Land Of The Licensed
First off, let me say congratulations for an excellent article and a superb job by your reporter, Rosa Jurjevics (“They Carry Guns,” Cover Story, July 16).
I grew up in San Diego. My family left in the mid-’80s and moved to Connecticut. To this day I am still a diehard San Diego fan. (Come on, guys…we rocked it in ’98. I want a series comeback in 2012.)
Anyways, I read this article with fascinating interest. You see, I remember going to the mall in the early ’80s. My father open-carried his Ruger Security-Six on his hip. It was a little different than the experience in your article. You see, back then you could open-carry a loaded firearm. How much things have changed.
Americans are losing their rights. And most do not even realize it. It’s not just firearms. In Pennsylvania there is a law that will mandate all contractors to be licensed. Any contractor performing work without a license will result in a felony. Think about it. You just build decks in people’s backyards, and now you’re going to be a felon, potentially losing your right to vote and/or own a firearm? Everything is becoming a felony. Everything requires a license/tax. I just learned that my landlord has to pay $150 for a “renter’s license.”
What has happened to the land of the free? We’re becoming the land of the licensed, controlled, and taxed!
Reading your article brought a mix of feelings from nostalgia (thinking back to my father with his sidearm on his hip) to sadness (how much freedom San Diego has lost), to hope (there are people standing up and fighting for their rights). You might even find this recent post on my blog fascinating: http://nugun.wordpress.com/ 2009/07/25/25-yrs-ago-at-a-mcdonalds-in-san-diego/.
I just wanted to thank you for such an honest and well-reported article. You see, most of the time the media spouts off terms it knows nothing about. This is why Congresswoman McCarthy thinks a barrel shroud is something you unfold, rather than a protective safety device that covers a barrel in order to reduce the risk of being burned by a hot barrel. Only when it comes to firearms are we so led by fear that we would ban a safety device and call it a feature of an assault weapon.
It was so nice to see a media reporter actually go and find out the facts firsthand — engage gun owners, even fire some handguns and rifles, take her fingers off the keys and actually get them dirty. Your reporter showed a tremendous amount of courage. Open carry is a scary thing, even for gun advocates. Even in many places where it’s legal (i.e., Pennsylvania), it’s often understood that there is a significant risk of being harassed by someone unfamiliar with the law — even law-enforcement officers. Your reporter braved the experience, and the result was a superb firsthand article. Great job!
Jason Epperson
York, Pennsylvania
Thank you, Mr. Epperson, for your kind and informative words.
CARRY ON!
-N8
