I have no illusions that the leftists are willing to take any semblance of a moderate approach to ‘gun control’.  They are full-bore ‘gun ban’ and ‘gun confiscation’ and that is not going to change!  They may misguidedly believe that their approach is in the best interest of the public, but it is misguided at best and diabolical at worst.  There may be some of them that truly want to protect people but there are others who want total control and know they cannot achieve their objective as long as Americans are allowed to ‘keep and bear arms.’  Those are the ones that Jefferson was referring to in his warnings and statements about watering the ‘tree of liberty.’

I have warned for some time that just focusing on the constitutional right to ‘keep and bear arms’ is missing the bigger picture.  Of course, I will fight for the constitution and our constitutionally protected inalienable right of ‘self-defense’.  Of course, I will seek to always follow the law and the constitution.  However, there are other factors at work under the surface and behind the scenes that are incredibly dangerous. 

There is a grave danger that state governments will seek to by-pass the federal constitution and come for your guns.  Don’t dismiss that as impossible and never say never.  You may say never, about your willingness or unwillingness to give up your guns and avow as did, Charleston Heston, “Pry them from my cold dead hands.”  However, there is a movement afoot that seeks to use both state governments and economic means to ‘ban our guns’ and control ‘gun manufacturers’. 

The ideas they are presenting are rooted in the false theory that if we have ‘gun laws’ that ban or restrict various types of firearms we will provide safety for the public.  That is to assume that the criminals, those lacking in mental ability, terrorist, or the demonic will also obey the laws.  That is so far-fetched that no rational human should anticipate such an occurrence.  But, alas, there seem to be millions who believe the Leftists drivel, diatribe, and rhetoric.

With the shootings over the past couple of years, we have witnessed a dozen or more states passing ‘Red Flag Laws’ that have done and will do little to reduce this problem.  The laws and warnings that we already have, if implemented and followed would do as much as these new laws will do.  Sadly, many of the shooters have used legally purchased weapons and passed extensive background checks.  I did not say all but many. 

I am deeply concerned that the President and the GOP are vacillating on ‘Gun Control’ and ‘Red Flag Laws’.  This is just another of the myriad of attempts to diminish our 2^nd Amendment Rights.  Sadly, as I stated before, some of them are in earnest longing for a solution to make people safer.  I can appreciate that however, they are wrong!

Mass shootings are horrific!  There is nothing about them that is good, they are horrific and evil!  I want people to be safe and feel safe in public, at work, in the market place, and at church.  I want people to have a sense of safety and security in their homes.  I want that as much or more than the leftists pushing ‘gun control.’  However, I know that there are no laws that can be passed or executive fiats that can be signed that will achieve that goal. 

The problem is not the weapon of destruction but the destroyer using the weapon.  It is and will remain a heart and mind issue.  It may be driven by ideology, religion, depression, or any other factor but the cause is not the gun it is the gunner.  If guns were not available, they would use something else including vehicles.  Where does it end?

Imagine the unreliability and danger when a ‘Red Flag Law’ allows anyone to report another as being potentially dangerous and the authorities then seek to confiscate their firearms.  Jealousy, anger, bitterness, envy, and hate could render millions of Americans without the legitimate and lawful ability to protect themselves and to ‘keep and bear arms.’ 

Facebook’s reporting policy should be a glaring example of how nefarious and inept that kind of policy would be.  Also, a wife or husband who is angry could do incredible harm to their spouse in a fallacious report.  Before you say, “Nobody would do that” let me remind you that I’ve been in the ministry for over 50 years and YES IT HAPPENS!  I support reporting someone who exhibits warning signs of being dangerous to the authorities, but I do not support failing to follow ‘due process’ in the confiscation of their arms.

The “Red Flag Laws “which are currently being advanced follow an incredibly dangerous pathway.  They provided for the confiscation eliminating the ‘due process’ part of the constitutional protection.  Blaming of the NRA for the mass shootings is like blaming automobile clubs for car wrecks.  The truth is that if enough people get behind ‘gun control’ it won’t matter what the NRA or any other pro-gun groups do.  The Left likes to cite reported polling numbers as though they were the final decree on our rights and whatever the majority wants the majority should get.  We are not a majority rule democracy but a representative constitutional republic.

If our 2^nd Amendment Rights fall by the wayside, what is next?  Our 1^st Amendment Right including Freedom of Speech and Religion is also currently under assault.  Our 4^th Amendment Right protecting us against unreasonable search and seizure is at stake.  We are being assaulted by politicians and political activists who have no respect for and refuse to honor or recognize the Constitution.  The politicians took an oath that we need to hold them accountable to follow.  If they refuse and continue their assault on that document, they need to be ousted as quickly as humanly possible.

God help us to see the dangers and reject the emotional appeal to surrender liberties hoping to gain safety and security.  History and common sense reveal that will not be the result.  I stand fast and firm for America and Americans.  I will never give up the fight to protect Faith, Family, and Freedom.

God bless you and God bless America!