SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017
Opinion
The original intent of the Second Amendment
What does the Second
Amendment mean? This has
been debated over the years,
and most recently as a result of
the murderous Las Vegas shoot-
ings.
My thoughts on guns and the
Second Amendment have noth-
ing to do with hunting or other
shooting sports, although those
are very popular pursuits.
One must understand the
Declaration of Independence
was written to sever the
colonists’ bonds with the
English ruling government.
Following many attempts to
reconcile their differences, they
failed. When the Declaration
was written, the signers knew
this revolution against England
would be met with forceful
repression.
And they were correct.
It’s what happens when peo-
ple revolt if other means no
longer work to settle serious
differences.
The Second Amendment was
included in the Bill of Rights.
None of the Bill of Rights grant
power to government; they
limit government and describe
natural or “God-given” rights
which mankind basically inher-
it at birth. They are not granted
by government but are natural
preceding even the existence of
government.
The Bill of Rights is about
the preservation of freedom,
justice and liberty. I think the
Founders feared unchecked
government power.
This is where we find the
Second Amendment. Where the
limits to government power are
clearly stated.
So, when the Second
Amendment refers to a well-
regulated militia and the indi-
vidual’s right to bear arms, it’s
a specific mandate providing a
citizen’s right to arms beyond
that of the National Guard, the
standing army or other armed
forces “of the government.”
While it protects the ability
of citizens to maintain arms that
might be needed to assist their
government in fighting an
enemy, it also — and maybe
more importantly — it also
allows citizens to resist their
own government and protect
themselves and their freedom if
GUEST VIEWPOINT
D AVE P ECK
F LORENCE
it ever becomes necessary
against their own government.
If that unfortunate day
comes, instruments of the state
like the U.S. military forces or
even National Guard may not
be your friends — just as the
British army (the colonists’
government at the time)
became the enemy.
We often hear statements that
the Second Amendment was
authored with only muskets in
mind and modern firearms
should not be considered in the
same light due to their techno-
logical superiority.
I don’t agree.
At the time, muskets were
modern,
state-of-the-art
weapons on par with the best
weapons available (the excep-
tion being heavy weapons like
cannons) to the British army or
any other army of the time.
Had even more efficient
firearms been available, I’m
certain the citizens and soldiers
would not have hesitated to
keep or use them. Semi-auto-
matic firearms certainly fall
into that category.
No doubt, even in those
days, some used firearms crim-
inally. But the Second
Amendment remained intact.
So in the spirit of that
amendment, The Declaration of
Independence and the U.S.
Constitution, I don’t think we
should suppress the rights of
the majority as a reaction to
individual criminal acts, as hor-
rendous as they may be.
Today, we live in a Republic
with strong democratic values.
We have a system of checks
and balances.
We can vote.
Though it seems we could
never loose it or fall into the
chaos of some kind of dictator-
ship, it has happened many
times in world history; we
would be naive to think we are
somehow immune.
The Second Amendment
provides a final critical protec-
tion or “check” against tyranni-
cal government, crime, terror-
ism or anarchy for American
citizens.
I don’t think exercising our
Second Amendment rights
should be taxed like the “sin”
taxes on alcohol or marijuana.
After all, taxing another right
— voting — through poll taxes
is prohibited.
While some limits to the
Second Amendment may be
necessary, such as the ban on
fully automatic weapons or the
bump stock device used in the
Las Vegas murders, it’s impor-
tant these restrictions be kept to
an absolute minimum in order
to preserve our freedoms and
Constitutional rights.
Finally, if some people or
some in government have the
ultimate goal of diluting the
Second Amendment to the
extent it becomes meaningless,
they should proceed using the
process prescribed in the
Constitution to actually amend
or repeal it if they can.
I would oppose this but it
would be a far more honest
approach than trying to regulate
our Second Amendment out of
existence.
LETTERS
C OMMENDING THE
C HANDLERS
I wanted to commend
Mark and Cynthia Chandler
for taking an action which
they feel is appropriate in
terms of reducing gun vio-
lence in our country.
As Eleanor Roosevelt said,
“It is better to light a candle
than curse the darkness.”
If each of us tried to do
something to reduce gun vio-
lence we might find ways to
make a difference.
