“Those who fail to remember the past are doomed to repeat it.”

We have all heard this quote before. I think it is a very important time in our history to remember this quote.

The bodies in Charleston were still warm when President Obama took to national TV to attack the Second Amendment of our Constitution. We all remember what his former chief of staff said:  “Never let a crisis go to waste!” Why is it every time there is a shooting in America the progressive left immediately ammos up and attacks our right to bear arms? Just because someone in power can get on national TV anytime he pleases and spout off does not mean what he says is true.

Let’s examine some facts. When it comes to per capita gun ownership, the U.S.A. does in fact top the list. When measured as the number of guns per 100 residents, the U.S. comes in first, at 90. America is No. 1 with a bullet, with by far the highest per capita gun ownership in the world – 90 guns per 100 people being half again more than the No. 2 spot held by Serbia, with 58.2.

Now all we have to do to prove the left-wing case for banning guns is to do a quick search for the per capita murder rate. And sure enough, leading the No. 2 country by about half again more with 90 murders per 100,000 people is … Honduras.

According to conservative blogger Bill Whittle, when it comes to per capita murders, Team USA didn’t even make the top five. As a matter of fact, we didn’t even make the top 10. Or the top 20. Or the top 30. Or the top 40. We’re not in the top 50 per capita murders. Gun Culture America is not in the top 60 nations in terms of per capita murders. Or the top 70. Or the top 80. Or the top 90.

“Of the 218 nations and territories listed for per capita murders, the United States of America – murderville – did not break the top 100,” Whittle says. “We are, with 4.7 murders per 100,000 people in 2012, number 111. “

America’s 111th place, 4.7 murder per 100,000 people also includes, in order, Detroit, with strict gun control laws, has a per capita murder rate of 54.6 murders per 100,000 citizens. If Detroit were its own country, it would just beat Venezuela for second as the most murderous country in the world, behind Honduras.

Democratically governed, heavily gun controlled New Orleans has 53.2 murders per 100,000; St. Louis, 35.5; Baltimore, 34.9; Newark, 34.4; Oakland, 31.8; followed by Stockton 23.7; Kansas City, 22.6, Philadelphia, 21.5, Cleveland, 21.3, Memphis, 20.2, Atlanta, 19.0 and Chicago, 18.5. 

There is only one reason people in power wish to disarm citizens. Control and power. In 1929, Stalin took guns away from his citizens, then murdered 20 million of them once defenseless. In 1935, Mao disarmed his citizens and proceeded to murder 20 million people. In 1938, Hitler disarmed his countrymen and proceeded to murder 13 million defenseless citizens. In 1956, Pol Pot took guns away and proceeded to murder 2 million defenseless people. Do you see a pattern here?

We do not have the right to bear arms so that we can go hunting for whatever game we wish to hunt. Our forefathers put the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights in case a tyrant decided to try and destroy our Constitution and way of life. In case you are wondering what tyranny looks like, look no further than Washington, D.C., and our corrupt politicians.

These are dangerous times in America. We will be celebrating our independence on July 4th. Freedom has never been free. It’s time to speak out against the evil that is coming out of Washington.

I have a message for our president and any other politician that wishes to infringe on our rights. Molon labe! (Come and get it.)

Rhinier lives in Rowan County.

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