You'll Get Nothing And Like It!
Just in case you don’t get the reference in my title, it’s from this scene from the movie “Caddyshack”…
This scene pops into my head every time I have the sort of discussion I’m having in social media right now, over my previous article about Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie. It’s an all too familiar refrain from those who consider themselves purists when it comes to the Second Amendment, and the tantrum of those who have absolutely no intention of attempting anything constructive in restoring the freedoms which the Second Amendment was intended to protect.
Instead, they stamp their virtual feet just like petulant little Spauldings and post comments about how they want national constitutional carry, and they want the repeal of the ‘68 GCA, and they want the repeal of the NFA…and how they’ll accept nothing less than the full restoration of the Second Amendment to its 1791 status.
“I want ice cream for dinner! And I want national constitutional carry, and the NFA to be repealed! And I’m gonna hold my breath until I get it!”
Comments like these reflect the attitude of a child, or worse…and by worse I mean the ones who are happy to sit back and wait (hope?) for the day when things go hot and triggers start being pulled in another civil war. This is foolish at best, and evil at worst. I’ve posed this question previously and at greater length here, but what kind of person would prefer shedding the blood of his countrymen (with no guarantee that the good guys win, and the possibility that you wind up losing even more freedom) over working patiently and diligently over time to restore our Second Amendment?
The Second Amendment was compromised in small increments over time, and it is unlikely that it will be restored in one fell swoop. Instead, look at the concealed carry movement as evidence that by accepting small steps forward, we can over time make real progress. Before 1987, Vermont was the only state where concealed carry of a defensive firearm was was not highly restricted. But that year, Florida passed the first “shall issue” concealed carry law in the US, requiring that any citizen who met licensing requirements be issued a permit to carry. Is that an infringement? Yes. Do I like it? No. Would I prefer completely uninfringed gun freedoms? Absolutely.
But this was still progress in a positive direction, and a vast improvement over the status quo at that time. And what happened next? Over the following 30+ years, more and more states implemented “shall issue” permitting laws, and relatively permissive concealed carry has become the norm. Even holdout Illinois was eventually forced to relent and accept “shall issue” concealed carry. Now we have at least some form of concealed carry licensing in every state, and though a few remain restrictively “may issue,” we also now have 21* states with at least some form of permitless carry. Is it perfect, uninfringed gun freedom? No. But is it progress in the right direction? You bet it is. Who would have believed in 1987 that nearly fifty percent of states would eventually allow permitless concealed carry?
This is how we win. We grow up and stop being pissy little children. We get get off of defense and move forward, even if just a little. And when we get another opportunity, we move forward a little more. Because if we insist that we want our Second Amendment served up with everything we want or nothing at all, then just like Spaulding…we’ll get nothing and like it. So what will it be?
*[UPDATE: As of 2024, just three years since the original publication of this article, there are now 29 states which allow permitless concealed carry.]
