The two dogs appeared from out of nowhere, and before I could get to them they had run down and killed two of my prize Boer Goats, for the joy of killing. Dogs do that. Evil people are akin to those dogs, preying on the weak and helpless. On my building site, where we are building a hospital, are several hundred Mexican workers. Their discussions turn often to the Cartels, and the families the workers have in Mexico. “They kill for the joy of killing. Near my town,” said one, “they stopped an old car, of no value to them. They took the family hostage, including a little boy, and told the father to come back in a few weeks with $50,000, an impossible sum for a poor man to raise, relishing the man’s mental anguish. But somehow, the man was able to raise half the money. He rushed back to meet the deadline. They released the family, except for the little boy. ‘Please, what about my little boy?’ ‘Ah him. You only raised half the money.’ With that, they shot little boy. The father lost his mind.” Those foolish people who would have me give up my guns do not understand either the times nor history, nor the fact that gun control is a tool of racism, and of tyrants fearful of their subjects. The year 1915, under a Democratic Governor, (James E. Ferguson) was the beginning of the Ranger Terror in South Texas. Americans of Mexican descent were commanded to turn in their weapons; the life of any Mexican caught with a weapon was forfeit. Ranger Terror? Certainly bandits coming in from Mexico were stealing and murdering innocent people, to include Mexican Americans. However, between 300 and 5,000 innocent American citizens of Mexican descent were killed by Rangers. In her advanced years, Josefina Flores de Garza spoke of the summer evening in 1915 Texas Rangers came to her father’s ranch north of Brownsville. Her father had refused to leave his ranch, as others were doing to escape the Rangers. “El que nada debe nade teme,” he told his children. (“He who is guilty of nothing has nothing to fear.”) The Rangers called her father out. He stepped to the door and they shot him down. His two boys ran out to him when he fell. They were also shot dead. The shock drove Josefina temporarily insane. It was two days before a passing Army detachment stopped to bury the three corpses, and carry the terrified children and their mother into town. The official report read, “On August 3, 1915, rangers and deputy sheriffs attacked a ranch near Paso Real, about 32 miles north of Brownsville, and killed Desiderio Flores and his two sons, Mexicans, alleged to be bandits.” Gun control? In Mexico the Zetas are also demanding that citizens turn in their weapons! It has worked for them in Las Lagunas, Zacatecas. On the 6th of this month (November 2013) they came to a fiesta and took hostage the two leading citizens of the town, telling the attendees they had until the 8th to bring ransom money for the mayor. The money was not raised, and on the 9th, the body of the mayor was returned, in three parts. Nothing has been heard of the other man. Not so in the village of Villa de Cardenas, some 20 miles away,where people are arming themselves. I spoke to one Mexican living in San Marcos. “Part of my paycheck goes to buy AR-15’s and ammunition which I send back to my hometown for defense against the Cartels. I send one every month.” In the past few years, gunmen have come into the village; in each instance killing their target. And in each instance, the gunmen never made it out of town alive. The villagers hunted them down and killed them. Therefore, the Zeta Cartel came into town a year ago in three vehicles, going to the homes of reputed bravos to disarm them. In one home, the father, his son, and his son in law had been warned of their coming. They killed the two Zetas who came to the door. A third Zeta lobbed a grenade into their home. Fortunately it was repelled by a sheet of iron, and although the house was destroyed, only one man was wounded. The Zeta who lobbed the grenade was also killed. And, two other Zetas were hunted down and killed by the trio of defenders. The Zetas have not returned. Yes, gun control works for the Zetas, and for the Cartels, BUT ONLY WHEN THE PEOPLE COMPLY! Here in the United States, the Second Amendment to the Constitution is a fundamental right. As a citizen, I would be loathe to shed the blood of another man, save it be necessary to save innocent lives. But that you might better understand my sentiments, let me quote from a book of scripture I hold sacred, even the Book of Mormon: “And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people. Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.” (Cristobal Lopez)