Pardon our Noise
It’s only the sound of freedom
Taun Stewart
English 2010
Report
Taun Stewart
English 2010
Report
Pardon Our Noise
Its only the sound of freedom
When Ronnie Barrett sent his letter to Chief Correa of the Honolulu Police Department,
he didn’t just seal it in an envelope, but posted it on his website for everyone to behold. Barrett,
CEO of Barrett Arms, wrote the letter not only in defense of his company and business, but in
defense of the basic rights guaranteed to the citizens of this country by the constitution, after
Correa’s constant pushing of his anti-gun agenda in Hawaii.
The issue on the surface is Correas efforts to ban the .50 caliber rifle from civilian
ownership in Hawaii. Barrett writes the letter with great credentials, as CEO of an arms
company, and with experience in Law enforcement, he is able to expose much of Correas’ claims
and information as false.
But this one letter, opens up a very interesting disagreement for those on both sides of the
wide spectrum of second amendment issues. Ironically, Honolulu Police Department uses
weapons produced by Barrett Arms, including the .50 caliber rifle. And Barrett states in his
letter than any infringement by the Hawaii State Government on its citizen’s constitutional rights
would sever all further sales and service of Barrett arms to law enforcement agencies across the
entire state.
Barrett not only questions the moral issue of Correas efforts, but also the practical issue.
He asks Correa how many .50 caliber rifles his departments have found at crime scenes, how
many have been used in robberies, how many have even as much as raised in issue anywhere in
the state. The answer of course is none. Of the 125 Barrett .50 caliber rifles registered to law
abiding responsible citizens in the State of Hawaii, none have ever raised a concern.
Though Barrett does an enormous amount of business with law enforcement agencies and
militaries across the world, still a significant amount of business exists in the civilian market. If
Barrett and other arms companies were to lose their civilian market, the results would be drastic.
Their ability to supply our military and law enforcement agencies would be drastically reduced,
or even eliminated as Barrett states.
But as right wing pro gun
people proudly cheer on their hero
Ronny Barrett, they are also running
into very strong opposition from the
opposite side. Many argue that they
do support practical weapons for
civilians; Weapons that could be
used in hunting, or practical defense
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of their home and properties. But that the .50 caliber rifle is just an overpowered danger to
society in untrained civilian hands, with no real use. Those opposed to civilian ownership of the
.50 caliber refer to it as a “nightmare” weapon.
The letter also refers to the enormous, government owned small arms factories that were in
production during World War II. These factories lacked the innovation, and adaption that is so
plentiful in the many private small arms companies such as Browning, Armalite, Colt, and
Barrett Arms. Barrett’s rifle has been named by the collective branches of the military, as one of
the top ten innovations that helps them to effectively accomplish their jobs. And as with
virtually any industry, when small arms companies are overrun by government, innovation
grinds nearly to a halt, leaving law
enforcement and military with less
than the best equipment possible,
unacceptable in careers where
heroic men and women trust their
lives to their rifles.
To close the letter, and
hopefully the issue, Barrett ends
http://savvysurvivor.com/supplementary/barrett82mod.jpg
with an invitation to other small arms companies to join Barrett Arms in their position. And they
will. They will join Barrett in their position not to support a state or local government who is
“obviously in violation of the United States Constitution, thereby jeopardizing the safety and
security of its citizens.”
To some, Ronnie Barrett’s letter draws a clear picture of the man he truly is, a great
American. It is well written, respectful, and courteous, yet unnaccepting of any infringement on
American Citizens rights, or disregard for the constitution. But to others, his defense of this
devastating weapon brings a feeling of danger to those who fear what a weapon of this
magnitude could do in the wrong hands.
Some will make the argument that anti-gun people pushing their agendas will take any
opportunity to dig their fingernails into issues like this, and use them to pry as far as possible into
the world of firearms, to eliminate as many as possible from civilians. And others will argue that
those defending this issue will continue to take it further and further. If the .50 caliber is
allowed, what’s next? Rocket launchers, grenades, missiles? To what extent does the second
amendment really allow civilians to obtain deadly weapons? These are all issues that will come
out with this issue, and many following it.
The bottom line is, both sides have very good points. It is a matter of public safety versus
a matter of constitutional rights. It
something that both sides will
always have very strong and
emotional opinions about. This
opens up another issue all itself,
how do we deal with situations like
this? Does the constitution always
take priority? Even over public
safety? Perhaps these are things
we must also discuss.
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Barrett’s two page, to the point letter, is just another defense of our basic rights as
citizens of this country, in the constant attempt of others to destroy not only the second
amendment, but many of our rights. Time will tell how Chief Correa receives the letter, but at
least Chief Correa now knows how we all have received his attacks on our basic rights and
freedoms.
Works Cited:
Barrett, Ronnie. "Fifty caliber ban in Hawaii". Barrett Arms. <Barrett.net>.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x16560
9
Hodgkins, Michael. "Banning 50 Caliber in Hawaii". NRA.
<http://www.nraila.org/issues/50caliberhawaii>.
Photos
http://savvysurvivor.com/supplementary/barrett82mod.jpg
(This image shows a Barrett M107 in its standard configuration)
http://bp0.blogger.com/_kNyU41yfTpo/R8DI7Xk12dI/AAAAAAAAArw/xMvg4MDuga0/s160
0-h/50+caliber+rifles.jpg
(This image shows HPD officer Ron Taira, displaying the .50 caliber next to other standard
caliber weapons.
http://media.pegasusnews.com/pegasus/img/photos/2008/11/04/Bullets_t520.jpg
This image shows standard caliber rounds compared to the massive .50 caliber BMG