Poll Says Gun Rights Aren’t An Issue

Today, two misperceptions might be cleared up in a few hundred words. First, the myth that politicians reflect the opinions and wishes of their constituents. A new Rasmussen poll would seem to indicate that politicians transfer their personal beliefs and opinions into their legislative actions, rather than the reflection of the desires of their constituencies.

When it comes down to firearms ownership, the Rasmussen poll would seem to find that especially true.

This latest polling data in the telephone survey says that sixty-nine percent (69%) of the people participating in the survey believe cities have no rights to ban handguns. Only twenty-five percent (25%) believed cities should have that ability.

“The Rasmussen survey clearly shows that Americans have grown weary of anti-gun municipal demagoguery,” says Second Amendment Foundation Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “A victory in our case before the Supreme Court should send a clear signal to gun prohibitionists like Chicago Mayor Richard Daley that arbitrarily disarming law-abiding citizens under the guise of fighting crime is an idea that has no place in this country.”

Gottlieb’s referring to the McDonald v. City of Chicago case which came before the high court last Tuesday.

The Rasmussen poll also found very little difference between current public sentiment and earlier surveys that noted 70 percent of American adults believe the U.S. Constitution guarantees the individual right to own a firearm.

“For years,” Gottlieb said, “the anti-gun lobby has been claiming majority support for its Draconian agenda, but polling data like this new information from Rasmussen shows that the public is not about to surrender a significant civil right. We believe the Supreme Court is on the verge of expanding the scope of that right by applying the Second Amendment to the states.”

That’s a belief Gottlieb and I share. It will, however, take several weeks before the Supreme Court makes their position known.

And I’ve spent the past three days learning that I have a lot to learn when it comes to my longtime beliefs when it comes to small firearms and today’s crop of very small lights. If you can see your target, it seems, the size of the weapon isn’t nearly so critical. You can hit the target and, as one firearms trainer says “no one likes to leak.”

I have been the guest of XS Sights at a two-day training event at Gunsite Academy in Arizona. In the time I’ve been here, I’ve had several of my misconceptions corrected-along with picking up valuable defensive instruction from Gunsite’s instructor corps.

This event hasn’t been one of those where we’ve blasted away at long distances with heavy-caliber handguns. Those are fun, but when it comes down to realistic situations, most of us are going to be in those situations where we’re carrying small, easily concealable firearms and small pocket lights.

Both of those have come a long way. First, it’s safe to say that today’s ammunition have made those once maligned “mouse guns” more in line with the Chinese expression “corner a rat, fight a tiger.” If you’re having to resort to a small pocket pistol or revolver, today’s are more than capable of keeping you alive and taking the fight out of your attacker.

We’ve fired literally hundreds of rounds into everything from paper targets to fast-moving, computer-guided robots this weekend, and in each situation, we’ve had Ruger LCPs in .380 or either Ruger LCRs or Smith & Wesson “snubbies”. In each and every one of those situations, the firearms have produced good hits in quantities that would discourage almost anything from attacking.

I have also picked up a valuable lesson in shooting small guns- if you have a sight you can see – quickly- and put on a target without much thinking, you have a considerably improved chance of surviving a violent encounter.

These small, easily-concealable handguns were equipped with XS Sights. Those are simple sights – until you realize they’re the product of a deep understanding of the way the body processes information in an emergency.

“In an emergency,” says XS Sight’s Dave Biggers, “your body’s fine motor skills are diminished. Your breathing gets shallow and fast and you are reluctant, if not incapable, of taking your eyes off the threat.”

That’s where the XS Sights are based on the theory that bigger -or at least much more visible – is better. Their sights aren’t the traditional fine-aiming post-and notch sights; they’re a big white dot (visible day or night) in a shallow groove or made to sit atop a simple white post (this one’s called “the lollypop” by some).

Put the white dot on the post or in the notch and the rounds will put hits on the target. Simple, effective, and surprisingly accurate.

When you see the target and the sights – easily and quickly – defending yourself becomes simpler. When can do it with ammunition that is surprisingly fast and powerful in conjunction with lighting instruments that simultaneously impede the attacker’s night vision or render them totally blind, you have the opportunity to win a fight.

This week, I’m going to talk in more depth than normal about the “mouse gun and light” idea. I think you’re going to find what we learned this weekend helpful in making you feel more capable and equipped when it comes to personal defense.

On Wednesday, we’ll talk lights and ammunition.

Watch this space.

–Jim Shepherd

www.shootingwire.com