Post-Modern Revisionism

Tam at VIEW FROM THE PORCH makes an excellent point on BS liberal revisionism:

I realize that, taken as a national average, gun laws have loosened from their Peak Draconianism in '95 or so, but in a number of states that represent a large chunk of the nation's population, such as CA, NY, NJ, MA, and CT, they've never been stricter. 

It was within my lifetime (albeit barely) that you could order an actual 20mm anti-tank rifle in the mail with less drama than buying a packet of Sudafed today. You're entitled to your own opinions, dude, but not your own facts.

She the publishes this wonderful gun magazine ad from the late 1950s for a 20mm Solothurn antitank rifle, with accessories and available ammunition, delivered to your home through the mail for the lordly sum of $189.50 (keeping in mind that surplus Garands were, like, $20):

Sigh…when I was a kid (being slightly older than Tam, of course), I wanted one of those Solthurns so bad I could spit. In fact, I managed to save up the $189.50, plus the additional bucks for the 20mm ammo, from allowances, odd jobs and whining to my grandfather who was an easy touch. Unfortunately, my father, who was less than enthused but had agreed to place the order for me (along the way converting all my quarters, dimes, and silver dollars into "grown-up money" to make the purchase) found a way to talk me out of the Solothurn…he showed up one day with an ad for a Lafayette (I believe) 6-meter AM transceiver that, when you added in the antenna, cables, a desk microphone,and assorted other accessories came to…$189.50.

Which, he asked me, would I use more?

I HATED grown-up logic!

I bought the 6-meter transceiver and, in truth, spent many happy hours destroying our neighbors' television reception.

But I pined for the long lost Solothurn. I remembered it when I first met John Ross, where the Solothurn had a starring role in his UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. John offered to sell me his Solothurn for $10K, but grown up Michael turned him down...