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Additional Text for the 10/27/04 Alumni Sandstorm 
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>>From: George "Pappy" Swan ('59)

Re: Thinkin,' ponderin,' and wonderin' about gun control
 
I have been wonderin' at what point personal opinions
become facts? And, likewise at what point in a discussion
of gun control do those "facts" become an excuse to
expound on political opinions? The following in no way is
intended to represent any facts, just my thinking about
guns and crime and my personal opinions on each:

I have been a gun owner my entire teen and adult life and
I use them regularly for hunting and target shooting. They
don't just sit there in the gun safe. Personally, I don't
have any interest in owning a so-called assault weapon,
although, I do own an M1 Garand like the one I carried in
the USMC (Grunt Infantry and proud of it). It is a
semiautomatic so it does not fire fully automatic and
holds a clip of only eight rounds and is commonly used in
local, national, and international shooting matches. I own
it because it is legal, because of the history of the M1
(During W.W.II, General George Patton called it the
greatest battlefield implement ever devised, or something
to that effect) and one just like it was virtually a part
of me for four years and I like very much to fire it on
the rifle range at my gun club. It is not a suitable
firearm for hunting (It weighs 9.5 pounds) nor are any of
the assault weapons, and fully automatic weapons are
illegal for hunting. However, just as some people's
interests lead them to play and spend a lot of money on
golf, others have interests in owning and firing military-
type weapons (and that can get expensive also). If both
are done properly, safely, and legally why should anyone
else care. Again, I personally, have no interest in either
golf or owning assault weapons (whether they fire fully
automatic or not). The problems involving guns always seem
to arise from illegal or improper use of them. The result
is generally a public outcry that the problem can only be
solved by banning or registering all guns. In my opinion,
that is not the answer. I'll bet that enforcing the laws
that stand and educating those who are afraid of or that
don't know anything about guns would go a long way toward
reducing death and injury from firearms.

It does make a lot of sense to register arms so that any
which are stolen and recovered in a crime can be traced to
their rightful owner -- if the use of that registration
stopped there. I don't for a heartbeat believe that it
would. Might as well tell me that old line, "We're from
the government, we're here to help you." 

We may not fight bad guys on the frontier much anymore
although now and then they're still here and about. Tell
me that was not the distinct loud crack of a bullet
passing over my head as I waded up an Idaho stream
surveying salmon spawning beds a few years ago. I heard
that sound enough in the military and still on the gun
club rifle range when pulling targets to know that it was
definitely in my direction and close. I found out later
after hiding in the grassy creek bank for a long time that
the "Good Guys" after finally tracking him down, had fired
at and apprehended a "Bad Guy" who was on the run out
there in the "frontier." Since I was a good, Law-abiding,
unarmed citizen, I was rather glad that they got him
before I encountered him because he had obviously been in
a position to put me in harm's way. Every once in a while
hikers and campers are accosted by real "Bad guys" or "Bad
Unarmed Bears." Now I know that "most" bear attacks are
brought on by some action of the camper, hiker, hunter,
etc., but explain that to the person that is being
attacked or eaten by a bear, especially the person who did
everything right but still ended up on the menu. By and
large it is generally peaceful out there on what used to
be the frontier but maybe that's because most of the "bad
guys" probably moved to the cities where the "pickens" are
better. Consequently, a lot of folks still feel the need
to protect themselves. We need to exercise caution now,
more than ever, for I think that we are gradually seeing a
different kind of "Bad Guy in this country." OK, go ahead
and call me an alarmist. I don't mind. My skin has
toughened up over the past few months. If, down the road,
I am wrong, I will happily admit it but if it becomes
apparent that I was right, I also have faith in the fact
that my opposition will admit their oversight ... YA
RIGHT! 

I don't think I ever mentioned the 2nd Amendment nor was I
particularly raising any alarm over the past few days.
That alarm was raised a long time ago and goes off again
every time someone tells me something to the effect that
"Law abiding citizens who own guns do not and will never
have to worry about losing their guns" and "This
'resistance to information' is what keeps people talking
about someone trying to take away their guns. No one, with
any political influence, wants to take anyone's guns."

WHAT?? Where and in what legal document does it guarantee
us of that? Obviously, some more "Facts." So, I play their
revised "opinions" back to them, "Those arguments are also
not only foolish, but unnecessary." I too, really get
riled. I get riled by these soothsayers who stand there
wetting down my leg and try to convince me its just
raining! Sorry.

I think that Gilbert Blankenship ('81) said it quite well,
"In-so-much as crime goes, I fully believe that each and
every citizen already has the right to decide not to have
a weapon in the home. However, for those of us who live in
high-crime areas (for what ever reason) it is NOT within
your right to determine that I may or may not have a
weapon in my house. My personal opinion is that every
American has the right to protect themselves, their homes,
belongings and loved ones in whatever manner they see fit
for their particular situation." Semper Fi, Gilbert! The
only thing I would suggest changing in Gilbert's statement
is to replace "... high-crime areas ..." with "... the
United States of America ..."

And, finally, today I received an Email stating that a
directory of cell phone numbers will be published soon.
This opens the door to solicitors calling cell phones
annoying you and using up you minutes. The Federal Trade
Commission has set up a do not call list. You must call
FROM the number you wish to register. The number is 1-888-
382-1222, OR you can click on the link below to register
your cell phones on line.

https://www.donotcall.gov/register/Reg.aspx 

I don't use a cell phone but I got to thinking about 
them and their relation to gun control. Anyone care to
speculate on how much cell phones are used in committing
any crimes let alone those involving guns? Perhaps cell
phones should be banned. Ha!

And that's all I have to say about guns because when you
have been through these discussions on gun control many
times before, eventually you finally realize that you are
hearing the same points, "facts," and opinions over and
over from both sides so, I think that I will go back, once
again, to the fun stuff.

-George "Pappy" Swan ('59) ~ Burbank, WA - When you read 
       this on Wednesday morning, my dog and I will be 
       having fun ... pursuing upland birds with ... one 
       of my guns. 
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