THE ATTACK IS ON
The Sunday, July 11, 2004, edition of the Indianapolis
Star had the major headline, above the fold, "300,000 Hoosiers have gun
permits." The lessor headline read, "Indiana second only to New York in number
of 1,000 adult residents, Star survey shows"
I can only wonder why this
"survey" earned such a prominent position on the front page of our Capitol's
newspaper. As I read further into the article, I may have found an
answer.
First it is appropriate to point out as the headline did mislead
as did the "survey" reference. One does not need a "permit" to own a firearm in
Indiana, not even a handgun. One must have a license to carry a concealed
firearm. The headline would have been more accurate had it used the word
"concealed." Comparing Indiana to New York is misleading, perhaps intentionally
so. In New York one must have a "permit" to own a handgun even if it is kept in
one's home. In Indiana we have no registration of firearms and the right to keep
and bear arms in our Constitution is also a property right.
The front
page also put front and center the photo of and 84 year old man with a depth of
field to make the old guy's hand and gun huge. Then on they went with busy
charts and graphs enough to boggle the very mind. The real objective is buried
in the article.
If the ownership of firearms cannot be restricted short
of a Constitutional Amendment, how can we disarm many people with a provision
that might pass muster with our current Indiana Supreme Court? -
Training!
Watch closely any legislation mandating training. What the
anti-gun folks cannot win in a debate, they will sneak in under the radar with a
bill or amendment with a title like, "Child Protection Firearms Training
Act."
Remember, the question is not if I am paranoid but am I
paranoid enough?
Old Sarge
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