I had planned to gently explain to Larry Berger the errors in his diatribe against Sheriff Spruell. However, Bud Garner, Charles Thompson and many others have done the job for me, forcefully and passionately. Thus I am left with only this comment: Berger did not do his homework. It was obvious that he didn’t know what he was talking about! His was an emotional response driven by progressive talking points.
The major defect in his gibberish was the findings by the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg Germany 1945-1949. These trials established international principles that apply to all countries and persons. I do not support the application of United Nations laws nor of international law to the United States. But Principle 4 of the International Tribunal declares that the excuse of “I was just following my superiors orders” is not valid if the order is unlawful. This principle has found its way into the conscience of most of the civilized world. I do not mean to compare the disarming of America with the Nazi butchers, but a parallel remains just the same.
I know that the majority of readers understand the Constitution and agree with the God-given right to defend ourselves and our country. It is only the “true believer” liberal that wants to disarm Americans in order to control us. But I would like to complete my argument in favor of Sheriff Spruell with two points.
The Second Amendment to the Constitution: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Much of the anti-gunners arguments are predicated upon the erroneous postulate that a militia is synonymous with National Guard. They are wrong, as is Berger.
George Mason (June 16, 1788) said “I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for a few public officials.”
Richard Henry Lee (1788) wrote, “The militia, when properly formed, are the people themselves, all men capable of bearing arms.”
Trench Coxe (1788) said, “Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves?”
These men were citizens at the time the Constitution was ratified; they lived during the debates and were observers of the Framers. George Mason helped draft the Constitution.
The Supreme Court has ruled at least three times since 1875 that our right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The last and most fresh in our minds was The District of Columbia v. Heller in 2008. The court ruled that an individual has a right to possess a firearm for lawful purposes. It also ruled that the Washington, D.C., provisions that banned handguns and required firearms in the home to be disassembled were violations of this right.
The framers were justifiably opposed to a standing army. An armed populace that could be called upon to protect the country from invasion was the alternative. They could assemble armed and ready to defend the country.
I can hear the liberals screaming, “Don’t confuse me with the facts; my mind’s made up.”
The Colorado sheriffs have instituted a lawsuit against the state questioning the constitutionality of the new gun laws. So Mr. and Mrs. Liberal, what should the sheriffs do? The civilized world has declared that soldiers and other officials are not required to follow unlawful orders. The new laws are patently unlawful and unconstitutional. Should they be good German soldiers and confiscate the guns on orders of their “superiors”? The participants in the My Lai massacre would definitely argue otherwise.
I have had a question troubling me for a long time now. The direction of our country has been wrong for quite awhile. All of us peons in flyover country are aware of that problem. Here’s the question: Is the federal government aware, asleep or just stupid? As our freedoms erode faster and faster and we email, telephone, and write our senators, congressmen and president to no avail, that question looms larger and larger. But it has now taken on a different dimension. Are they aware, asleep, stupid or is there an agenda? I have formed an opinion but will leave that till next time.
Larry Tradlener lives down McElmo Canyon.