—Bonnie Rose Allen
Florence
J OIN U S I N W ORSHIP
WATCH! 3 ANGELS BROADCASTING
NETWORK
FLORENCE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST
(3ABN) TV UHF Channel 48.
24 hour Christian TV highlights Bible studies of prophecy, inspira-
tional music, health lectures, healthy cooking and more.
4445 Hwy 101 (South of Fred Meyer) – 997-3951
Worship on Saturday 10:30 A.M.
Adult/Children’s Sabbath School 9:15 A.M.
FLORENCE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP
BAY BERRY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
SINGSPIRATION
You are invited to come and sing your favorite old time gospel
hymns
Every Friday night at 7pm • Non-denominational
Bay Berry Square; 101 at Sutton Lake Dr. /milepost 185 N.
For more information , please call 541-997-2681
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
Located at Munsel Lake Road and North Fork Road
Worship Services 10:00 AM Sunday
All are welcome! 541-997-7268
87738 Hwy 101 at Heceta Beach Road
RUAUU? All are welcome to explore the answer.
Sunday Worship Service ~ 10:00 a.m.
www.FlorenceUUF.org - (541) 997.2840
FLORENCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Worship Services 10:30 on 1st Sunday of each Month
9:00 and 10:30 each following Sunday
Adult Classes at 9am; Children’s Sunday School at 10:30m
Coff ee Fellowship Following Service
2nd & Kingwood • (541) 997-6025
FOURSQUARE CHURCH
1624 Highway 101 (next to A&W) –- 997-6337
Pastor George Pagel – Something for the entire family.
Sun. Services: 10:45 a.m., Wed. Bible Study 7 p.m.
Website:fl orence4square.com
COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
4590 Hwy. 101, Across from Fred Meyer –- 997-7418
Sunday School, 9:30a.m. – Worship, 10:45
Wed. Prayer - 6:00 p.m. –Wed. Ministries 1-8 Grade 7 p.m.
NEW LIFE CHURCH-UPC
Senior Center, 1570 Kingwood • 541-991-9398
Sunday Services: 10am and 6pm
CROSS ROAD ASSEMBLY OF GOD
Wednesday Bible Study 7:00pm
Corner of 10th & Maple –997-3533
Wednesday, 7 p.m. - Family Connections
Adult Bible Class, 9:30am on Sundays.
Sunday Services, 9am and 10:45am.
fl orencecrossroad.org • offi ce@fl orencecrossroad.org
NEW LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH, E.L.C.A.
21st & Spruce Street – 997-8113
Adult Forum 9 a.m. – Sunday School 10:30 a.m.
Worship services; Sun. 10:30am & Mon. 5pm
Pastor Lori Blake
www.lutheranchurchfl orence.com
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH - SBC
1935 25th St. – 997-7660 • Pastor, Dr. Marvin Owen
Series “People of the Bible.” on Wednesdays 6 p.m.
A friendly place to worship, vacationers welcome.
Sun.; 11am & 6pm, Sunday school 9:45am.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF THE SIUSLAW
Traditional Worship Service 10:00 a.m. , Reverend Greg Wood
Sunday School and Nursery – Organ and Choir
All Welcome. Come as you are.
3996 N Hwy 101 997-7136
FLORENCE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
2nd & Ivy – 997-2961 –Non-Denominational
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS)
Worship Service: 9:00 am & 10:30 am
“War is still not the answer.” FCNL
We worship in homes at 11am Sundays
Call 997-4237 or 902-9511 for locations.
Middle School and High School youth groups meet on
Wednesday.
RESURRECTION LUTHERAN CHURCH,
L.C.M.S.
FLORENCE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Pre-Denominational (Romans 16:16)
1833 Tamarack Street (2 blocks east of Hwy. 101 on 18th St.)
Bible Study: Sunday 10 a.m.; Worship: Sunday 11 a.m.
www.churchofchristfl orence.org
Every Sun., Bible Class 9 a.m., Worship Service 10 a.m.
85294 Hwy. 101 S. – 997-8038
DVD of Weekly worship service available.
Pastor Randy Benscoter
FLORENCE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
12th and Nopal –997-9020
Worship Service 10:30 a.m.
10 am Wed., Women’s Bible Study
Saturdays, Mens’ Breakfast @ 8 a.m.
