Postbulletin.com: Hunting with assault rifles? Zumbo was right to scoff

And no sooner do I post on how ALL gun owners should unite to a common cause, here comes another misguided, so-called "hunter" who advocates the "middle ground," which is so eloquently illustrated thus:

I know the whole "slippery slope" argument, that any infringement on our rights to own a handgun, assault rifle or howitzer could eventually lead to the repeal of the Second Amendment. I know that hunters are a minority in this country -- and a dwindling minority at that.

But do I think my right to own a shotgun or rifle is in danger? Not at all -- because I have confidence that the majority of non-hunting Americans will ignore the yelling from both sides of the gun-control issue, choosing instead to find that middle ground in which people will be allowed to hunt, shoot recreationally and defend themselves, if necessary, with firearms.

Yeah, but what firearms? Single-action revolvers? Black powder muzzle-loaders? Bolt-action sniper hunting rifles?

From whence comes this ridiculous mentality, you might ask? How could someone be SO uninformed, SO ignorant, SO misguided? He is a Fudd of single mind and singular focus. A Minnesota Fudd. Witness:

On Wednesday's Opinions page in the Post-Bulletin, I participated in a pro-con debate about gun control. I strongly defended the rights of hunters, but I fully expect that the response from the gun community in southeastern Minnesota will be largely negative -- because I admitted there are too many handguns and assault weapons on America's streets.

The rights of hunters. Nevermind the rights of citizens. Nevermind law-abiding citizens who wish to defend themselves as they see fit from the criminal element that possesses firearms in spite of laws to the contrary. It's not about you lowly plebeian masses. It's about...the elite, the Illuminati of gun owners. It's about...The Hunters.

By the way, I do hunt. Poorly, and mostly birds, but I do hunt. And squirrels - I forgot them. Oh, and coyotes. I use a shotgun for birds, a .22 rifle for squirrels, and my AR-15 for coyotes. Oops. An evil black rifle for hunting. Yes, so get OVER it. I also use that same carbine for 3-gun matches. I have scary black guns for USPSA and IDPA competition and self-defense. I even have a scary black plastic-stocked shotgun for the same purposes. NONE of these weapons meets the Fudd definition of "sporting" firearms. Does that mean I can't have them, or don't have the right to own them?

Molon Labe.

--King Leonidas of Sparta

One last time: the Second Amendment to the Constitution does not protect your right to hunt. That is merely incidental. It protects your right to keep and bear arms - any type of arms, irrespective of some imbecile's opinion on what is a "proper" firearm.

We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.

--Benjamin Franklin