting paid by the character.
China?
I got two words for yah.
UniverseEndingPerpetualFusionNuetrino
Blomb
“Life is considered cheap in Capitalvania.”
Vlad’s back!!!
Vlad used to do this too if I remember right, “quote——————–”
Vlad the Sad. That guy should be in a mental institution. Hell, he’d be happier anywhere but the US. I’d be happy to buy him a one-way ticket, just to help out.
Or it’s one of Miner’s alternate personalities.
The conflict in Vietnam was never officially a war, for it it were then the United States would had won the war in less than a month.
Well said!
Sir Max,
How did you find this website just to opine in the comments? How very Brit of you to attempt to convince us here of your all-knowing wisdom.
Now go bother someone else.
Sincerely,
Everyone on here who laughs at you.
Sir Max’s comments originally appeared in a different publication and were posted here as part of TTAG’s continuing effort to keep us abreast of the latest hopolophobic ravings.
Sir Max is part of “The Establishment” and because of intergenerational selective breeding (most likely inbreeding) is supposedly a superior example of humanity than the great unwashed proles. We are supposed to be in awe of intellect and wisdom as he is destined to rule.
And we wonder how far he has undergone a cranial-rectal inversion.
People like Sir Max need to remember that the “gun loving” (read “freedom loving”) Colonists who revolted against the Crown and instituted this spirit of rugged individualism and dangerous liberty were all, at the time of the revolution, British citizens and subjects of the Crown. They just happened to be the hardiest and most liberty loving that the British Empire had to offer–and we benefited from that fact.
My, my how the Conservatives like to distort history. People in colonial times were far more conservative than the average conservative of today (not counting the radical far right nut cases of today). Most scholars have stated that only 1/3 of the American people supported the revolution and the Far Right never admit that 1/3 of Americans fought with the British and killed their fellow Americans during the war and another 1/3 remained neutral and that 150,000 Americans left the U.S. for Canada after the war was won by the French Navy and French military. During the battle of Yorktown “Old George” was home knocking off a piece of “A” while the French Army laid siege to the fort and the French Navy defeated the British Navy and drove them away. The rugged individualism is largely a farce, people came to the U.S. because they got free land and the class distinctions were somewhat less but prejudice against immigrants was as rampant as it is today with the English hating the newly arrived German immigrants who soon became far more numerous than the English settlers and they in turn then discriminated against the Irish and Scottish and Welsh immigrants. The melting pot of America has never existed to the degree it was portrayed as. Many nationalities to this very day still marry within their clans.
“Many nationalities to this very day still marry within their clans.”
Therefore, you shouldn’t own guns, I think is what you’re saying. Honestly hard to decipher your articles that you post to the comment section of others articles.
It is common among “The religion of peace” to marry as close as first cousins. It does explain some of the genetic abnormalities that seem to be statistically more common in those communities.
Lots of conservatives know the history, and they don’t need.to keep bringing it up. Despite what the 1619 Project might claim, the Revolution wasn’t fought to preserve slavery. 1/3 didn’t fight for the British. They might have supported remaining British colonies, but they didn’t take up arms. 1/3 didn’t fight against the British either, but they supported independence. Both sides had support from foreign troops, with the Hessians (Germand) helping the British, and the French helping the Colonials. Neither acted from the goodness of their hearts — the Hessians were mercenaries, and the French wanted the cotton and tobacco trade to continue.
Thank you Mr. Hyde for your Pro Gun Pro 2A efforts. I’m damn glad you became an American.
Sir Hasty-Puddings comments show a lack of understanding of why we troublesome Colonist’s gave looney George III the finger. Growing up around a few war mementos, is not growing up with guns. How many of those guns did Sir Max ever fire? Probably none of them. Growing up with guns means learning to safely handle and learning to use firearms properly.
Sir Puddin’ Pop has no real understanding of why we rebelled in the first place. Nor does he understand how that Rebellion/Revolution and the 2nd Amendment were so intricately entwined. We can’t have one without the other. Remove the gun and there would be no Revolution. Removing the Revolution, isn’t possible without removing the gun, and that’s exactly what George did in several communities, and it was those confiscations that really drove the Revolution.
Our right to defend ourselves comes with our very first breath. Whether it is some miscreant intent on harm, or a Senile Fool and Arsehole residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. acting as a Despot, we’ve not only the Right to defend ourselves against them, we’ve the Duty to do so as well.
Sir PuddingButt, has a very short memory for a self proclaimed Historian, because it wasn’t that long ago that Britain needed and begged for American guns, even though we were a neutral nation. Under threat of invasion, with ordinance dropping every day and night. The British people had no means to defend themselves. Why couldn’t the British people defend themselves? Because people like you Sir ButtPudding, had disarmed them. So the cry goes out that British people need guns, and American Citizens responded by sending you guns. Rifles, Shotguns, and Handguns were willingly donated to help you protect yourselves. As a result of our generosity, your Home Guard could defend their island.
The sad thing was that within a few years after the War’s conclusion, the British Sheeple allowed you to disarm them again. That’s the real difference between British and American Citizens. Americans won’t allow ourselves to be disarmed. To Freedom loving Americans, staying armed is our only guarantee for keeping our Freedom.
“Americans won’t allow ourselves to be disarmed.” – I’m sorry to enlighten you, but Americans WILL DEFINITELY allow themselves to be disarmed. Within 1 to 2 more generations.
Based on Mr. Hyde’s choice of words and extensive vocabulary, he’s obviously much smarter than Buchanan.
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