Why is it important to support your right to bear arms and stand against gun control laws?
Our 2nd amendment right to bear arms is the one guaranteed freedom we have as citizens is the one freedom that guarantees you the right to defend yourself, your property, your friends and family and guarantees your other freedoms.
Without trying to sound like a gun nut or anti-government (I’m not, I’m just for minimized government control) our founding fathers in this country understood all too well how quickly a government could get out of hand and oppressive of the people. They also understood that the power always must be with the people. To allow the government to become more powerful than the people is to openly invite government oppression.
I love this country dearly, and would gladly die in defense of our way of life. It is because I love this country and our way of life that I passionately defend the ideals upon which this country is founded. I personally believe that if you love your country it is your right and duty as a citizen to defend our civil liberties and protect the public peace. Being armed and vigilant against oppression (either by criminals or others) is every citizen’s responsibility.
If you know of someone who exorcises their right to bear arms for these reasons, thank them fervently for being a true patriot and for helping to defend our society.
[The Constitution preserves] the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation…(where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.
—James Madison,The Federalist Papers, No. 46.
To suppose arms in the hands of citizens, to be used at individual discretion, except in private self-defense, or by partial orders of towns, countries or districts of a state, is to demolish every constitution, and lay the laws prostrate, so that liberty can be enjoyed by no man; it is a dissolution of the government. The fundamental law of the militia is, that it be created, directed and commanded by the laws, and ever for the support of the laws.
—John Adams, A Defence of the Constitutions of the United States 475 (1787-1788)
Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive.
—Noah Webster, An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution (Philadelphia 1787).
Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man gainst his own bosom. Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American…[T]he unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people.
—Tenche Coxe, The Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788.
[C]onceived it to be the privilege of every citizen, and one of his most essential rights, to bear arms, and to resist every attack upon his liberty or property, by whomsoever made. The particular states, like private citizens, have a right to be armed, and to defend, by force of arms, their rights, when invaded.
14 Debates in the House of Representatives, ed. Linda Grand De Pauw. (Balt., Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 1972), 92-3.
Banning guns or imposing gun control laws makes for a safer society.
At first glance, this seems logical, but think it through to it’s logical conclusion.
Gun control laws only affect law abiding citizens. Criminals do not obtain firearms by legal means so laws that restrict a citizen’s right to carry and thus defend themselves only hurts law abiding citizens. Criminals will always be armed and have no regard for the law. Gun laws won’t even directly effect the availability of guns to criminals because criminals rarely obtain firearms through any legal means.
More guns on the streets means higher crime and poses a threat to public safety.
Yes/No. Once again you must separate the issue of guns being “evil” from the intent that a gun is used for. If legal, law abiding and peace loving citizens are armed and willing to defend themselves, their families, their neighbors and their countrymen from criminals then having guns in the hands of those citizens creates a drastic drop in crime. Not only will citizens be able to stop crimes in progress (the police can’t be everywhere), but the criminal elements will be more discouraged to act out when they aren’t the only ones armed.
Don’t take the law into your own hands, just call the police. Or It’s the job of the police or law enforcement to protect me, I don’t need a gun.
This is a very common misconception. The truth of the matter is that the police have no duty to protect private citizens. The supreme court of the US has said so and backed up this stance on many occasions.
Ultimately you are responsible for your own safety and you, as a citizen, have a responsibility to help law enforcement officers to uphold the laws of our society.
If a law enforcement officer ever tells you “never take the law into your own hands” ask them whose hands the law should be in if not a law abiding citizen? Ask them if they can be with you everywhere. Ask them if they have the manpower to do that and then ask them if they have the legal responsibility to protect you personally. If they know the law they already know the answer. Then thank them for doing the job they do every day.
See: http://www.firearmsandliberty.com/kasler-protection.html
Conceal and Carry Citizens are dangerous. Conceal and Carry laws allow criminals to legally arm themselves. Conceal and Carry Citizens should be banned from some areas.
Entirely untrue. All states in the US that issue conceal and carry laws require a criminal background check. Statistics have also been measured that show directly and overwhelmingly that citizens who submit themselves to the certification process, safety training and the responsibility to conceal and carry are FAR less likely to be involved in ANY criminal activity. In fact, statistics show in Texas that of all criminal activity relevant to the topic, CCL citizens represent LESS THAN ONE PERCENT of convictions. (See http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/crime_records/chl/convrates.htm )
If anything, you should openly welcome CCL individuals into public and private areas and businesses alike. These are the people that are most likely to help should you need it and are statistically much more law abiding than the average citizen. Personally I’m offended at any business that excludes or bans CCL weapons. They obviously don’t understand that those are the people they WANT as patrons.
