Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive.

~ Noah Webster

While we stumble along economically with bailouts, buyouts, and poor sales in almost all sectors, two products in America are seeing dramatic increases in sales: guns and ammo. People who never owned a gun before are buying; people are buying multiples of military style weapons and ammo is being bought by the case instead of by the box.

Many explain this away as folks simply worried that Obama will move to ban certain firearms, especially those referred to by the ignorant as "assault weapons," I believe the motivation to buy firearms and ammunition goes much deeper.

More and more Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the storm that is brewing on the horizon, a storm driven by the possibility of a complete economic collapse.

The more astute are reading the handwriting on the wall: military combat units being assigned for stateside duty to quell domestic disturbances, a militarization of law enforcement, and the fear of what will happen when the state is no longer able to provide monthly checks to the millions currently living on government handouts labeled as "entitlements."

A strong possibility exists, when the checks stop, those who no longer have will seek to forcibly take from those who do. The scenes from New Orleans after Katrina have not disappeared from the public memory.

Regardless, legislation has been pre-planned and is now in place to be implemented just as soon as we have another tragedy involving a criminal idiot with guns.

Most are unaware that Congressional representative, Carolyn McCarthy from New York, introduced H.R. 1022 in February 2007. This draconian, unconstitutional piece of socialist baloney would ban a multitude of firearms currently available, including the Ruger 10/22, one of the most popular .22 caliber rifles on the market. .22 caliber rifles are commonly used for small game hunting, plinking and target practice; none are in use either in the military or law enforcement as the caliber is considered too small and underpowered for use on targets larger than small game or predators; a fact that somehow escaped the intelligence of Ms. McCarthy. Proof positive that politicians don’t really care what type of weapon you have; it is the simple fact they do not want you to have any weapon at all.

Representative McCarthy’s husband Dennis was shot and killed by Colin Ferguson on the Long Island Railroad in December of 1993. Her son, Kevin, was also seriously injured.

The logic that has escaped Ms. McCarthy is: if her husband had possessed a weapon, he could have possibly saved his life and the lives of others that fateful day. Instead, those who were prohibited by the laws of the state from protecting themselves were hopelessly slaughtered and maimed by a madman who cared not about those laws, and thanks to the liberal laws of New York, is still breathing good air.

Ms. McCarthy won election to congress based on her anti-gun position. Ironic, is it not, that one can be elected to congress by proposing laws contrary to the constitution and then take an oath pledging to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic…"

McCarthy reportedly was inspired to run for congress because her predecessor, Congressman Dan Frisa, supported the Constitution and voted against an assault weapons bill. Leave it up to New Yorkers to defeat those who support the constitution and elect those who seek to destroy it.

Comrade McCarthy displayed her true colors when she filed a lawsuit against the Olin Corporation, makers of the ammunition used by Ferguson, but never filed suit against Ferguson himself. Obviously, McCarthy sought to profit from the death of her husband and the injuries to her son by accusing the manufacturers of an inanimate object of the crimes. Of course the company who manufactured this inanimate object had much "deeper pockets" than Mr. Ferguson, the person who actually loaded the ammunition into a firearm and pulled the trigger, killing six people and wounding nineteen. Thank goodness her frivolous lawsuit failed.

Americans are purchasing firearms and ammunition in record numbers, not because they believe 2009 will offer unusually good duck hunting, but because they fear the fallout from the coming economic storm and the state’s reaction to that fallout.

The larger question is: how many of those who have gone out and purchased firearms and ammo will actually use them? I believe a large number would bring those weapons to bear against criminals who would steal and threaten their families and property, but, how many would use them against the criminal state as it moves to seize their weapons, as was done in New Orleans, when the next "emergency" occurs, be it an economic meltdown or terrorist attack?

Rest assured, there will be a great majority who will not stand against tyranny. Those who have "gone along to get along" and those who have continually voted for the "lesser of two evils" will capitulate and surrender their weapons, as cowards normally do. They will rue the day they failed to support those who stood for liberty such as Ron Paul. Remember, they were offered liberty, but chose instead to support the status quo, because, in their eyes, liberty could not be elected.

Those among us who are afraid to be free will surrender their guns, their families, and their freedom to tyranny. Do not place your freedom or trust in their hands or depend on them to cover your six.

The Best of Michael Gaddy