February 20, 2018
Ok, ok, I get it! Something must be done. Another school shooting has brought another call for stricter gun laws. It seems the knee-jerk reaction of those with a limited understanding is to, as always, make it tougher for honest law abiding citizens to purchase and own firearms. This cry is focused primarily on “military-style assault rifles”. It forgoes any understanding of the fact that the choice of a firearm for personal defense, hunting, or other legal recreational pursuits is very much a personal choice. What works for one may not work for the other. This thinking bypasses the reasons for the Second Amendment. Not to hunt or target shoot, but to be able to protect oneself from violence at the hands of criminals or a tyrannical government. I believe this encapsulates our Forefathers intent for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
“Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty to throw off such Government and to provide new Guards for their future Security.”
—The U. S. Declaration of Independence, 1776.
But, as I write this these are not the issues that come to mind. My thoughts at this time are about what a “responsible gun owner” is and is not.
Let us begin with what a responsible gun owner is not. I do not believe that a responsible gun owner is that person who the media portrays as one accumulates a cache of weapons and ammunition for the purposes of waiting for any cause to take up arms and become violently involved. Certainly, they will if their family or our nation were to come under attack. But, they don’t just sit around waiting with sweaty palms to deploy weapons for the pleasure of it. A responsible gun owner is not the person who buys a gun and never receives training in shooting, tactical scenarios, legal fallout, or safe practices. A responsible gun owner is not the person who leaves weapons in an unlocked vehicle or other unsecured location.
A responsible gun owner is that person who has made a conscious decision to own firearms for the protection of themselves and others. They may use their ‘tools’ for hunting and recreational purposes, but these pursuits only serve to strengthen their ability to carry out their primary role as a protector. They train with their firearms and mentally prepare for various scenarios that could arise from a violent encounter. They store their weapons safely and securely when not in use. A responsible gun owner is that person who has made a vow to themselves that they will intervene in a violent encounter to protect themselves and others who may be unable. A responsible gun owner is that person who has decided that they do not wish to see another victim of senseless violence. They have decided that they are willing to risk their personal safety to protect the innocent, to uphold the law, and to prevent subversion of the Rights enumerated in the Constitution.
Instead of demonizing and criticizing these “responsible gun owners” maybe, we should be thanking them. Maybe, just maybe, we should be thankful that there are men and women willing, trained, and prepared to defend those they do not know at the possible cost of their lives. Maybe, no, certainly we should focus more on holding the real criminals accountable for their actions.
These are just the thoughts of a random guy.
-Joe Randomguy
