All Hail the Happy Switch.

My brother's visit is almost over. We went shooting today and I brought yet another reason to the table that it's good to be me. Being a PD armorer and weapons instructor gets me access to all kinds of cool shit. Possibly the coolest item is a select fire M14.

I don't care what anybody says,  "Why does anyone need one of those?" Obviously, those people have never shot full-auto. That's happiness in a magical way. One flick of the switch and ...... what was that?.... Was I worried about something?........Bills, what bills?...... *CLICK*... Crap, time to reload, AGAIN. Damn but those things are pigs.

Greedy ammo hogs each and every one but hilarious oodles of grin inducing fun.  I know that not everybody likes firearms. Some people HATE them. I call those people stupid. What makes firearms important to Americans is what they represent. Freedom and an absolute right to self-determination. As long as private citizens maintain a heavy arsenal, we cannot be oppressed if we choose not to be.

I may have said it before, the only reason people obey the law is due to either a respect for the law and how it helps maintain an orderly society or fear of the consequences for breaking the law. The ability to bring those consequences is what gives government it's authority. While the people maintain the ability to take that authority away the government cannot abuse it.

When the individual holds that ability the government only has authority. That authority becomes power when the individual no longer holds that ability.

Whether we like it or not, human nature dictates the old adage that absolute power corrupts absolutely. As much as we may wish that the power of the spoken word would be enough to quell such abuses, the reality is that without firepower behind our words those in power would not care. They would simply ship the speakers to where they could no longer speak and burn the text created to express opposing views. That has been proven time and time again throughout human history.

We need our intellectuals. We need people who can express intelligently what we feel. The rousing speeches that are part of our Nation's history were written and delivered by such people. What is also true is the silent image of the Minute Man and the weapon that he holds. His will and courage to enforce the intellectuals words with action are what gives those words their authority and power.

Governments are composed of people. For the same reason that citizens obey law so do Governments obey the people they allegedly represent. They either have respect for those they serve or they fear  the consequences brought if they do not.

The problem is that far too many intellectuals have forgotten that paper cuts don't stop armor. They forget that they will cease to exist the moment the powers that be decide they don't need them anymore. An act made all the more easy thanks to the efforts of those who would have our society an unarmed society.

The Bill of Rights has 10 amendments. All ten are equally important. Your book is no more or less important than my gun. In fact, my gun may keep some thug from one day taking your book. Your book should be announcing to the masses the importance of my gun and the power in the free individual.

Make peace with your fears. Peace through superior firepower.

Now, I have to go clean that M14.