Houston and Mexico

I wonder what would happen if I walked into a gun store in Houston and asked to purchase 10 223.caliber Bushmasters, 25 machine guns, 50 shotguns, and 100 assault rifles?

The gun owner would probably call the police! However, they don't call anyone when people purchase guns that are being used for killings in Mexico. You know the drill: Don't Ask...Don't Tell!

According to some new reports, Houston is the #1 city for point of origin for weapons for drug cartels and gang wars in Mexico. Houston (and other cities) is supplying weapons that are more powerful than what the Mexican police have. In fact, some of the weapons from the United States are being used to kill police. Talk about killing our friends! But, people all over the world have been supplying the armies, gangs, and killing groups of others for centuries. In fact, I once served under an individual who had an associate who sold guns to both sides in Mexico about 40 years ago, so this isn't a new thing. As long as there is a buck to be made, some people don't care where the money comes from.

So, do we devise stronger laws and go after the gun stores and gun shows? Do we just hope for the best and trust gun stores and gun shows will see the errors of their lack of due diligence and believe they will just do the right thing. Do we insist that gun shows and gun stores report any large sales of arms to the authorities like the banks do whenever someone deposits an unusual large sum of money?

Since we are living in a time of growing gangs, terrorist sleeper cells in America, and powerful drug cartels that control entire regions of a country (including the authorities), should we push for more drastic action? What about installing high-tech surveillance cameras in every gun store and gun show? Whenever a purchase is made, it is automatically recorded and a picture is taken of the transaction forms and of the purchaser and seller. The cost could be passed on to every weapon sold, thus the gun store or gun show would still make their profit. Talk about job security! We could create about 3,000 new jobs just from this situation!

Oh well, those who constantly parade in favor of "individual rights" would never stand for this. There would be lawsuits daily. The courts would be clogged. Business owners and gun show operators would be furious. The fax, phones and mail bags of politicians would be overflowing. New gun store owner lobbyists would be filling the halls of Congress, as well as the pockets of their politicians. The "freedom" to purchase without government hassle would be the cry of the day!

Maybe the average taxpayers would rise up. Maybe they would demand that those with rights to buy and sell also balance their rights with being responsible and do a better job of self-policing. Ha! We wouldn't be wearing seat belts if the government didn't have penalties for not doing so.

The balancing job of rights versus responsibilities is out of whack. For over 50 years, we have been traumatized concerning "rights." Notice that little is said about "responsibilities." A flying bird needs two wings. If America is going to be responsible about terrorism and eliminating drugs, it will have to remember that there can be no rights without responsibilities. America---it's time to grow your responsible wing to at least match your rights wing. Otherwise, this bird is going down in defeat and the terrorists and drug cartels will use our rights against us. They will become more powerful, and we will become weaker.

If our government has become too lax and overburdened with laws to protect individual, it may be that legal gun owners will have to become the police, judge, and jury of their towns, cities, and even the nation. Maybe the timid, nice, quiet taxpayers will rise up, purchase large caches of guns and ammunition, become properly trained, practice shooting often, and take matters into their own hands before they were lulled to sleep with "let the authorities take care of the problems." Someone said a long time ago: if good people do nothing, evil will continue to rise. Is evil rising in your neighborhood, rural area, town, city, or region? Don't hide your head and hope that "the authorities" will handle it. YOU need to get prepared to handle some things for yourself!