A great irony occurred last week. Twice, deranged men went on killing sprees; first in Texas, then in Orlando.
While these base actions were under way, responsible Manatee County gun owners were attending a concealed weapons permit class in Bradenton. At the same time, another group was setting out to participate in the first Duette Park muzzleloader hunt; an event that uses primitive firearms. This event produces huge amounts of revenue for the county in order to maintain wilderness areas like Duette.
No one has ever gone mad and begun killing people at the Duette hunts or at any other hunting event in Florida. Few (if any) people who possess concealed weapons permits commit crimes. Yet guns are bound to come under scrutiny for these transgressions.
The real irony is the fact that the Orlando event could have been greatly limited if someone in that building had been armed.
The other part of this irony is the Manatee County Ducks Unlimited Banquet that will be held at the Palmetto fairgrounds at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. It will be one of the social events of the year. Tickets include free libations and old-fashioned Florida cracker food like alligator, frog legs, swamp cabbage, fried green tomatoes and the like.
Ducks Unlimited has done as much for wildlife conservation as any other group. Through their efforts, they buy endangered waterfowl nesting areas that also provide habitat for non-game species, including endangered animals like the peregrine falcon. Without guns, there would be no DU and no wildlife as we know of it.
In one quick week we’ve seen the horrors of irresponsible gun use and the great benefits of owning such equipment.
The right to bear arms is such a sacred part of our nation’s soul that it is the second amendment to the U. S. Constitution. Only the right to free speech is considered more vital to a land of true liberty.
But even if we discounted the good things gun owners do — funding parks, wilderness areas, and promoting responsibility of a general nature — and labeled all guns and their owners as evil and sought to ban these weapons, it just isn’t possible.
When the first European colonists conquered this continent, they did it with firearms. We can debate the morality of this, but gun ownership was built into our national fabric. When that occurred the genie escaped from the bottle. Guns are legion now. Outlawing them would be impossible.
Surely we need more education about such equipment. Most children who are shot by other youngsters were never taught about guns the way I was.
So Thursday’s DU banquet is a time to consider this free society that has a chance to protect itself. It’s also a time to feel good about recreational hunting that does so much good for the world while two crazy people in Texas and Orlando cause so much misery.
At the fairgrounds, you will see what gun ownership is really about. It will be a social affair replete with politicians, wildlife activists, artists, police officers, attorneys, doctors and rank-and-file folks who love the outdoors and the guns that make the experience complete. Call Chris Babauta at (941) 718-9423 for information.
This is the good side of firearms. Let’s be thankful that this brand of gun owner vastly outnumbers the individuals who caused so much damage in Texas and Orlando.
G.B. Knowles, can be reached at (941) 730-3234.
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