Setting the Record Straight: the Enemy is the Enemy

By Paul Markel

Penning this piece on January 21, 2013, I find it befuddling that there are still people in the outdoor and shooting sports community who are attempting to remain apolitical. They shy away from definitive terms like "liberal" or "conservative". These folks still believe that, if you only try hard enough, you can win a logical argument with people whose decisions are driven by emotion.

I've been scolded and advised not to "provoke" the anti-gun crowd, those who wish to disarm lawful American citizens. We need to be reasonable and willing to compromise I've been told. I will admit that I understand the origins of what I call the "reasonableness disease"; it stems from Mirror Thinking.


Humans at their base level believe that everyone else in the world thinks and behaves as they do. If they consider themselves a reasonable, rational person, they expect all other people to act the same. While this type of thinking is childish and naïve, it is nonetheless very prevalent, particularly among those who would rather not deal with problems head on but prefer sidestepping them.

If you are a person who is actively lobbying a government agency, be it Local, State, or Federal to restrict the ownership of firearms by lawful citizens of the United States you are endangering me as an individual, my family, my community, and, by extension, my country. In 2013 the tool most readily used to protect the individual from violence, oppression and tyranny is the firearm. Hundreds of years ago, governments worldwide outlawed the possession of swords by the peasant to ensure they paid their taxes and obeyed whichever ruler sat in power. The issue is the same; disarm the peasants so they can be ruled. (More)

D. Mefford note:  Paul Markel has clearly stated the facts at issue.  For too long many in the hunting and fishing culture have poo-pooed the, "they're gonna take my guns" issue.  The wake up call has now come down the road.  These Rulers especially the Chicago Machine in Illinois intend to do just that.  There can be no reasonable compromise with these people.  They intend to rule and it is difficult to rule completely an armed citizenry.