Back then, even into the 1960's, boys, especially those in the South, grew up with guns. Goodness, my dad bought me a .410 gauge shotgun when I was about 10 or 11. I hunted with it. Alone, in the woods. And, I never shot anyone with it.
When I was 15, he gave me a .22 caliber pistol, a taget pistol. In fact, a competition pistol that a former marine colonel used in competitive shooting. I admit, I got pretty good. Snow days saw me popping off a brick of .22 long rifles (500 rounds) at targets in the back yard. That's a lot of shooting.
I've owned a lot of firearms over the decades. Rifles, pistols, shotguns. Still got that .410 and .22. Along with another .22, a Winchester pump that a dear family friend gave me about 1962, not long before he passed away. For those in Wilmington (NC), you might know a little about him. He was a shop teacher at New Hanover High. A building is named after him, the George West Building. He taught my dad. In the same class, there was a guy named David Brinkley. Somewhere, I have a class photo...has my dad and Brinkley in it.
Someone did a lot of research recently. On the number of gun totin' hunters in just four U.S. states. Admiral Yamamoto might have been on to something back then. Something that, in spite of the efforts of anti-gunners in this country, might just be one of the reasons that this country has not been invaded by conventional armies. The now defunct red army certainly outnumbered U.S forces. Might have been an easy takeover save for these stats:
In Wisconsin, alone, there were 600-THOUSAND hunters in the woods. They had guns. Powerful ones. And, they could reach out and take care of business hundreds of yards away.
In Pennsylvania, there were 750-THOUSAND hunters. Michigan had another 700-THOUSAND, and little old West Virginia saw a quarter million more.
Those are the hunters in just four of the country's 50 states. A bunch more gun owners that do NOT hunt..collectors, competioin shooters... are scattered all over the United States. Perhaps that is the reason that this country will never be invaded. Why the Second Amendment should never be tampered with. In fact, why our original Constitution should remain intact. Forever. One crack in that great work by men smarter than those we have today will be the beginning of the end of this great nation.
Please, remember those brave men and women fighting every day to preserve the freedoms our forefathers gave us. Freedoms that were earned with guns. Maintaining those freedoms is the responsibility of every U.S. Citizen.
Happy Fourth of July. The day we celebrate our independence. While you celebrate, please keep our armed forces in your prayers. And, at the same time, don't forget those, here at home, who keep you safe every day and night. Firefighters, lawmen, EMS workers, hospital staffs. A list that goes on and on. Combined with our armed citizens, this country should last a long, long time.
Play safe, and stay safe.
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