“That a war of extermination will continue to be waged between the races, until the Indian race becomes extinct, must be expected. While we cannot anticipate this result but with painful regret, the inevitable destiny of the race is beyond the power or wisdom of man to avert.” — Governor of California Peter H. Burnett, 1851
With his powers as governor, Peter H. Burnett sought to achieve that goal of exterminating Native Americans using Article VII of the first California Constitution, which gave the governor the power “to call for the militia, to execute the laws of the State, to suppress insurrections, and repel invasions. .
Thus, with the Native Americans facing “extermination†at the hands of the governor and still being able to defend themselves with firearms and ammunition purchased on the open market, the proverbial crisis that precedes most gun control measures was born. The solution was to create the first California firearm law, which regulated a class of “prohibited persons.â€
–“California’s First Gun Control Law: The Racist Roots and Evolution of the Gun Control Movement,” by Jason Davis. Emphasis mine. The more things change….
Mr. Davis is the go-to-guy when the Calguns Foundation or California gun owners need to fight an unlawful firearms confiscation from a lawful gun owner by CA law enforcement, or unlawful prosecution of a lawful gun owner by our State and local governments, both of which still happen, not infrequently enough.
Mr. Davis’ office offers this handy tear-away card, which is a great improvement on the “have your attorney’s card in your wallet” idea.