Times sure have changed
Let me tell you a story. After hearing about the reaction to a story about a man taking a rifle to a flea market, I was reminded of a time in my past. I was 16 years and working at Dell Farm in Brownsville. Being from Grindstone and a farm boy. I grew up with type of guns, shotguns, rifles and revolvers. But none alas was mine and mine alone. One day with money burning a hole in my pocket from my job I took off for Uniontown on my motorcycle 13 miles away.
I had seen an ad in the paper that said Sears had rifles for sale. Sears was located in downtown Uniontown in those days, right in the heart of town.
Well, I went into Sears and my eyes lit on a 303 Enfield from WW II. It was love at first sight. I bought the rifle, sling and box of cartridges and went outside the store. There I was in broad daylight a 16-year-old boy with a rifle slung over my shoulder walking down Main Street with nary a word from anyone. Then I loaded up my motorcycle and traveled the 13 miles on my motorcycle past the state police barracks on Route 40 and nobody said boo.
How the world has changed from the day聽 when nobody said a word when a 16-year-old with a military rife strolled down Main Street and rode his motorcycle. I can think of a few changes that have happened over years. We said The Pledge of Allegiance in school. Men teachers wore ties. Lady teachers wore dressess, and nobody wore jeans. That sounds simple but when those things went away so did an era when a 16-year-old could walk down Main Street with a military rife.
Now a man has a rifle, everybody freaks and the helicopters fly. The stores go into lock down. There is more firepower on the street than is needed if we were being invaded.
Just my two cents on the subject.
George Kovach is a resident of Sterling, Va.