Considering the announcement from President Obama this past week, that he intends to use his executive powers, to broaden background checks on gun purchases made over the Internet and at gun shows, it is not surprising, the amount of discussion of the 2nd Amendment we are hearing. But I am often struck at how, so many people who are so outspoken about the 2nd Amendment, can be so dismissive of the 1st Amendment.
I believe it begs the question, which is truly mightier, the gun, or the word? (Yes I know the classic is, “the pen is mightier than the sword”, but I chose to update it a bit for our times, and to make it a question.)
A valid argument is made that the 2nd Amendment was not intended to guarantee our right to keep and bear arms, in order to hunt, and not even so much for home defense. It was intended to enable the citizens of this nation to protect themselves from the government. I happen to agree with this view-point.
However, our founders chose, and in my opinion, not by chance, to place freedom of speech and the press, and the right of the people to peaceably assemble, in the 1st Amendment. Isn’t it possible that the Founding Fathers understood, if the freedom to express our political views, and our grievances with our leaders was protected and exercised, there would be far less chance of the need for the use of armed rebellion?
I am not saying the 2nd Amendment is not important, or that we should not do everything in our powers to protect that right. What I am saying, is that currently in this nation, this state of Delaware, and the County of Sussex, there are those who seem obsessed with guns, and not just in protecting the 2nd Amendment.
Some of these people, in my opinion, are border line sociopathic. It seems they are consumed with being able to brandish their weapons at every chance. They wear them to political meeting, they wear them in restaurants, they seem to long for a chance to pull their weapon and shoot someone. I don’t think it is a mere coincidence they are often the same people who shout angry words at those who disagree with them, who have hateful words for people different from themselves.
Would our nation not be better off, if these people would put as much effort into protecting and exercising their freedom of speech, as they do in clambering for the right to own a high-capacity magazine?
What if, instead of spending the weekend at the firing range with their fellow “militia” types, they would sit down and write letters to the editor expressing their discontent with their government? If more people would take the time to flood the media with letters, then the media would be forced to acknowledge those views. And what if they took the time to write and call, and to seek out their political leaders in the same way? I believe the main reason our government seems so non-responsive to the will of the people, is the people’s failure to express their will.
Oh, there is plenty of polling that takes place. But those polls are put into the field, often with intended outcomes in mind. So the polls often simply prove-out, that which the people putting out the poll seek. Be it media outlets, or political parties and their candidates.
Of course there is the phenomenon of social media like Facebook, but to be honest, most of what you see there comes off as fringe elements of both sides. What we need is serious conversation on the serious issues which face this nation and state.
We are coming into an election year, where it will be extremely important, in my view, to elect leaders who not only care about our 2nd Amendment rights, and who are above pandering to the groups that are single issue, borderline hate groups.
In this vein, one race to keep an eye on here in Delaware, in New Castle County, is the race for the 7th Senatorial District. This is a race for the seat, currently held by the Senate Pro-Tempore, Democrat Senator Patricia Blevins.
At this time, she is being challenged by up-state “ATTORNEY”, Anthony Delcollo, with the firm of Taylor& Cooch. The reason this race is relevant to the points I have made above should be obvious for any of my long time readers. Considering the role Mr. Delcollo played in the attempt to intimidate and silence this blogger, all should be concerned with Mr. Delcollo’s dedication to protecting all of our rights, especially the 1st Amendment.
Oh, Mr. Delcollo has no problem cozying up to the far right fringe, such as the 912 Delaware Patriots, whose meeting he recently spoke to on the 2nd Amendment, in Kent County on the 5th of January. Which could explain why he was willing to author a letter which many described as a letter of extortion, in an attempt to stifle my criticism of local political figures, Lacey Lafferty, candidate for governor, Don Ayotte, current head of the Independent Party of Delaware, and Vince Calabro, former Chair of the Sussex GOP.
Beyond the personal aspect of this, the fact that Mr. Delcollo seems to have a passing regard for the 1st Amendment at best, causes me quite a bit of concern to think of him as an elected official. If as an “ATTORNEY”, Mr. Delcollo would be willing to be a part of threatening someone, in an attempt to suppress political speech, which is guaranteed within the 1st Amendment, should cause all citizens of the 7th District, and of the state of Delaware, a great deal of concern if he should be elected.
