The fact is that the vast majority of this country (US) doesn't give a
crap if we are/aren't allowed to own MVs at all, not to mention ones with
guns mounted in them. Worse, a decent number actively think that we
shouldn't even have them in any form. That means if some politicians
want to rain on our parade, they very well can and we will face a steep
uphill battle to recover lost rights because we are a minority interest
in support of something that is not "PC". This is a fact that we MUST
consider, even if we know that they are wrong. So my feeling is don't
hide our stuff, don't be ashamed of it, but also try not deliberately rub
it in people's faces who don't want it there or otherwise engage in
activities that might directly provoke negative light shown on our hobby.
This is practical advice for a complex world that isn't black and white.
The "morons" from Canada are a good example of what not to do. Their
action, or subsequent ones, might actually cause politicians to place
restrictions where there are none now. Worse, they are likely to over
react and not only prevent MVs from going near a sensitive public place,
but prevent MVs from having guns in them AT ALL, IN ANY PLACE. Like our
friends from Australia have pointed out, they can't do squat with theirs.
The last thing any of us would like to see repeated here. And if it
were, what can we realistically do about it? Challenge it in court is
about all I can think of, because the masses will likely not support our
cause. And without votes (or lots of money slipped under the table, er
into campaign funds) politicians don't give a rat's ass about a minority
interest. And the history of winning such cases in court is dubious, so
I don't put my faith in that either. This is reality, so I am sorry
anybody here doesn't like it. I don't make the rules.
This is all about common sense and recognizing that we HAVE to be
sensitive or we will screw ourselves long term. A perfect example is
Noise Pollution laws concerning car stereos. There didn't used to be any
laws about how loud a car stereo could be cranked up, until some "morons"
put in systems that were so loud that they made shop windows vibrate when
they were stopped outside at a redlight. And they did this with impunity
because "it was legal and therefore their right". Now many
municipalities have laws on the books that make this an arrestable (or at
least fineable) offense, so it is no longer legal or a right everywhere.
If these people had used common sense, and *gasp* common decency, such
laws and restrictions would not be necessary. So if you go driving your
street legal, BATF approved MV right up in front of a sensitive building
unannounced "just because you can", and a wave of legislation and
negative public opinion starts slamming down on our rights, well...
congratulations on screwing it up for the rest of us.
Steve
1944 M29c Weasel with no MG as of yet
P.S. And for those of you who will inevitably want to call me a Clinton
lover, Communist, BATF flunky, or anything else that I am not... I am on
your side for God's sake, so give it a rest. I want my MV, I want my
firearms, and I want all the rights that protect them. I am only trying
to use my head about this, so I see no reason why I should be labeled
some sort of traitor (this generally happens when I post anything that
isn't hardline, right of right of center). Reality says that they
(meaning the MAJORITY of the population and politicians) can take from us
if they so choose, and there isn't much we can do about it. So don't
give them an excuse to screw us. That puts us behind the 8 ball even
more than we already are.
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