The Bigotry of the Canadian Anti-Gun Movement
There is an ancient philosophy which states, ‘Live and let live.’ The estimated 7% of Canadian men and women who are legally allowed to own firearms wish that the rabid anti-gun rabble would abide by that statement.
In the interest of declaring why I have a ‘pony in the race’, here is my relationship with firearms. Growing up on a farm, I started hunting by myself with a .22 rifle at about the age of 12. Through school, I obtained my Hunter Safety certification, something I highly recommend to everyone starting out with firearms. Through the military, I have trained with and shot submachine guns, different types of rifles and handguns, .50 cal Heavy Machine Guns, and ran main gun shoots with Royal Canadian Navy ships. Presently, I do not have a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) or own any firearms. This RCMP website details the steps involved regarding obtaining a PAL and storing/using firearms in Canada.
As for my attraction to firearms, I enjoy hunting and eating wild game, I enjoy the satisfaction of being able to hit what I was aiming at, and while I was with the RCN, I really enjoyed watching the large shells obliterate the targets. I would say that gun enthusiasts would consider possessing and using firearms as mostly a lifestyle choice be it for whatever myriad of reasons. We live in a free and open society where as long as its citizens follow prudent and safe practices consistent with public safety, there should be no issue with one’s choice of pursuits or hobbies.
Getting back to the thesis of my argument regarding the virulent anti-gun crowd: the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines bigotry as the ‘obstinate or intolerant devotion to one’s own opinions and prejudices.’
Just as a thought exercise, replace ‘gun ownership’ with ‘gay marriage’ in the statements below. Looking through that lens, compare the arguments for and against either concept:
- Why does a Canadian need to have ‘gay marriage’? The typical argument goes along the lines of ‘I don’t believe in ‘gay marriage’ so why should it be tolerated in Canadian society?’ Ban it!
- ‘Gay marriage’ is dangerous to Canadian society! Despite mountains of statistics detailing that law-abiding ‘gay marriage’ Canadians are not the issue regarding violent crime and the breakdown of society, the anti-‘gay marriage’ advocates want more and more restrictions. Ban it!
- The government needs to enact more regulation and outright bans against ‘gay marriage‘! Despite the government’s position on ‘gay marriage’ and pandering to powerful political voices opposed to the concept, even law enforcement does not endorse legal ‘gay marriage’ bans. Ban it!
Heaven help the hunters who pose with their kills when the SJWs decide to start ‘bashing’ them. The viciousness of the attacks display an unreasoning hatred reminiscent of a lynch mob. If a person is poaching, there are stringent penalties in place to punish them. But if a person is legally hunting with a legal firearm, then where is the justification for the vitriolic bile and hatred?
As with any prejudicial stance, there is no reasoning which will persuade people of the anti-gun movement that firearms should remain in the possession of legal owners. Their arguments are riddled with hyperbolic ‘facts’. If one shooting occurs because of a firearm, that is one too many. If one legal gun is stolen, they should have been banned. (That’s actually called victim shaming along the lines of blaming a provocatively dress woman for being raped.) Guns are just plain scary, especially the black ones that are termed ‘Assault Rifles’ (a made-up designation).
The crux of the argument, is the opposite side does not understand the ethos of using or owning an instrument to which they only equate with the sole purpose of killing. As society moves further and further away from original sourcing of their food, relying more on the state for their protection, and being subjected to horrifying mass shooting media imagery, it is understandable as to where these attitudes originate from. But just because you do not understand someone’s desire for responsibly keeping and using firearms does not justify society’s attempts to ban them. That is when bigotry edges towards facism.
Returning to my original statement, if I am doing my own thing and not bothering you, then I would kindly ask you to return the favour. Once I cross that line, especially while employing a firearm, then there are strict, severe punishments under the law for doing so. But instead of going after the thankfully small amount of ne’er-do-wells here in Canada, the idea is to blanket punish the law abiding majority. At that point, if you can neither justify or explain your position using logic or facts and only using your feelings on the matter, then you are by definition, a bigot.
To paraphrase a saying coined by The Globe and Mail’s Martin O’Malley and made famous by the elder Trudeau, “there’s no place for the state in the gun cabinets of the nation.”
Blair is a personification of a ‘Jack of All Trades and Master of None’. He has held several careers and has all the T-shirts. Time to add the title Blogger to the list.