Even though we’ve got a horrible situation as regards the fiscal arrangements of the US Government, much of the nation’s attention is focused on gun control. Well, all right, then… I’ll join in the national dialogue. Rather than go on and on about how the NRA gave legislation to Congress that left the BATF unable to deal with guns in the very way the NRA recently called for them to do, I’ll look at the outpouring of passionate emotions as regards personal weapons and what lies in store for government men that come a-callin’ for them.
First off, the BATF has around 3000 agents, so it won’t be a coordinated, fell swoop that scoops up all the guns. It’ll be individual visits. So, when the BATF shows up to get at a large stash of weapons, what does the person with the weapons do? If he opens fire, he’s committing a criminal act at the very least. If he coordinates with other people that do not want the same fate, then he’s engaging in fomenting rebellion against the USA and its government. No matter how screwed up the government may be, it’s still the government, and it possesses all the resources of the government, particularly in the area of suppressing insurrection.
“It’ll be 1776 all over again!” I’ve heard that sentiment from a number of people, even if not in so many words. Well, just like our Founding Fathers never had breech-loading weapons, let alone fully automatic ones, it’s fair to also say that the colonial governments of the British didn’t have Apache gunships, A-10 ground attack aircraft, or UAV drones, just to name a few things. No, it won’t be 1776.
If people take Charlton Heston’s “cold dead hands” comment to heart, then there is quite a lot of firepower on the part of the USG to make good on that arrangement. The US Army is not about to switch sides and join with a rag-tag band of patriots that have an aggressive interpretation of the 2nd Amendment. The NRA will not be issuing a call to arms to overthrow the government any time soon – and neither will any other group, unless it’s totally insane. I’ll spot the odd war surplus tank or cannon in someone’s private arsenal – they’re bound to be out there, somewhere – but the US Army and National Guard has got any group of half-cocked 1776’ers totally outclassed in terms of firepower, organization, and ability to attain tactical, operational, and strategic goals.
So when the USG manages to pass a set of restrictions on gun legality and someone from the same government shows up to take the firearms, my guess is that most folks will hand them over. Grudgingly and muttering dire prophecies and vile slurs under their breaths, but the folks will hand them over. A few will go down fighting, but there will be no 1776, no 1861, not even a 1968. All the talk about rising up against an overpowering government is just that – talk. The government is overpowering, and, at the end of the day, isn’t about to be bothered by interpretations of the 2nd Amendment that are at variance with its own.
