Friends in Freedom,

Below are two versions of my citizen homeland defense letter published in The Macon Telegraph, Nov. 10, 2002. It was based on my NewsMax.com article entitled “Ballistic Fingerprinting vs. Citizen Homeland Defense” (Oct. 21, 2002). The Telegraph?s version appears first and my original version, which includes information the newspaper deleted,
appears second.

Last night, CBS Evening News demonized gun shows and plans to do so again today, ignoring the laws affecting gun shows that are already in place. With the big media on their side, the gun prohibitionists never rest, so we must remain vigilant less we lose our freedom piecemeal and by default. As Edmund Burke once said, “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fail one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.”

To me, Gun Shows represent freedom. I take my children to them and you should do so too. When we lose gun shows, not only have the enemies of freedom won, but also that we are headed and on our way to totalitarianism.

Miguel A. Faria, Jr., M.D.
Author, Cuba in Revolution—Escape From a Lost Paradise (2002; www.haciendapub.com), which in addition to describing totalitarianism in its finest details also tells the lessons of gun control in Cuba.

————————————-

Sunday, Nov 10, 2002

Letters

Posted on Sun, Nov. 10, 2002

This is Viewpoints for Sunday

Citizen Homeland Defense begins at home

The Republicans have traditionally been considered most trustworthy for national defense, and this mid-term congressional GOP landslide confirms that truism. And yet the people know that the government and the police cannot be everywhere to protect us all the time, whether from foreign or home-grown terrorists. Firearm sales have been on the rise since 9/11, spiking again after the sniper shooting incidents.

In this age of terrorism, citizen homeland defense begins at home and every lawful American who wishes to own and carry a firearm for self and family protection should be allowed to do so. With the new Congress and state legislatures we should:

o Expand CCP laws so that lawful citizens can carry concealed firearms into more public places (bars and taverns exempted), anywhere terrorist acts and criminal shootings may take place endangering the lives of innocent people.

GUN TRAINING AND SAFETY PROGRAMS SHOULD BE EXPANDED. BATF SHOULD IMPROVE ITS IMAGE AND ASSIST LOCAL POLICE WITH THIS ENDEAVOR AND PROVIDE FACILITIES LIKE SHOOTING RANGES.

RECIPROCITY AMONG CCP STATES SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED VIA STATE AND NATIONAL LEGISLATION.

Miguel A. Faria Jr., M.D.
Macon

——————————

Landslide GOP Elections and Citizen Homeland Defense

by

Miguel A. Faria, Jr., M.D.

The Republicans have traditionally been considered most trustworthy for national defense, and this mid-term, congressional GOP landslide confirms that truism. And yet, the people know that the government and the police cannot be everywhere to protect us all the time, whether from foreign or home-grown terrorists. Firearm sales have been on the rise since 9/11, spiking again after the sniper shooting incidents. The issuance of concealed carry permits (CCP) has also increased throughout the Union in states where citizens are trusted with firearms, which, as Prof. John Lott has demonstrated, reduces violent crime, rape and homicide.

In this age of terrorism, citizen homeland defense begins at home and every lawful American who wishes to own and carry a firearm for self- and family protection should be allowed to do so. With the new Congress and State legislatures we should:

(1) Expand CCP laws so that lawful citizens can carry concealed firearms into more public places (bars and taverns exempted), anywhere terrorist acts and criminal shootings may take place endangering the lives of innocent people.

(2) Gun training and safety programs should be expanded. BATF should improve its image and assist local police with this endeavor and provide facilities ? like shooting ranges.

(3) Reciprocity among CCP states should be established via state and national legislation.

There is one thing we are learning ? whether from the increasingly reported cases of citizens, including women and the elderly defending themselves with firearms in the workplace and at home from sexual or criminal predators to the ignominy of the 9/11 tragedy ? is that we have to take some personal responsibility for our own safety. Homeland security or not, the police simply cannot be everywhere at all times to protect us from the criminal and terrorist elements in our midst.

Miguel A. Faria, Jr., M.D.
Author, Cuba in Revolution—Escape From a Lost Paradise (2002; www.haciendapub.com), which in addition to describing totalitarianism in its finest details also tells the lessons of gun control in Cuba.
Macon, GA

(294 words)