Perhaps the most whimsical of these was when the second or third day back reached 70 degrees, and I, being used to the significantly colder clime of Illinois, went to class in a long sleeve shirt under a sweater, wearing a jacket.
Of a more depressing note, I found myself falling into habits of mind accepting of the nanny state. While attempting to find a new every day carry knife, I found that I was automatically excluding every blade over 3" and anything assisted opening. Any of my readers who have shopped for knives will understand how very limiting this is among quality knives. I finally realized that being in Texas, those standards are relaxed thoroughly. During orientation, the police chief gave a short presentation including the phrase "no guns, no knives." When pressed for clarification, he said that they followed merely the Texas law on knives, meaning nothing over 5.5" or of assorted other characteristics. Assisted opening is likewise not prohibited, though switchblades are. Since this revelation, the options have expanded quite some, to the point where I actually have to choose between several that I like, rather than limited to one or two options.
Similarly, a friend of mine sent me a link to a CAD design for an AR15 lower for use with a rapid prototyping 3D printer. At first I was entertained, as it's a concept I have thought about quite a bit. When I remembered that AR lowers are the serialized pieces requiring FFL transfer, my initial reaction was one of shock, as it seemed that building this would be highly illegal. Logic then caught up with me, reminding me of both the Wyoming* law concerning firearms made within Wyoming being exempt from transfer laws, and more generally that those laws cover transfer, not manufacture. As far as I can tell (please correct me if I am wrong) it's entirely legal to manufacture your own firearms.**
I am more than a little frustrated with myself over this recent trend. It makes me feel like a nanny-stater, entirely convinced of the illegality of the exercise of our rights. I take comfort in being able to catch it, but all the same.
I find it very interesting how easy it is to slip into that mindset. I'm sure that a good deal of it comes from growing up in Mordor. Growing up in a place where rights are infringed in a casual, daily sort of experience leads to a different sort of complacency than that I wrote about last week, but potentially just as damaging. I find it thoroughly depressing that I have grown so used to these violations that I have not only stopped readily recognizing them as such, but assuming them to be even more sweeping than they are.
On a happier note, before I came down here I probably wouldn't have caught myself out in it. I'm not sure whether it is due to the inevitable urge to challenge things that seems to come packaged with college or simply being in a state where rights matter a good bit more, or perhaps a combination of both. I suppose it doesn't matter so much, as long as it works.
*or possibly Montana, I don't recall off the top of my head
**on a Federal level. State law may vary.
I believe that it is legal on the Federal level to manufacture your own firearms; provided they are not fully automatic.
ReplyDeleteCan't sell them or give them away if I remember right.
I find it very interesting how easy it is to slip into that mindset. I'm sure that a good deal of it comes from growing up in Mordor. Growing up in a place where rights are infringed in a casual, daily sort of experience leads to a different sort of complacency than that I wrote about last week, but potentially just as damaging.
I wonder if you even recognize the reinforcement of double think you receive in college. Most college professors/staff are self-identified liberals of the anti-rights mindset.
The rules they set in place and help legislate are based on their political leanings. Zero Tolerance Policies, No "weapons" on campus, etc.
Many colleges have armed police units - not security but police. Can you say police state?
Even in class the bias against individualism can be reinforced. Are you asked to read those that support the individual or the state?
Does your history professor cover the 2nd Amendment, at all? In depth as they do spend time on freedom of Religion?
On a happier note, before I came down here I probably wouldn't have caught myself out in it.
There is a theory that a person can not have an idea if there isn't a word for it in the language. If the language where you came from didn't have the words (freedom, liberty, rights) then it isn't surprising you wouldn't have caught it.
Now, instead of swallowing the anti-rights line without thought; you've been exposed to the other side. You've learned the words and more importantly learned to think for yourself.
Keep comparing things, keep judging them -- it's called growing up. I'm still doing it.
Interestingly, I am pretty good at catching professors out in those sorts of things, simply because in the college environment, that sort of bias is expected. One of my best professors actually was my government teacher, who, while not perhaps as conservative as me, was distinctly not a liberal. He did cover the second amendment, though granted not nearly as much as the others.
ReplyDeleteUntil I came here and had that government teacher though, no teacher speaking of modern government really talked much about the individual. There was lots about landmark legislation (normally things that curbed some rights somewhere) but next to nothing speaking out against legislation.
I don't necessarily buy into the thought that a person can't have an idea that there isn't a word for. Otherwise, where would words come from? It certainly influences it, but can't is rather a strong word for the case. Even while in IL, I had mostly the same views, but perhaps that's more to do with my reading and subsequent writing within the gunblogosphere. I essentially chose for myself a new community, with a new language, much as the recently circulated Letter to the Anti-Gunners speaks of.
I do think it important to remember that even among conservative places, there are certain things that are taken as rote that the liberals find just as offensive as we find their indoctrinations. I do believe that they are less egregious, not purposeful, and less harmful on the side of the gunblogosphere, but still there. Tam, SayUncle and the other big names have great sway in people's opinions. The biggest difference is that generally they are responsible about it.
Manufacturing your own firearms is absolutely legal. I actually have a blog dedicated to my ground-up firearm builds, Including a single shot .50 bmg rifle, an AR15 in .45 acp, and a whole host of others.
ReplyDeleteThere are some laws you must follow, any future transfer of the gun requires the gun then be inscribed with a serial number. If no transfer is done, no serial number is required.
There's a whole lot more that needs to be addressed, but suffice to say that you can roll your own.
Permit me to welcome you to the state, sorry about all the humidity :(