Friday, December 21, 2007

The American Gun Culture

Previously, I have made a point to stay away from most political topics on my blog, preferring to focus on my experiences here in China. Hopefully they are infinitely more entertaining to read about than a boring political expose. Recently politics and China clashed and I will now make a short venture into the tumultuous issue of gun control...

Friday night, we had a large dinner arranged by Kevin and Ruth (thank you to both of them) and afterwards our group retreated to Linda's home for freshly baked lemon meringue pies. I'm still not sure where Linda got the oven from, but it was nice to taste baked food again! We were having a good time and discussing the impending school evaluation of Zhanjiang Normal University.

The school evaluation process really sounds a bit silly to me as an outsider to the education field. Since the evaluators will be here next week, the school has made an extraordinary effort at polishing up the grounds and facilities and training the teachers and students. The classes are often rehearsed ahead of time. The teachers and students are prepped on what to do and say in the classes and around campus. They are also all given school fact books to memorize just in case an evaluator wanted to ask a random student how many books were in the library. I'm sure it makes for quite a good show, but it seems a bit - fake.

Somewhere in the discussion of the upcoming week's activities, Ruth mentioned she would be teaching a passage on the "American Gun Culture" to her English students. This perked all of our interests and we pressed for more details. It turns out that the story from the textbook involves two young men robbing a third man at gunpoint over a bucket of KFC chicken. This is the kind of culture kids get in their textbooks about America? Couldn't they have at least held him up for something better than a fatty bucket of KFC fried chicken???

I would really like to get a copy of this textbook to find out what other things the students are learning about America. While I agree that gun violence does occur in the United States, I would hope that we could export some of the better aspects of our country to foreign textbooks. Maybe the Bill of Rights or something similar would be a good place to start...

Many Americans do own guns, but I fear that passages like these taught out of context in schools give an impression of America as a lawless Wild West-type land. One interesting thing that struck me was that I have never actually shot a gun whereas many of my students have. The college students have government-mandated military training (designed to promote patriotism after the events that occurred in a certain famous square in 1989) where many of them go to firing ranges and learn to shoot a gun in addition to learning to march and other drills.

---- (disclaimer - political rant about to follow - skip if you wish) -----

Gun control is a fiercely debated topic at home and I really don't want to delve too deeply into it, but I feel some context must be provided before attributing a gun culture to America. To simply say that the right to own a gun is in the Bill of Rights may not be enough to someone who doesn't understand American political history. Why is that one of our ten most fundamental rights?

Our founders used revolution (complete with guns) as a tool to overthrow the authoritarian rule of King George III. With guns and lives they bought the liberties that they believed were inalienable rights of all of us and understood that an armed populace was the best way to protect those rights in the future. Thomas Jefferson said,
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
Jefferson and the other founders understood that throughout the course of human history, individual liberty has always been in danger at the hands of the state. After coming to power through means of force (i.e., guns) Hitler, Stalin and other totalitarian leaders of the twentieth century quickly banned individuals from owning guns. Without a means to resist, the masses were easily subjugated.

Another of my favorite quotes comes from the movie V for Vendetta,
"The People should not fear their government. The government should fear its people."
In a state with an armed populace that is ready to protect its rights and basic liberties, it would be much more difficult for an authoritarian leader to rise to power.

While we may debate on the specifics of gun control; should we allow or not allow X-type of weapon? or what should be the rules of gun registration? or should ex-felons not be allowed to own guns? etc... There is ultimately no grounds for a debate on whether or not Americans can own guns.

Contrary to popular belief, America is not actually a "democracy," but rather a "constitutional republic." We were founded this way because our forefathers understood that a democracy is merely a rule by mob and that the will of the majority can always oppress the rights of the minority. In response, they gave us one of the pillars of our republic, the Bill of Rights. These ten rights were inserted into the Constitution to ensure that the basic liberties our country was founded on would never be taken away by the changing whims of the masses.
1) Free speech, press and religion. Freedom to assemble and petition the government.
2) Right to bear arms.
3) No troop quartering in private residences.
4) Protection against unreasonable search and seizure.
5) Due process of law and right against self-incrimination.
6) Fair and speedy trial.
7) Trial by jury.
8) Protection against cruel and unusual punishments and excessive bail.
9) Other rights retained to the people.
10) Powers not delegated to the U.S. by the constitution are retained by the states or the people.
These are the ten fundamental freedoms upon which our country was founded. While trained lawyers and scholars may try and interpret new rights from the Constitution according to what they wish to see enacted, it would take a constitutional amendment to take away one of the rights already granted (see 18th and 21st Amendments).

Unfortunately, both major political parties have been trying to undermine these basic tenants of our society for too long. When Democrats try to restrict guns or certain types of speech, they are launching a direct assault on the Constitution. Whether you like guns or regardless of your thoughts on hate speech (which is deplorable), we can not pick and choose what amendments we like and those we wish to ignore.

In the same light, when Republicans launch a massive warrant-less phone tapping program or try to suspend the writ of habeas corpus (see also Lincoln), it is a direct attack on the Fourth Amendment and the due process of law. It doesn't matter whether we may agree with this thinking, "I have nothing to hide, who cares?". What the issue boils down to is that it is simply unconstitutional. A government that violates the very rules it was founded upon and given the task of upholding is a government that will not last long.

Additionally, there is the simple fact that the continued expansion of government into our daily lives (whether from the right or the left), comes at the direct expense of both theNinth and Tenth Amendments.

Certainly, one could make many good arguments for banning guns as someone could no doubt make an equally persuasive argument for listening in on phone calls without warrants in order to protect us. However, on both of these matters, the Constitution is clear and concise in saying , "No."

I think it is not that America has a "gun culture," but rather that we have a "freedom culture" where we continue to value the rights that were fought for and won over two centuries ago. One of the things that makes our country great is that our freedoms are bigger than any one person. Not everyone may agree with all ten of our basic rights, but they stand nonetheless. I will not infringe upon my neighbor's right to own a gun as he pleases (regardless of my thoughts on the issue) and he will not stop me from being able to speak my mind or worship as I please (regardless of what he thinks of my speech or religion).

This is what freedom is all about!

-------------------- (end political rant here) ----------------------

Well, I guess the next time I am waiting in line at KFC and the guy in front of me takes the last piece of extra-crispy Colonel's chicken, I'll know what to do...

Pull out my gun and claim it for my own!

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