Why Government Cannot “Make Us Safe” by Mandating Security
by Ron Paul
The terrible violence in Arizona last weekend prompted much national discussion on many issues. All Americans are united in their sympathies for the victims and their families. All wonder what could motivate such a horrible act. However, some have attempted to use this tragedy to discredit philosophical adversaries or score political points. This sort of opportunism is simply despicable. We are fortunate to live in a society where violence is universally denounced. Not one public official or commentator has attempted to justify this reprehensible act, yet the newspapers, Internet and airwaves are full of people trying to claim it was somehow motivated by someone else’s political rhetoric.
Most disturbing are the calls to use government power to censor certain forms of speech and even outlaw certain types of criticism of public officials. This was the completely apolitical act of a violent and disturbed man. How sad that the attempted murder of the Congresswoman who had just read the First Amendment on the House Floor would be used in efforts to chill free speech. Perhaps some would feel safer if the Alien and Sedition Acts were reinstated. Also troubling are the renewed calls for stricter gun control laws and for government to do something to somehow prevent similar incidents in the future. This always seems to be the knee-jerk reaction to any crime committed with a gun. Nonsensical proposals to outlaw guns around federal officials and install bulletproof barriers in the Congressional galleries only reinforce the growing perception that politicians view their own lives as far more important than the lives of ordinary citizens.
Politicians and a complicit media have conditioned many citizens to view government as our protector, leading to more demands for government action whenever tragedies occur. But this impulse is at odds with the best American traditions of self-reliance and individualism, and it also leads to bad laws and the loss of liberty. Remember, liberty only has meaning if we still believe in it when terrible things happen and more government security is demanded. Government cannot make us safe by mandating security any more than than it can make us prosperous by decreeing an end to poverty.
We need to reaffirm the core American value of individual responsibility. Consider the young man who had the courage to tackle the shooter and prevent further carnage because he himself had a concealed weapon. Without that gun he could have been yet another sitting duck. When peaceful citizens are armed they at least have a chance against armed criminals. Advocates of gun control would urge us to leave our safety to law enforcement, but eyewitness reports indicate it took police as much as 20 minutes to arrive on the scene that day.
Since police cannot be everywhere all the time, a large part of our personal safety depends on our ability to defend ourselves. Our constitutional right to bear arms does not create a society without risk or violent crime, and neither would the strictest gun control laws. Guns and violence are a fact of life. The question is whether it is preferable to be defenseless while waiting for the police, or to have the option to arm yourself. We certainly know criminals prefer the former.
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Ron Paul=governed by the 1%
Instead of governed by the majority.
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He receives zero funding from businesses. All of his contributions come from private individuals. Congrats on knowing nothing about an individual. Btw Obama was funded by Goldman Sachs. Way to fail.
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Ron Paul = Limited Government
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“We”, “our” do you have a mouse in your pocket? Conservatives wan’t their freedoms, while taking the REST of society’s away. Doesn’t sound ANYTHING like Jesus to me. “The LAST is first” and “The LEAST is the greatest”, “Be a humble SERVANT of all”.
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“We”, “our” do you have a mouse in your pocket? Conservatives wan’t their freedoms, while taking the REST of society’s away. Doesn’t sound ANYTHING like Jesus to me. “The LAST is first” and “The LEAST is the greatest”, “Be a humble SERVANT of all”.
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new orleans has risen up, you liberal media douchebags.
happy mardi gras 2011. the armada should have been protecting our shores from BP.
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The same court Christ was silent in because he knew they where evil people and they are still here The very ones that murdered him are running things here!
amen
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It’s time for a revolution what will it take before us the people see that our rights are no longer here and we are being ran by a bad court and evil people!
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Ron you are so right and I am there with you our country is under attack from all sides god bless you sir and every man that takes your side the opposition is huge we are against our own people do not think with reason they have been lied to and are all desiccated by sick oligarch people that find value in money not human life! My own police do not understand the constitution and that ron paul is a real crime! I pray your son finds a high place in the gov Amen!
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Even though I don’t smoke weed, Eddie Glass is still the KING of stoner ROCK! Check out Nebula’s latest song on YouTube;
watch?v=ipzZ4O41CQA
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The ENEMY has been operating in PLAIN sight, all along. Only IDIOTS are chasing “phantom agencies” in the dark. Once we start holding our OPEN governments accountable THEN if there are any “secret societies” lingering, they will have no place to HIDE.
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Smoke another one buddy. WTF is DHS? We have REAL problems like Big Oil, Big Pharma and BULLSHIT McMedia, and you are chasing your “DHS” fantasies?
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Ron Paul LOVES Big Oil and Big Pharma, they are MAJOR contributors to the GOP.
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