You can cling to your guns all you want [wink, wink] – Barack Obama 2008

With all the news of people buying up firearms [Link] after the Obama presidential win I personally have taken the reports with a grain of salt. Not because I have some insight no one else has but because I already own enough; basically, there isn’t a gun I want right now*.

My opinion changed yesterday when I went to my local shooting range/gun store here in Mesa, AZ. The place was bare. Beyond bare, it was cleaned out. In the 10 years I have been giving them my business there has never been empty cases. Ever. So to my surprise I hear the President-elect say just today:

“I believe in common-sense gun safety laws, and I believe in the second amendment,” Obama said at a news conference. “Lawful gun owners have nothing to fear. I said that throughout the campaign. I haven’t indicated anything different during the transition. I think people can take me at my word.” –Chicago Sun Times http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1318968,obama-gun-sales-up-120808.article

Mr. President-Elect, I disagree, and your record of statements and votes say otherwise.

As a general principle, I believe that the Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms. But just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can’t constrain the exercise of that right –2008 Philadelphia primary debate, Apr 16, 2008

Some comments made by Obama that show his true opinions and the reasoning why every American should be very worried about the 2nd Amendment.

• “It’s hard for me to find a rationale for having a 17-clip semiautomatic [sic].” –O.Kay Henderson, “Three leading Democrats talk about gun control,” Radio Iowa News, April 22, 2007.
• [I support] a national ban on concealed carry because the states that allow it are “threatening the safety of Illinois residents.” –Chicago Tribune, February 20, 2004.
• VOTED in IL to deny [use of firearms in] self-defense in towns where guns are banned –Illinois State Senate, vote on SB 2165 (41-16), May 25, 2004.

*That I can legally possess. I mean come on, how cool would it be to go out and fire an M1-Abrams Tank Main Gun for fun.