Reagan:Questioning an Anti-Gun Legacy...

Sam from Alabama said:

Liberty is not just a statue

This guy sort of gets it, but he's wrong about machine guns. There is not a federal ban on private ownership of machine guns. There is an additional tax and background check. That's about it.

But under President Reagan a law was passed that stopped the production and importation of automatic weapons for sale to individuals. So while it's perfectly legal for you (in most states-a different issue) to own an automatic weapon, it's illegal for anyone to make or import one that you can buy.

That's just dumb. I think it's unconstitutional, too. As a collector, I'd like to have one or two. As a law-abiding citizen, it wouldn't be a threat to anyone's safety. As an American, I think my rights are being infringed.

Do I "need" one? There are few things in this world we "need" when you get right down to it. The correct question is, who decides what we can have?

There's a nice statue of Liberty in the harbor at New York City. There are those among us who think a statue is enough. I prefer the real thing.
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Sam's post opened the door for something that has been bugging me for quite a while: The MYTH of Reagan as pro-RKBA hero. From my observations, and at the risk of "political incorrectness" for his unquestoning fans, I submit that Reagan, for all his good qualities, was no fan of the 2A...First, Reagan was a true action hero. As a young buck, he rescued a woman from an armed rapist/mugger he observed from an upper floor window, calling out to the criminal to leave her be or he would shoot him between the shoulder blades. Problem solved!. In later years, however, Ray-Guns just about pissed me off by...1) Publicly endorsing the "Brady Bill", and 2) Publicly stating the anti-gun talking point "why does anyone need an 'AK-47'" and endorsing a semi-auto ban (total anathema to me,an unforgivable mortal sin that in itself warrants urination on his grave IMVVHV!!). I've heard the arguments that this comment was inspired by him preferring Americans use the AR-15 Series over the Communist legacy Kalashnikov, and also the rumor he was influenced by Bill Ruger, who was pro-AW Ban of all import Milclones, De Facto leaving him with a monopoly with his "Mini-14" rifles and proprietary 30 Round Magazines (as product placed on the TV Show "The A-Team"). The bottom line here though, is that unequivocal Reagan worshipers draw my immediate suspicion as being either uninformed cultists (regarding his RKBA transgressions), or intentional RKBA incrementalists (similar to high level NRA types willing to compromise on RKBA because of those big check$ piling up in their swiss bank account$...You know who you are...Enforce "Existing Laws" my gluteals!, Rescind existing anti-gun laws, Dammit!!...Join GOA!). Reagan will forever look good in a historical context, but only in comparison to the spineless weaklings prior and post his Presidential terms (and I assure you he is doing at least 5000 RPM in his grave knowing that the current "One" with his leftist bent is sitting in the same chair he once occupied). No, Reagan ran from Lebannon after the USMC and French Paratroopers were sui-homicide bombed (and gave the order preventing the Marines from participating in a punitive expedition against the terrorists the French Paras were mounting to avenge their fallen comrades:These are things that true soldiers cannot forget. Don't ever talk smack against the French special forces, they are just as tough and in some cases even more hard-assed than the rest, and yes, I'm taking into account that the majority of the French Foreign Legion are not native born Gauls. The 2nd R.E.P. are maybe the baddest-assed Paras on the planet). Reagan was essentially a good man and a great President, but his record on RKBA sucks, stinks and blows all at the same time. Now, if you are offended by this position, please refute it with facts and logic, because all emotionalist responses will be laughingly and contemptibly ignored. *Snake*