Online Worship Service@ www.fl orencenaz.com
2135 19th St. –- 997-6600
8:30am, Tuesdays, Morning Prayer
Sunday Services: 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. - Wed, 11 a.m.
Everyone Welcome – Come walk our Labyrinth.
FLORENCE EVANGELICAL CHURCH
1318 Rhododendron Dr. –- 997-2523 – Worship at 11:00 AM
–- Sunday School at 9:30 AM – Variety of Sunday evening
activities - 5 PM
Wed. Bible & Children classes at 6:00 PM
Call for details.
Join Us In Worship
4 lines, approx 15 words, $10 a week
4 week Minimum
Deadline 3 p.m. Mondays.
SAINT MARY, OUR LADY OF THE
DUNES
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Masses: Sat. 5:30 p.m., Sun. 11:00 a.m.
1.5 miles south of river on Hwy 101 – 997-2312
To be included in this directory contact
the Siuslaw News at 997-3441, or drop off
information at 148 Maple St., Old Town, Florence.
UNDERSTANDING
MILLENNIALS , LGBTQ
In the three-part series in
the Siuslaw News about mil-
lennials (Sept. 30, Oct. 4,
Oct. 7), I never gave a
thought about what young
men and women in our com-
munity workforce did for
entertainment.
At times, I did wonder
what teens did if they did not
have after-school activities. I
grew up in the Southern
Coastal town of Ventrua.
After school there were foot-
ball or basketball games and
afterwards we had sock hops
(school dances where you
danced in your socks), a great
recreation center and of
course the beach — so there
was so much to do, even
dragging (cruising) main
street in your car was an
activity (See “American
Graffiti”).
For millennials, however,
there is almost nothing to do
or any place to meet someone
in their age group. Part of the
reason could be that the pri-
mary focus has been on mak-
ing Florence a retirement
community. The problem is,
without a younger workforce,
the city will die.
As for the first part in the
Siuslaw News series on our
LGBTQ community (Oct.
11), I grew up not knowing
what a gay person was.
It was in 1960 while at art
school in Los Angeles that I
had my introduction to the
LGB culture. During my first
two months I had one gay
roommate that became open-
ly effeminate, and then anoth-
er roommate for two years
who was in the closet.
I went to classes with gay
men, lesbians and bi-sexuals
and most were out in the
open. We studied and partied
together and I never gave it a
thought.
While my wife and I were
living in San Francisco, I
worked along side a young
gay man for two years before,
eventually, I found myself at
his bedside the night before
he died of AIDs.
It is not tolerance but
acceptance of everyone that
makes a difference.
Although I admit that I
have difficulty with the
Religious Right and have no
tolerance for hate groups.
I give hugs to Jennifer
French for speaking out and
who I haven’t hugged in
sometime.
—Win Jolley
Florence
W ALL S TREET CORE
OF P UERTO R ICO ’ S
W OES
Donald Trump seems to
hold Puerto Rico solely
responsible for its financial
disaster.
However, Wall Street just
may be the real culprit.
Puerto Rico lost its status
as a Wall Street tax haven in
2006. Investments along
with thousands of skilled
laborers departed, resulting in
tax loss to the country and
contributed to an economic
recession. Prior to this, an
amendment to bankruptcy
laws specifically excluded
Puerto Rico from filing
Chapter 9.
Without transitional help
from Washington D.C. after
the law change, and unable to
meet the budget, Puerto Rico
borrowed — with some of the
loans at higher rates than
what are considered legal
under U.S. law.
The loans required priority
of payment over other finan-
cial obligation, such as
schools and infrastructure.
This status raised the Wall
Street bonds from junk status
to triple tax exempt and a
huge profit for Wall Street
and hedge fund operators.
Puerto Rico, still stalled in
recession and unable to pay
the obligations, was “helped”
this year by Washington D.C.
by stepping in and imposing a
fiscal board appointed by the
Supreme Court to control the
economy so Wall Street obli-
gation could be paid, under
the duress of investors suing
hedge fund operators.
The stringent measures are
raising costs while eliminat-
ing benefits and services,
including the closure of many
schools in a country where 46
percent of the population now
lives below poverty level and
unemployment is at 11 per-
cent.
Now Puerto Rico is left to
deal with the hurricane dam-
age.
—Karen Mahoney
Florence
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