Bear Arms

Bear Arms - I'm not talkin Polar, Brown, Panda, Koala, Black or Grizzly.  Nope.  Talking the 2nd amendment for a moment.  There is a full court press by the current administration to limit the second amendment rights of the American people.  I don't do a lot of political chit chat but thought I would say a thing or two.  Here is the language of the Second Amendment.

As passed by the Congress:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

As ratified by the States and authenticated by Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State:

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

 

I don't personally have a gun.  It is not that I don't like guns or have anything against them.  I do not.  I like to shoot.  I think it is a great thing.  I remember going on a camp out with my friend Matt Wooley and his family back when I was in 5th grade.  His dad brought his hand gun and he taught me how to shoot.  We took turns shooting at bars of soap and cans.  I loved it.  For my 11th birthday Matt and his family gave me a little Daisy air rifle.  They had gotten permission from the folks.  What a gun.  I spent a lot of time with that Daisy air rifle.  It was a basic BB gun.  I used to set up can pyramids in the back yard and practice shooting over and over again.  I have a lot of friends who have guns.  I've gone out shooting with them.  I've shot skeet with the Scouts and with friends and family.  I really enjoy guns and yet I don't have one. 

I don't know why I don't have one.  I've thought about getting a shotgun of my own.  I've thought about a handgun.  I've thought about a little 22 with a multiple round magazine.  That was a really fun gun to shoot.  I have thought a lot about gun ownership but I have never pulled the trigger when it came to getting one.  I thought that line fit pretty well for this topic.  I know, I'm a dork.  Anyhow, I think that I have reservations on bringing a gun into the house when I have little boys around.  I think about them coming across it and some sort of accident happening.  Obviously there are measures that responsible gun owners take that would prevent something like that from happening but it is one of those things that crosses my mind.  There will be a right time and I will know when that time is.

Lately I've been feeling like the time is upon me.  With what is happening in our Country right now the right of the people to keep and bear Arms is being infringed upon.  I don't have a gun currently for my own reasons but I certainly don't have a problem with neighbors and friends carrying guns or owning guns.  Responsible gun ownership is a right that we have as a people and it needs to be protected.  Whether we have guns for the joy of shooting or we keep them for protection matters not.  What matters is our right to keep and bear arms.