Today, December 16th, 2024, is the two hundred and fifty-first anniversary of The Boston Tea Party.
The Boston Tea Party of 1773 stands as one of America’s most iconic acts of defiance. This event wasn’t merely a protest against a tea tax but a broader rebellion against oppressive governance and the denial of essential rights as English subjects.
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party, a pivotal event in American history, took place on December 16, 1773. This act of defiance against British authority was a response to the Tea Act of May 10, 1773, which allowed the British East India Company to sell surplus tea from China in the American colonies without paying taxes apart from those imposed by the Townshend Acts.
This effectively undercut local tea merchants and was seen as another instance of taxation without representation.
The protest was orchestrated by the Sons of Liberty, a group of colonists including Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Disguised as Mohawk Indians, they boarded three ships—the Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver—in Boston Harbor. In a dramatic act of rebellion, they threw 342 chests of tea, valued at a significant sum, into the harbor. This destruction of tea was a calculated protest against the monopolistic practices of the East India Company that threatened local businesses and the right of the colonists to govern themselves.
The immediate consequence of the Boston Tea Party was the implementation of the Coercive Acts (also known as the Intolerable Acts) by the British Parliament. These acts closed Boston Harbor until the tea was paid for and enacted restrictions that removed some self-governance and judicial independence, pushing the colonies closer to the brink of war. Rather than isolating Boston and quelling dissent, these acts unified the colonies, escalating tensions that led to the American Revolution.
Today, as we find ourselves entangled in the restrictive measures of the National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934, particularly concerning silencers, it becomes ever more pertinent to draw parallels and inspirations from our revolutionary forebears.
Understanding the NFA’s Grip on Liberties: The NFA, which imposes stringent controls over firearms’ hearing protection accessories like silencers, mirrors the tyrannical overreach that spurred the Sons of Liberty to action. Despite being marketed as a safety measure, the $200 tax stamp and the extensive registration requirements serve more as a barrier to entry than a tool to enhance public safety. As AmmoLand News writer Dean Weingarten articulates in his article “Incremental Strategy to Reform & Repeal the National Firearms Act,” these regulations do little to prevent crime but significantly burden the law-abiding citizen.
The Case for Silencers: Safety & Sound Reduction: The practicality of silencers extends beyond the confines of secrecy, often portrayed in popular media. They are critical tools for hearing protection and reducing noise pollution—a fact widely acknowledged yet overshadowed by regulatory burdens. The widespread use of silencers, with numbers reaching over 5 million and growing, showcases their necessity and counters the argument that they are “unusual” and dangerous.
Echoes of the Tea Party: Modern Acts of Defiance: Just as the Boston Tea Party utilized the symbolic act of throwing tea to protest unjust taxation, modern gun owners and Second Amendment advocates are finding their own methods to protest the NFA’s overreach. This includes overwhelming the Federal system with applications for silencers to demonstrate their ubiquity and safety, thereby challenging the premise of the National Firearms Act. Additionally, the push for legislation to deregulate silencers continues, with figures like Dean Weingarten advocating for incremental legal battles aimed at dismantling the NFA piece by piece.
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Silencerco Sparrow 22 Suppressor | Rainier Arms | $ 296.65 |
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A Call to Action Today’s patriots are urged to take a leaf out of the revolutionary playbook:
- Educate and Rally: Increase public awareness about the historical and practical implications of the NFA. Highlight the disconnect between the intended purpose and the actual impact of such regulations.
- Legal Overwhelm: Utilize legal frameworks to challenge the constitutionality of the NFA, mirroring the civil disobedience that characterized the Boston Tea Party.
- Political Advocacy: Support and elect representatives willing to challenge outdated and unconstitutional laws. Engage in dialogues with policymakers to advocate for the repeal or amendment of the NFA.
- Community Engagement: Organize community events, such as “Suppressor Days” at local ranges, to educate politicians and the public and normalize the use of silencers, promoting their benefits in real-world settings.
By drawing on the rebellious spirit of the Boston Tea Party, we not only honor our past but pave the way for a freer future. Just as the colonists refused to be taxed without representation, so too should modern Americans resist unjust infringements on their constitutional rights.
Let this historical reflection serve as a catalyst for change—a new revolution where the echoes of liberty resonate once more through the actions of informed and determined citizens.
Incremental Strategy to Reform & Repeal the National Firearms Act
Despite ATF Roadblocks, Nearly 5 Million Suppressors Legally Owned
80% Silencers, the Political Ramifications of Mass Ownership
Without the NFA, what would ne the ppint of the BATFE? You want to make them the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, Dirty Magazines and Particularly Dangerous Fireworks?
While thowing the NFA over board we need to fit all the ATF with cement shoes and send them overboard also
If our government and Legislators whether Local, State or Federal were following the Bill of Rights there would be no laws controlling firearms in any form. The Founders all stated the Bill of Rights is a written documentation of GOD Given Rights no person shall tamper with. That means government shall not touch or abridge the Bill of Rights in any way, manner or form.
In common use is 200,000 per Caetano. 5 million far exceeds that. When something is “in common use” it is the opposite of “dangerous and unusual” which is the prerequisite for NFA inclusion. Suppressors, SBR’s and even machine guns are all technically “in common use” and thus cannot be restricted by the unconstitutional NFA. ALL MUST BE REMOVED.
Does one have to have purchased, or be in the process of purchasing, a suppressor, in order to file an ATF Form 4? Could I just file the Form 4 “pre-emptively” in order to “just in case I decide that I want to purchase a suppressor”?
If so, that would be one way to overwhelm the system.
Lets not stop there, make it the beginning of ending the 1934 act in it’s entirety.
The days of Bonnie and Clyde are gone and as a result the act against commoners should be too.
The measure to remove guns from society in an attempt to bring peace and safety was an experiment that has failed, end all requirements for registration of self and property and bring We the People back to SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.
We the People, your leaders have spoken, follow the instruction given that follows the constitution and not your fricken feelings.
Oregoneistan