Three examples. These are not footnoted and annotated citable scholarly papers. They are personal anecdote and reports from assorted parties. In any use of them, they should be cited as such.

1] http://doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthrea...;gonew=1#UNREAD

2] http://leverguns.sixgunner.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=28695

3] http://leverguns.sixgunner.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=28728



I met a young German couple...several weeks ago. They are law students (German legal system) and are here in the states for a month archiving papers from the Nuremburg trials at a local historical center. As luck would have it, they are staying at my employers residence while in the states and my wife and I have had the opportunity to spend a couple of days and evenings with them, showing them around the area.

One evening, after dinner, we were sitting around talking and the conversation turned to guns. I was absolutely amazed when they told me that the average German citizen could not own a firearm! There is provision for hunters and target shooters to acquire firearms, but it is a lengthy and tedious process, they told me. I was stunned! The country where Anschutz, Walther and Sauer firearms are produced, some of the very finest to be found in the world, and their own citizens can't freely use them! Well, one thing led to another and I asked them if they would like to go shooting. Their eyes lit up like kids in a candy store! So, we went to the range a few days later, and they absolutely had the time of their lives!!

Today, St. Patty's day, we went to a local Irish pub for corned beef & cabbage and a generous helping of Guinness (since they had never celebrated St. Patty's day before)and then went back to our place for movies and popcorn. During the afternoon, I showed them my reloading room and told them that this was where the ammo we used last week was assembled. They were incredulous, especially when they opened up my powder magazine! Possesion of these items, they said, would result in my arrest & imprisonment in Germany! Again, I was astounded!

My point, I guess, in mentioning all of this, is that we sometimes take so many things for granted here in the U.S. If it weren't for the 2nd amendment of the constitution we wouldn't be able to do, or have, any of these things. All of us owe a huge debt to our country's founders and to the patriots who have answered the call to arms to keep this nation free. And sometimes I, and possibly you too, forget that in the day to day happenings of our lives. I'm grateful to have had the experience to meet these two young people, to have been able to talk to them about their country and their society. And I am very, very grateful that I live in a country that has been so very blessed by God's grace!

The future for gunowners here is not looking good, politicaaly. I'm going to contact my legilators, again, this week. I'm going to say a prayer for them asking the Lord to guide them to do the right thing, make the right decisions. And, I'm asking you to do the same. I don't ever want to be in a position where I look back and say "I wish I had done something about that.......".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Relax; we're all experts here.