The Right Stuff I’ve always known the importance of the Bill of Rights, but I never really thought about the importance of protecting our second amendment until I started reading the arguments penned by those who would like to see it restricted. Admittedly, shamefully, I’ve taken my right to bear arms, as most people take much of the constitution, for granted. Is there a gun in my household? Yes, my husband owns, loves, cherishes, strokes, and cuddles two different types of handguns. Do I know how to shoot them? Damn straight. In fact, ten years ago, when we moved in together, I received a full tutorial on how to arm, disarm, aim, and shoot to kill. He couldn’t justify living in a house with guns unless all age-appropriate parties were completely familiar with the rules of gun safety. I agreed, and I complied. The guns are there if I need them (thank God, I never have) and I’ve carried on with my life as if they don’t exist even since. When I stumbled across a gaggle of articles that were pro-gun control a couple of weeks ago, I decided to check out the hullabaloo and find out why some are so against the average American citizen—for whom the Constitution was written in the first place—having access to self-protection. What I read disturbed me, but this is not an attempt to dispute the collective bullet points that furrowed my brow; only a couple. Most of the arguments were pretty narrow and emotionally driven (i.e. more guns equals more homicides and suicides. Um, okay) What really bothered me was how many intelligent people there are in this country who are willing to forfeit, in one way or another, one of their natural-born rights as American citizens. Some of the arguments did focus on the bigger picture; however, they did so retroactively. A piece by List verse blogger, Morris M, talks about how things have changed in the last 200-some-odd years, and how the original meaning of the second amendment might not apply like it used to. After all, who needs an arsenal if impending doom no longer looms around every corner, threatening war and suppression of the American people? Doesn’t it, though? My brows have officially furrowed. He says, “[When the constitution was written] Many of the States distrusted each other, and everyone distrusted big government. The possibility of invasion was frighteningly real, and the Second Amendment was put in place to make sure that a citizen’s militia could defend the principles of the constitution.” What’s changed over the last couple hundred years, besides the number of enemies we’ve made having grown exponentially? I don’t understand how his own quote doesn’t make him stop and think about the shadow of danger that’s darkening our purple mountains of majesty as we live and breathe. Today, more than ever before, “defend[ing] the principles” we were born to die for is absolutely essential for our survival. That goes for all the amendments in the Bill of Rights. They were written for us, the people. Not the government, not that dickhead Big Brother of ours, but for every blue-collared, red-blooded American who inherited this nation from the visionaries who dared to take the initial stand. People are so ready to give up something sacred just so they can sleep easier knowing the killer next door doesn’t have access to a gun. As if people who have the compulsion to kill won’t know what to do with themselves if the nearest gun store closes down, or they can no longer obtain ammunition at their local Wal-Mart. Same goes for the idealistic notion of getting rid of guns to cut down on the suicide rate. Let me tell you something: if Johnny Boohoo doesn’t want to live, he ain’t gonna. There are countless other ways to make one’s self worm food. My long-winded point is, the second we start handing over our rights, for any reason, it’s over. We’re toast. Giving up our last shred of control is not the answer to fixing society’s issues. In fact, doing so will only create an ugly, destructive domino effect that will never end. There will be no way to stop it if we have no rights. Right? Are you picking up what I’m putting down? Do you smell what I’m stepping in, here? If not, I’ll leave you with some food for thought. Ben Franklin, one of those great visionaries I spoke about, knew what he was talking about when he pointed out, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Well said, old man.
Posted on: Mon, 16 Sep 2013 01:02:53 +0000
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