Posted: 1/3/2013 3:00:03 PM EDT
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With everything that's been going on involving the gun control talk lately, I felt compelled to put some thoughts into words. The thought was to maybe post it on my Facebook to try and reach some people- who knows. Since this sub-forum has a lot of like-minded people in it, I thought I'd share it with you guys. Let me know what you think.
As most of you know, I am a gun enthusiast. Whether it's for my hunting hobby, recreational shooting or for personal protection I've been exercising my Second Amendment right since childhood. In light of recent events and current discussions within our government to bring forth restrictive legislation regarding gun ownership, I felt compelled to put into words my thoughts surrounding this important and highly divisive issue. I realize that for many of you gun ownership is not necessarily of primary concern, but I encourage you as an American citizen to give this matter your attention at least long enough to familiarize yourself with what is at stake here. Without question, one of the original rights granted to us by the architects of this country- the country that I hope all of you love and cherish- is in danger of erosion and eventual dissolution. If not in support of gun rights, I ask that you devote some attention to the gun control debate in guardianship of your rights as an American citizen. To be sure, it could very well be an Amendment other than the Second that falls under scrutiny in the future, given the proper catalyst whether it be in the form of a public tragedy as is the case now or some other justification deemed as such by the powers that be. And, like it or not, the Second Amendment affords the rest of our liberties the best chance of survival- without it the American public is unable to fend off any attempts to completely strip us of our rights. Recalling our history lessons from school, it should be obvious that our Bill of Rights was designed to protect the citizens of this country from ever facing the kind of tyranny that was personally known by its creators. At the time that document was drafted, the memories of oppression were still quite vivid in the minds of our forefathers and they worked diligently to create a framework for our new nation that would ensure that future generations would not experience the same persecution. With that thought in mind, it leaves me completely dumbfounded that any true American is not awakened by current political events, although I do feel the fact that history lessons have tragically become less of a priority in our school systems is partly to blame for this mass ignorance. As far-fetched and dramatic as it sounds, the Second Amendment is quite literally the only obstacle our government faces in any attempts to defraud us of our liberty. For the first time ever our government is posturing to take away one of the fundamental rights we've had since the inception of our nation- gun enthusiast or not, that simple statement should rattle you. Since gun control has been such a passionate topic for both sides of the argument for so many years, one cannot be faulted for becoming jaded to the simple facts. Both pro- and anti-gun establishments have craftily tailored their argument points into bumper sticker-worthy quotes that we've seen all too many times, and I fear that because of this some very simple yet fundamental elements of the issue are lost to many people. It most certainly should be apparent that passing more gun laws will not affect the actions of lawbreakers who disregard the rules of society, but will only infringe upon the rights of lawful citizens- succinctly stated via your standard “If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns” decal. This really is basic logic, but the opportunist media insists upon capitalizing on human tragedy to push their agenda. Even our President, whose camp was quick to chastise Mitt Romney for political grandstanding in the wake of the Benghazi attack, selfishly chose to exploit an emotional setting by turning what was supposed to be a prayer vigil into an opportunity to push his political agenda of stricter gun laws- all just two days after the tragic events in Newtown. In closing, it is my hope that by putting my thoughts into words that perhaps they will reach someone who up until this point hasn't taken the time to consider all angles. Take a few minutes to think about what is at stake here and remember that we do not have the luxury of selfishly deciding which rights we will deem worthy of protection. You may not be overly concerned about the Second Amendment, but I can assure you that somewhere within that Bill of Rights there is something that you will consider to be worthy of your attention. After all, “The Second Amendment Protects The First” (as seen on a bumper sticker somewhere). |