Magnum Force

Captain Briggs: Think things over, Callahan. Get with it. It's a whole new ball game these days.
Harry Callahan: Funny. I never thought of it as a game.
--Sudden Impact

When Clint Eastwood spoke at the recent Republican National Convention, the stage backdrop featured his cowboyesque silhouette with gun in hand.

An appropriate image, I thought. Not because it reflected the 'rugged individual' role that Clint often plays in the movies. But because guns are synonymous with government. All government actions (laws, regulations, rules) must be be backed by the point of a gun lest they would not be credible.

In some cases this is good. The proper role of government is to use its force to protect people against unwanted invasion by others. When government does so, liberty is enhanced because individuals do not have to spend all of their time defending their person and possessions.

In other cases, however, people employ the strong arm of government to forcefully take from some for the benefit of others. This, of course, is bad. It constitutes robbery, slavery, and even death in some cases.

Republicans who believe that their party is one of limited government in defense of liberty are delusional. Past record and current platform demonstrate that this party points guns at people to take, not protect, liberty.

The gun toting image applies perfectly to the Democratic Party as well. Many Democrats appear to be even more delusional than Republicans. Dems often talk themselves into believing that they are non-violent 'peace lovers' and that they hate guns.

Utter nonsense. Democrats are unabashed supporters of Big Government. By definition Democrats must employ gun toting government agents to act in their interests. In a world without guns, the Democratic Party as currently platformed could not exist.

If they were to be completely honest, both parties would post images of government officals holding guns behind convention podiums throughout the program of speakers. Both parties currently campaign on platforms of excessive force.