(no subject)
I've been reading this book called Unintended Consequences that Dad loaned me (it's actually in decent shape, considering the condition he usually leaves books in!). It is a fictionalized account of the history of gun control, and some of the side effects resulting from it--hence the title.
When I say "fictionalized" I mean that in a loose sense; the events and rulings depicted in the book all took place, and the people are--or were--real, though right from the start, John Ross admits parts have been "re-created to the best of my ability using as many sources as I could locate. Court documents, news footage, recordings of phone conversations and police radio transmissions, medical records, coronor's reports, FBI reenactment tapes, and sworn testimony of impartial eyewitnesses were all used...I have at times invented specific thoughts and dialogue and ascribed them to real people. I did this where specific facts were nonexistant or unobtainable, as in the case of people now dead, or where the subjects were not available to be interviewed."
Though I'm only about fifty pages into it, it's quickly becoming one of the best books I've ever read. It examines historical precepts for what he calls today's "gun culture;" though this was written in 1995, the meaning has changed little. There was no such thing as a "gun culture" around the turn of the century, because back then firearms were an accepted part of everyday life. There's a great quote about the National Firearms Act of 1934 (which bears an eerie resemblance to modern gun control acts, the Brady Bill comes to mind) in here somewhere, let me see if I can find it...damn, it's eluding me right now. Basically it refers to the Treasury Department, which up until the repeal of the Volstead Act in 1933 handled enforcement of Prohibition, needing something for its huge force to do so they wouldn't have to lay off three-fourths of their officers. In this we see that though the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) was officially formed as an offshoot of the IRS in the early seventies, its history can be traced back to the Treasury Department and its "Bureau of Prohibition." Interesting sidenote: the Secret Service was under Treasury Department control until the Department of Homeland Security was created in 2003; it's original mission was to combat counterfeiting.
Anyway, the reason I like this book is that it's drawing parallels, between pre- and post-WWI Europe and the subsequent crushing of German dignity, 1930's-1940's Europe and the misguided attempts at "appeasing" Germany, and similarly-motivated and -minded movements today to procure peace through univerasl disarmament of U.S. citizens.
Sarajevo: June 28, 1914
**keep in mind that Austria aggressively annexed a large part of Serbia (now called Bosnia) in 1908 and was in no way trying to make friends; this day, Austria decided it would be a good idea to send an archduke to Sarajevo--the capital--to survey the people.**
"The archduke was resplendent in full military ceremonial dress, festooned with medals and other military decorations, and accompanied by his elegantly-dressed wife. An objective observer might at this point have said, 'Stripping motivated people of their dignity and rubbing their noses in it is a very bad idea.'
"Archduke Ferdinand and his wife arrived in Sarajevo in an open vehicle, and the only protection either of them had was their chauffeur. This man was expected to drive the car and at the same time protect the Archduke and his wife with only a six-shot revolver he carried in an enclosed holster, and no spare ammunition. Our theoretical observer might here have said, 'This is a recipe for disaster.'
"Almost as soon as the Archduke and his wife arrived in Sarajevo, a Serbian National tossed a bomb under their car. Its fuse was defective and the bomb did not explode. Here, our observer might have advised, 'A miracle happened. Go home. Now. Immediately.'
Despite this obvious wake-up call, the Royal Couple shrugged off the assassination attempt and continued their tour of the Bosnian capital. Later that same day, a second Serbian National shot them with his .32, killing them both."
**Austria immediately held the Serbian government accountable, and issued a list of demands of the Serbian government, including a virtual Austrian "protectorate" over all of Serbia. Serbia acceded to all but one demand.**
"Here, our observer might have said to Austria's leaders, 'Russia has pledged to aid Serbia in any war with you, and Russia has both powerful allies' **Britain and France** 'and powerful adversaries. Serbia has agreed to almost everything you demanded. Settle, and avoid a world war.' Instead, Austria shelled Serbia's capital with artillery fire."
**Now, Russia honors that pledge and moves troops to the Austria-Russia border. This leaves them open to Austria's German allies, so they begin mobilization against Germany too.**
"This forced the German Army to mobilize. Since France was allied with Russia, the Germans feared an attack by France in the west while German troops went east. So Germany decided to invade France immediately, via Belgium. Here, our observer might have said, 'Saying this is your 'destiny' is not going to be good enough Germany. When you invade a neutral country and rape their women and slaughter their livestock and burn their houses, Britain is not going to just look the other way.'"
**When Germany invaded Belgium, Britain entered the war against Germany. Every major country in Europe was now at war. The following refers to the scantions placed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles**
"The treaty required Germany to accept sole responsibility for causing the war. It dictated that German military leaders were to be tried as war criminals. It prohibited the German Army from posessing heavy artillery. It abolished the General Staff and the German air force, and prohibited Germany from producing military aircraft. As in 1914, our observer might have said, 'Stripping motivated people of their dignity and rubbing their noses in it is a very bad idea.'"
**You know what happened next**
"Today in America, honest, successful, talented, productive, motivated people are being stripped of their freedom and dignity and having their noses rubbed in it. The conflict has been building for over half a century, and once again the warning flags are frantically waving while the instigators rush headlong toward the abyss, and their doom. It is my hope that these people will stop and reverse their course before they reach the point where such reversal is no longer possible."
