light and transient causes....

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.


I used this phrase from the DOI in a reply to a post over in GD, but the phrase itself provoked me to thought;

Just what are 'light and transient causes', and specifically, how would you define when they are no longer that. I am certain that if a poll were taken on the forums, it would net many different responses. For the sake of simplicity, I will keep the focus centered on the RTKBA, as it is the guarantor of the other rights.

While I have considered my definition of it many times, one question keeps coming back up; What would the Founders have to say on the issue? Thus far, it is evident the majority of folks believe that permits, paperwork, AWBs and the like fit the definition of 'light and transient'. If Washington, Jefferson, Adams, or Paine were here, would they believe the same? IMO, no.

For quite some time, the systematic extraction of liberty's teeth has been occuring in the form of those things I have mentioned previously; 4473s, permits to carry/purchase, bans, registration of certain weapons, etc. I believe any of these would have caused an uproar two centuries ago, for they would have been viewed for what they are; infringements of the RTKBA and in direct contradiction to the Constitution.

So what is the difference? Why not an outcry from over 80 million gun owners? It's really quite simple. Most gun owners do not feel the 'pain' of the extraction because they are under the anesthetic of 'common sense regulation', 'compromising in order to keep' (never have figured that one out), 'for the common good', or they have fallen prey to the lie that the RTKBA is about hunting or competing, and emit not so much as a whimper when another tooth gets pulled. Kind of like an old Pink Floyd lyric; 'And I have become, comfortably numb.'


You, gun owner, think about it. Do you think the 'light and transient causes' line has been crossed? If not, what will it take for you personally? Will it be another AWB? Registration? A national FOID card? Full confiscation?

Something to think about.