Mr. Delcollo is more than willing to pander to the fringe right like the 912ers on 2nd Amendment issues, just another reason why he has no chance of winning in that district, but has no problem trampling on the 1st Amendment.
Mr. Delcollo should ask himself, the gun, or the word?
Following the posting of this article, I was informed that Mr. Delcollo’s mother has passed away today. I had no way of knowing this. While I will apologize for the timing, my opinions are unchanged. As someone who has recently lost both parents, I offer my condolences to Mr. Delcollo and his family.
Hunting is pretty much a recreational activity these days, although some people still supplement their sustainability with hunting, and you can’t protect yourself from the government with a gun like you could do two hundred years ago.
The most important reason to have a gun is the reality of murderous criminals and savages that have no problem with harming you, and the one’s you love. Taking away someones ability to protect themselves and family is immoral.
I suppose I would have to place equal weight on the “gun”, and the “word”.
And while I would agree with you FBH, in this post we are talking about how best, or the most effective way to hold our government in check and accountable. This is not a post about our right to keep and bear arms.
Would our nation not be better off, if these people would put as much effort into protecting and exercising their freedom of speech, as they do in clambering (sic) for the right to own a high-capacity magazine?
Isn’t clamoring “for the right” an exercise of the very free speech you are advocating?
That is true Rick, but there seems to be a single mindedness about it.
Maybe, but there is a single mindedness to the “reasonable” gun control agenda, too. The ultimate goal of the left, despite their lies, is incremental gun eradication. A disarmed citizenry is a helpless citizenry.
The hard left in America wants another Stalin. He would be their dream president. The leftist elite won’t admit it, of course, but it’s true. Brutal, ruthless and iron-fisted statism is always the logical conclusion in the transition from capitalism to socialism to communism.
There can never be a “dictatorship of the proletariat” as envisioned by Marx. As Lenin clearly stated, only a ruling elite- the vanguard of the dictatorship of the proletariat- are capable of managing every aspect of the lives of the hapless citizenry.
Guns in the hands of the “masses” tends to have a tempering effect on political movements whose aim is putting the people in chains. Remember, if the left had the power, they’d put you in a camp.
i>”The hard left in America wants another Stalin.” – rick
How many of the “hard left” do you know and when did they ever say they “want another Stalin” ?
Creating a welfare state, destroying the manufacturing sector with labor laws and environmental regulation, proposing gun laws while freeing criminals, recognizing a diversity in beliefs, etc…; are not really tenets of Stalinism.
The problem is that no one is taking your gun away. That’ s purely a ruse to rile up people who live in fear
Your corporate heros destroyed the manufacturing based so they could employ child labor in China and pollute at will. Your beloved political party even filibustered a bill to end tax breaks for companies that outsource jobs. Why do you people want to believe such falsehoods that are so easily refuted? It has to be either a moral/intellectual deficiency or mental illness.
It must be sad to have to have to constantly defend such a pathetic false narrative. I guess it’s a good thing you people don’t believe in science or have any sense of intellectual shame..
or any intellect – period……
Ok Rick, let’s say I buy into your idea that the government wants as you say, incremental gun eradication. Just how do you see that happening, considering the shear number of weapons in the country right now. And considering that every time any new regulation is proposed, sales go up. If having a gun deters government from trying anything, how will government do this?
” I guess it’s a good thing you people don’t believe in science or have any sense of intellectual shame.”
I am not so naive to believe researchers don’t chase grant money. I will write a paper proving anything you want for a grant.
Peer review is a factor you may want to consider..
I am a new comer to this site and do not see where this article has anything to do with either the Gun or the Word, and I really do not understand how Mr. Delcollo tried to stifle your 1st Amendment rights. From my perspective this article seems to be calling out Mr. Delcollo for his hypocrisy of supporting the 2nd Amendment while trampling on the 1st Amendment. I am a firm believer that every amendment in our Constitution is important to our liberties and living fin a free society. If someone such as Mr. Delcollo is stepping into public spotlight to run for elected office he cannot be thin skinned and usurp our liberties to shut down opposing opinions unless the narrative against him has no basis in facts and if that is the case he always has a legal recourse to sue for damages from any published opinions that would be considered to libel in a court of law.