ridleyman
NES Member
I will never advocate violence against the government, whether it be local, state, or federal, unless their behavior becomes so authoritarian that our liberty and free will is significantly compromised. Significantly, of course, is the operative concept, and everyone has a different line. The government, again local, state, and federal, has increasingly encroached upon our freedom, in the form of control, regulations, onerous licensing schemes, and bans. We all know the myriad examples involving us law abiding citizens and our guns. Gun owners are pilloried and victimized by many corrupt government entities and the sleazy mainstream media at every turn.
Another example is smoking, and Concord, MA is apparently considering a ban on selling cigarettes in town. But for an occasional cigar (~6/year), I am not a smoker. I don't like cigarettes one bit, but I could never conceive of banning them. It is not my place to deny someone their free will if it doesn't affect me. Smoking isn't allowed in public buildings and restaurants. Fine, I agree with that. Many smokers are likely to incur more health costs over their lifetimes than non-smokers. But smokers pay a ton of taxes with every purchase they make. Although I'm generally against bans of any sort, I am okay with adding user fees (tax light).
And let's not forget about other "risky" behaviors, such as drinking, obesity, driving fast, living in the inner city, bad genetics leading to all sorts of health issues, extreme sports, motorcycles, and the list goes on. Incidentally, my doctor told me that his father, who was a share cropper in Virginia at one point in his life, started smoking when he was 15, and lived to be 100! My doctor surmised that he enjoyed smoking, and it relaxed him. Being happy does wonders for one's health, it would seem.
So, getting to the revolt part of the title, at what point will Americans say ENOUGH!!? Will we hit a critical point where people won't take this anymore, or are we merely frogs in the figurative and progressively heated water? I guess I am particularly enraged by the unjustified demoncrat impeachment of Trump, and their absolutely totalitarian approach to everything. As Americans and gun owners, we're fuqued if there isn't some political purge of the demoncrat autocrats in 2020.
Another example is smoking, and Concord, MA is apparently considering a ban on selling cigarettes in town. But for an occasional cigar (~6/year), I am not a smoker. I don't like cigarettes one bit, but I could never conceive of banning them. It is not my place to deny someone their free will if it doesn't affect me. Smoking isn't allowed in public buildings and restaurants. Fine, I agree with that. Many smokers are likely to incur more health costs over their lifetimes than non-smokers. But smokers pay a ton of taxes with every purchase they make. Although I'm generally against bans of any sort, I am okay with adding user fees (tax light).
And let's not forget about other "risky" behaviors, such as drinking, obesity, driving fast, living in the inner city, bad genetics leading to all sorts of health issues, extreme sports, motorcycles, and the list goes on. Incidentally, my doctor told me that his father, who was a share cropper in Virginia at one point in his life, started smoking when he was 15, and lived to be 100! My doctor surmised that he enjoyed smoking, and it relaxed him. Being happy does wonders for one's health, it would seem.
So, getting to the revolt part of the title, at what point will Americans say ENOUGH!!? Will we hit a critical point where people won't take this anymore, or are we merely frogs in the figurative and progressively heated water? I guess I am particularly enraged by the unjustified demoncrat impeachment of Trump, and their absolutely totalitarian approach to everything. As Americans and gun owners, we're fuqued if there isn't some political purge of the demoncrat autocrats in 2020.