Wounded Knee and the Second Amendment

[Bob33]

December 29, 2012 marked the 122nd Anniversary of the murder of 297 Sioux Indians at Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. These 297 people, in their winter camp, were murdered by federal agents and members of the 7th Cavalry who had come to confiscate their firearms “for their own safety and protection”. The slaughter began after the majority of the Sioux had peacefully turned in their firearms. The Calvary began shooting, and managed to wipe out the entire camp. 200 of the 297 victims were women and children. About 40 members of the 7th Cavalry were killed, but over half of them were victims of fratricide from the Hotchkiss guns of their overzealous comrades-in-arms. Twenty members of the 7th Cavalry's death squad, were deemed “National Heroes” and were awarded the Medal of Honor for their acts of [cowardice] heroism.

We hear very little of Wounded Knee today. It is usually not mentioned in our history classes or books. What little that does exist about Wounded Knee is normally a sanitized “Official Government Explanation”. And there are several historically inaccurate depictions of the events leading up to the massacre, which appear in movie scripts and are not the least bit representative of the actual events that took place that day.

Wounded Knee was among the first federally backed gun confiscation attempts in United States history. It ended in the senseless murder of 297 people.

Before jumping on the emotionally charged bandwagon for gun-control, one should take a moment to reflect on the real purpose of the Second Amendment: the right of the people to take up arms in defense of themselves, their families, and property in the face of invading armies or an oppressive government. The argument that the Second Amendment only applies to hunting and target shooting is asinine. When the United States Constitution was drafted, “hunting” was an everyday chore carried out by men and women to put meat on the table each night, and “target shooting” was an unheard of concept. Musket balls were a precious commodity and were certainly not wasted on “target shooting”. The Second Amendment was written by people who fled oppressive and tyrannical regimes in Europe, and it refers to the right of American citizens to be armed for defensive purposes, should such tyranny arise in the United States .

As time goes forward, the average citizen in the United States continually loses little chunks of personal freedom or “liberty”. Far too many times, unjust gun control bills were passed and signed into law under the guise of “for your safety” or “for protection”. The Patriot Act signed into law by G.W. Bush, was expanded and continues under Barack Obama. It is just one of many examples of American citizens being stripped of their rights and privacy for “safety”. Now, the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is on the table, and will, most likely be attacked to facilitate the path for the removal of our firearms, all in the name of “our safety”.

Before any American citizen blindly accepts whatever new firearms legislation that is about to be doled out, they should stop and think about something for just one minute: evil does exist in our world. It always has and always will. Throughout history evil people have committed evil acts. In the Bible one of the first stories is that of Cain killing Abel. We can not legislate “evil” into extinction. Good people will abide by the law, and the criminal element will always find a way around it.

Evil exists all around us, but looking back at the historical record of the past 200 years, across the globe, where is “evil” and “malevolence” most often found? In the hands of those with the power, the governments. The greatest human tragedies on record and the largest loss of innocent human life can be attributed to governments. Who do the governments always target? “Scapegoats” and “enemies” within their own borders…but only after they have been disarmed to the point where they are no longer a threat. Ask any Native American, and they will tell you it was inferior technology and lack of arms that contributed to their demise. Ask any Armenian why it was so easy for the Turks to exterminate millions of them, and they will answer “We were disarmed before it happened”. Ask any Jew what Hitler’s first step prior to the mass murders of the Holocaust was- confiscation of firearms from the people.

Wounded Knee is a prime example of why the Second Amendment exists, and why we should vehemently resist attempts to infringe on our Rights to Bear Arms. Without the Second Amendment we will be totally stripped of any ability to defend ourselves and our families.

[GreyWolf]

Great post!  I get POed whenever I hear the word hunting in the same conversation as the 2nd Amendment.  Don't let anyone divide us into different types of gun owners, stay United!

[PlateauNDN]

Well written bob and I like the story you referrenced.  Not many care to remember or even acknowledge that massacre.  IMHO it will be a cold day in hell before I ever give up my firearms.

[Heredoggydoggy]

Well written bob and I like the story you referrenced.  Not many care to remember or even acknowledge that massacre.  IMHO it will be a cold day in hell before I ever give up my firearms.

And, we all know what happened to the 7th Cavalry! 

[FSTaxidermy]

Well written bob and I like the story you referrenced.  Not many care to remember or even acknowledge that massacre.  IMHO it will be a cold day in hell before I ever give up my firearms.

 

[Huntbear]

Well written bob and I like the story you referrenced.  Not many care to remember or even acknowledge that massacre.  IMHO it will be a cold day in hell before I ever give up my firearms.

 

[D-Rock425]

 

[csaaphill]

cool stuff man 
People seem to think these things can't happen here but they do and have. Just because it's 2013 doesn't mean it wont happen.

[huntnphool]

I read that on the S&W site this morning, very interesting indeed.

[Elkaholic daWg]

Well written bob and I like the story you referrenced.  Not many care to remember or even acknowledge that massacre.  IMHO it will be a cold day in hell before I ever give up my firearms.

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/na-ghostdance.html

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/na-ghostdance2.html

[buckfvr]

Smell the roses guys......tyranny is gaining momentum in our country.  We all need to be outspoken in regards to current government. 

Congress is an abomination of crooks and thieves who write laws for special interest groups who keep their pockets full of money.  WE need more than ever, to set term limits in Congress.  We need to make them responsible to the laws they write, and those laws must apply to them.  Take away their retirement and medical and replace it with Obamacare and 401ks.....

If we dont start paying attenetion, and make efforts to change the way they do their business, all of our nice comfortable existance will cave in on our heads......

[dfresh96]

Well said, just remember soldiers follow orders from above so so there acts of cowardism or heroism was ordered...dont blame the soldiers blame the commanders....all wars have casualties & we as a nation have been fortunate not to have many wars hit our land....

[csaaphill]

term  limits are a good idea but as one that had fought for that before that's an uphill battle. People generally say the vote is a term limit, and get offended when told they can't vote for whom they want.
Humans being the creatures of habit we are usually vote for who's already established and don't like to change very easy. Although in concept I like the idea.

[chunk]

Although i completely agree with the general premis of the story, a little history needs to be understood.

The indians at the time of Wounded Knee were not considered American citezens.  Although some tribes had treaties, the US congress didn't consider indians citezens unless they paid taxes.  Indians didn't begin paying taxes in the US until 1924.  The Wounded Knee conflict is not a proud part of US history and there are still classrooms it is taught in (like mine) and taught in the correct light.  As is the second Amendment.   

[snarkybull]

the first step in modern tyranny is to get the subjects used to "reasonable" search and control that soon turns into unreasonable.  yet they think this is for their own protection.  TSA.  just the beginning.