I’m also dumbfounded as to why CC licensed citizens are banned from carrying in state and federal buildings as well as hospitals and places of business where more than 51% of business revenue is form alcohol sales. These are trusted citizens who have voluntarily submitted themselves to a background check, cleared it, attended safety classes and qualified on a firing range to ensure that they’re capable of using said firearm. As stated above, they’re also FAR less likely to commit criminal acts than non-licensed individuals. These are the people we WANT everywhere. These are the people we WANT armed to defend themselves and others. They have taken the initiative and responsibility upon themselves to do this. Banning them is a slap in the face.
Why should I oppose all gun control laws?
It has been revealed on many occasions that the strategy of gun control entities is the ultimate and outright ban of all firearms. They know they can’t do that here in America in one fell swoop. The people would never stand for it. Instead, they take a more sinister approach. The method currently in play is to pass as many small gun control measures as possible to desensitize the people (you and me) to seeing gun control passed (and thus our civil liberties eroded) a little at a time. They take impose a piece of control here and there. Little by little the laws are more and more restrictive because they build upon one another. You doubt this? Do the research yourself. It’s been revealed publicly several times. There is a plan, and it’s to disarm you entirely.
First you have to pass a background check (which I personally agree with).
Next comes the law that says how you must carry your weapon (concealed, unloaded, etc)
Then they tell you when and where you can carry (no schools, public buildings, government buildings, etc.)
Now you have to pay a fee to get licensed to carry a gun. We’ll also increase that fee over time to make it more and more difficult for the common man to afford their right to protect themselves
Then we’ll start banning certain types of guns (no automatic weapons, no high powered rifles, etc.)
Next we’ll require all citizens to register all gun purchases and ownership with a central or government agency. (we know where that’s going)
Then we’ll regulate how often, when and where you can buy to make it more difficult.
Finally, we’ll ban all guns everywhere under the guise that no guns means as safer society (we’ve already disproven that). We’ve made it very easy to collect these guns from the law abiding citizens who have complied with previous laws by registering. We simply go confiscate them, We know where they are.
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
—Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.
Aren’t Guns Dangerous?
The comedian Robin Williams once said “Guns don’t kill people, Apes with guns kill people” (as a comic quote supposedly given by Charlton Heston, spokesman for the NRA and well known actor in the Planet of the Apes series.
Fundamentally that’s true though. Guns are simply a tool. Like any other tool they can be used to do great harm or great good. Guns are simply a powerful tool. They have no bent towards good or evil. They are totally subject to the will of the possessor. Banning guns is not the answer. Guns are not the problem.
In fact, society would not be where it is today if it weren’t for firearms (or weapons in general). It’s true that guns make it easier to kill, but they’ve been used by many an army to fight for freedom and have been used by many and many a hunter to provide for their family and even more still by individuals to protect themselves, their families and friends and their property.
Guns are dangerous, yes, and safety is always a concern, however much good has come from firearms. Don’t discount the good because of an media villainy imposed upon guns. It’s not the weapon, it’s the wielder we should be concerned about.
Anti-gun control advocates like the NRA oppose all gun legislation.
Absolutely not. Groups like the NRA are pioneers of gun safety and training. They also support background checks for gun owners to make sure that proven criminals are not armed. However, we realize that there is a very fine line between protecting the public trust by making guns safer and impeding civil liberties. Legislation that restricts the types of guns available to the citizens or the quantity, quality or ammunition are adamantly opposed. Laws that provide safer and better products (such as firearms) or promote safety are always supported so long as they do not supersede civil liberties.
How can I help with these issues?
- Talk to people you know, friends and family about these issues. Share what you’ve learned and ask them to do the same. A grass-roots movement is often the most powerful.
- Join a 2nd amendment or gun-rights advocate group like the NRA . – one of the reasons I’m a lifelong member of the NRA is because they actively lobby to elected officials for the rights of Americans. If you don’t support these organizations (by word of mouth and with $$ via membership) they can’t do their job by representing you and helping to preserve your rights and freedoms
- Exorcise your right to bear arms. Get a gun, learn how to use it. Learn how to be safe. Enjoy the sport of shooting in general if you can. You may find you like it. The surest way to lose a right is not to exorcise it.
- Write your local, state and federal representatives about how you feel about these issues in general, and especially when you know a vote on a sensitive issue is coming up. I sent a copy of Right to Bear Arms essay to my city council, mayor, state senate and house rep, governor and my representatives to the US house and senate. This can easily be done via email with a little searching around on google.com (search for “who represents me“). If you don’t let them know how you feel, how can they represent you?
- By all means, feel free to fwd this website to others as well. If you dont agree with other content on this site, just copy and paste what you want from this page or from my essays. I don’t mind so long as you’re not claiming credit for my work/writings.
- Be aware of current issues. Again, I strongly encourage folks to visit the NRA website regularly. They have the most up to date information on current issues and legistation.
Merddy
02 /08/07