--John Ross, September 1995
I love the exposition of the government meddling too much in the affairs of the people, and with matters that would be better left to the states. If you've seen my newest away message, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Think he's got a point?
--End of extremely long post--
When I say "fictionalized" I mean that in a loose sense; the events and rulings depicted in the book all took place, and the people are--or were--real, though right from the start, John Ross admits parts have been "re-created to the best of my ability using as many sources as I could locate. Court documents, news footage, recordings of phone conversations and police radio transmissions, medical records, coronor's reports, FBI reenactment tapes, and sworn testimony of impartial eyewitnesses were all used...I have at times invented specific thoughts and dialogue and ascribed them to real people. I did this where specific facts were nonexistant or unobtainable, as in the case of people now dead, or where the subjects were not available to be interviewed."
Though I'm only about fifty pages into it, it's quickly becoming one of the best books I've ever read. It examines historical precepts for what he calls today's "gun culture;" though this was written in 1995, the meaning has changed little. There was no such thing as a "gun culture" around the turn of the century, because back then firearms were an accepted part of everyday life. There's a great quote about the National Firearms Act of 1934 (which bears an eerie resemblance to modern gun control acts, the Brady Bill comes to mind) in here somewhere, let me see if I can find it...damn, it's eluding me right now. Basically it refers to the Treasury Department, which up until the repeal of the Volstead Act in 1933 handled enforcement of Prohibition, needing something for its huge force to do so they wouldn't have to lay off three-fourths of their officers. In this we see that though the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) was officially formed as an offshoot of the IRS in the early seventies, its history can be traced back to the Treasury Department and its "Bureau of Prohibition." Interesting sidenote: the Secret Service was under Treasury Department control until the Department of Homeland Security was created in 2003; it's original mission was to combat counterfeiting.
Anyway, the reason I like this book is that it's drawing parallels, between pre- and post-WWI Europe and the subsequent crushing of German dignity, 1930's-1940's Europe and the misguided attempts at "appeasing" Germany, and similarly-motivated and -minded movements today to procure peace through univerasl disarmament of U.S. citizens.
Sarajevo: June 28, 1914
**keep in mind that Austria aggressively annexed a large part of Serbia (now called Bosnia) in 1908 and was in no way trying to make friends; this day, Austria decided it would be a good idea to send an archduke to Sarajevo--the capital--to survey the people.**
"The archduke was resplendent in full military ceremonial dress, festooned with medals and other military decorations, and accompanied by his elegantly-dressed wife. An objective observer might at this point have said, 'Stripping motivated people of their dignity and rubbing their noses in it is a very bad idea.'
"Archduke Ferdinand and his wife arrived in Sarajevo in an open vehicle, and the only protection either of them had was their chauffeur. This man was expected to drive the car and at the same time protect the Archduke and his wife with only a six-shot revolver he carried in an enclosed holster, and no spare ammunition. Our theoretical observer might here have said, 'This is a recipe for disaster.'
"Almost as soon as the Archduke and his wife arrived in Sarajevo, a Serbian National tossed a bomb under their car. Its fuse was defective and the bomb did not explode. Here, our observer might have advised, 'A miracle happened. Go home. Now. Immediately.'
Despite this obvious wake-up call, the Royal Couple shrugged off the assassination attempt and continued their tour of the Bosnian capital. Later that same day, a second Serbian National shot them with his .32, killing them both."
**Austria immediately held the Serbian government accountable, and issued a list of demands of the Serbian government, including a virtual Austrian "protectorate" over all of Serbia. Serbia acceded to all but one demand.**
"Here, our observer might have said to Austria's leaders, 'Russia has pledged to aid Serbia in any war with you, and Russia has both powerful allies' **Britain and France** 'and powerful adversaries. Serbia has agreed to almost everything you demanded. Settle, and avoid a world war.' Instead, Austria shelled Serbia's capital with artillery fire."
**Now, Russia honors that pledge and moves troops to the Austria-Russia border. This leaves them open to Austria's German allies, so they begin mobilization against Germany too.**
"This forced the German Army to mobilize. Since France was allied with Russia, the Germans feared an attack by France in the west while German troops went east. So Germany decided to invade France immediately, via Belgium. Here, our observer might have said, 'Saying this is your 'destiny' is not going to be good enough Germany. When you invade a neutral country and rape their women and slaughter their livestock and burn their houses, Britain is not going to just look the other way.'"
**When Germany invaded Belgium, Britain entered the war against Germany. Every major country in Europe was now at war. The following refers to the scantions placed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles**
"The treaty required Germany to accept sole responsibility for causing the war. It dictated that German military leaders were to be tried as war criminals. It prohibited the German Army from posessing heavy artillery. It abolished the General Staff and the German air force, and prohibited Germany from producing military aircraft. As in 1914, our observer might have said, 'Stripping motivated people of their dignity and rubbing their noses in it is a very bad idea.'"
**You know what happened next**
"Today in America, honest, successful, talented, productive, motivated people are being stripped of their freedom and dignity and having their noses rubbed in it. The conflict has been building for over half a century, and once again the warning flags are frantically waving while the instigators rush headlong toward the abyss, and their doom. It is my hope that these people will stop and reverse their course before they reach the point where such reversal is no longer possible."
--John Ross, September 1995
I love the exposition of the government meddling too much in the affairs of the people, and with matters that would be better left to the states. If you've seen my newest away message, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Think he's got a point?
--End of extremely long post--