"I was sixteen the first time I was picked up by the police for not breaking the law." - Brian Aitken, The Blue Tent Sky: How the Left's War on Guns Cost Me My Son and My FreedomI read many, many books in preparation for my interviews for the Lions of Liberty Podcast. I took a rare break from podcast preparation to read Brian Aitken's book, The Blue Tent Sky: How the Left's War on Guns Cost Me My Son and My Freedom, after reading a review from past podcast guest Shayne Wissler. While Wissler's review stirred me into action to purchase and read Brian Aitken's memoir, this would pale in comparison to how Brian's own words would impact me.When Brian Aitken was sixteen years old, a police officer brought him home to his parents after he was out on his bicycle all alone, doing nothing but being a kid out on his bike. Far from a tragic event, this would serve as a preview to a later, much harsher example of law enforcers coming after Brian for an action that in no way constituted a crime - not even by the twisted standards of just what constitutes a "crime" under our current system.Brian Aitken is, by all accounts, a respectable, law-abiding citizen, to the extent that he even went out of his way to ensure that he was complying with all of New Jersey's arcane gun laws when moving back to that state after legally purchasing firearms in Colorado. But as he describes in The Blue Tent Sky , simply abiding by the law often isn't good enough, particularly when doing so in a time and place where many individuals around him do not respect the individual rights - let alone the 2nd amendment rights - of their fellow citizens.Aitken weaves a riveting tale of how overzealous police officers, prosecutors, and a judge conspired to throw him in a cage, essentially to make a political statement about gun rights. The fact that he clearly didn't violate any law - and even went out of his way to ensure compliance with the law - never seemed to enter into the equation. The author wastes no words in directly calling out those who would attempt to deprive him of his life and his liberty. From the introduction to the book:

For reasons that will become apparent at the conclusion of this memoir, I have chosen not to change the names of those involved. Far too often those in power are immune from repercussions or accountability. Their transgressions are not only permitted, but are almost universally ignored, because they are members of the political ruling class and are, by default, above the law.

As Brian details the true crimes committed in his tale - those of his accusers and prosecutors - he serves the very important function of displaying what is all too often the case nowadays - agents of the state acting as criminals against citizens who are law abiding by any definition of the word.It isn't very often that reading a book truly moves me - sends chills down my spine, creates that sinking feeling in my stomach, and draws me into the author's own emotions.  -  The Blue Tent Sky does all of these things, and it's a credit to the author that he was able to so carefully and thoroughly recreate the tragic events that befell him at the hands of the State of New Jersey.Through this, we can see how "the State of New Jersey" is not some wild evil beast randomly lashing out at gun owners, but the manifestation of the bad ideas held by many of its citizens. This is the true problem that must be addressed in order to save future Brian Aitkens from a similar fate, and The Blue Tent Sky is as good a case study as one can find to show others that yes, Houston, we do indeed have a problem.A lesser man may have wallowed in despair, and fallen into a deep, dark depression, never to be heard from again. But Brian Aitken is a man with a fierce spirit, and has taken the despicable crimes - yes, crimes - perpetrated against him, and turned them into a positive by sharing his experience with the world, in the hope of saving others from the same fate.I highly recommend this book.Purchase The Blue Tent Sky: How the Left's War on Guns Cost Me My Son and My Freedom at Amazon: