America is different. Our history should tell you as much, but a lot of people seem to have forgotten. In a brief way let’s take a stroll through history so we can understand the rights we have today and why we should hold on to them.
The Spanish Armada
Let’s start with some brief English/British history. In 1588 a rag tag group of English and Dutch ships went against the largest navy (at the time) in the western world, The Spanish Armada. Since their discovery of the “New World” in 1492 the Spanish had grown rich and powerful. They were arguably the most powerful Military in the world. They were intent on invading England. Spain was mad at the English for raiding its ships, supporting Pirates, trading with the new world without their permission and more. The Dutch and English armed every boat that could float, and they won with a little help from the weather. They only won because of armed civilians against a stronger and greater power.
1774 Gun Control. 1775 War. July 4th, 1776 Declaration of Independence
Fast Forward to 1774 The British were now the superpower. The British were fresh off defeating France in the French and Indian Wars. The war resulted in the British taking most of the French Colonies in North American. The 13 Colonies however were mad about Tea, Taxation and Guns. The history you were taught in class (which probably isn’t taught anymore due to racism) is something along the lines of No Taxation Without Representation. However, it is important to understand that in September of 1774 the British banned the import of guns to the colonies and tried to disarm the citizens. This was one of the key factors in the Revolution, certainly better authors than us have written about it. Yet if you are like me, you were not taught this in school. In 1775 War broke out, 1776 America colonies declared their independence.
The Bill of Rights
America according to statistics is the most armed nation in the world. It has more civilian guns than people. This doesn’t include the military. The Bill of Rights which are the first 10 amendments to the constitution was created almost in direct response to British abuses. Their order is not an accident either. They were put in order of importance to freedom.
- The Frist Amendment is the most important. Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press and Assembly. These are under dangerous threat and were in 1776. Many had come to the colonies for freedom of religion or speech after it was not afforded to them in England.
- The Second Amendment was second for a reason as well it was freedom to defend yourself without permission from the military. Maybe it was some deep historical memory of Spanish Ships, or recent memory of Indians raiding settlements with the French that lead colonists to the desire for self preservation. Either way it has held on for a long time.
- Much of the rest of the amendments are in response to abuses of Military, Police and the Legal system. Strangely this is present today yet again.
- Despite all the talk of taxation it is not even mentioned directly in the Bill of Rights.
Freedoms Under Threat
American Colonists saw this all in the 1770s and many Patriots see these creeping in again today. America is distinctly different than other former British Colonies. Canada, Australia, New Zealand and more all never rebelled. They all have strict Gun Control; they all have The British Monarch as their heads of state. Canada didn’t have its own constitution until 1982 almost 200 years after America. For those who say the war was about taxation, The story goes that French Canada didn’t join the revolution because French taxes were much worse than the British. They didn’t mind the British Rule in comparison to the French.
Don’t miss read this and think we support taxation or dislike the British or anything. Instead we are more concerned with preserving basic freedoms afforded by our forefathers. We here at DogFacePonia don’t want to give up our freedom. We don’t want to wait 200 years for permission from the British Monarchy, Justin Trudeau or The Biden Regime to get it back. I guess all that just isn’t our cup of tea. We here at DogFacePonia like Coffee.
Image From: “Gun mug by Fred” (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by Joeri van Veen
