Afternoon gents, it’s Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide here. So, this post will likely be extremely controversial, so if it ends up getting taken down for any reason, let the record show that it was WordPress that took it down, not me or Jonah. Like I said in an earlier post, a gentleman stands up for what he believes in, and even if I get torn apart or even expelled from my university for what I say in this post, it’s staying up. Also, I’ve learned from my mistakes in past posts, and from now on, if I include any information that is not my own, I will put my resources, as subjective or objective as they may be, at the bottom of each post. In any case, I’m sure most of you who are reading this have at least about the shooting and mass murder in Parkland, Florida last week, and to those who were affected in any way by this, whether you were injured or lost a family member to the assailant, I offer my sincerest condolences. This was a tragedy that should never have happened, and my heart goes out to all who were affected by this. With this in mind, unlike what a majority of the mass media has been doing as of late, I won’t be fighting for stricter or more abundant gun control laws. As a matter of fact, I’ll actively fighting against them. Why? Because slightly looser gun control laws than those we have now could have prevented this as well almost all school shootings that have happened in recent years. And in this post, I’m going to give you four (4) facts about gun ownership, the 2nd Amendment and why such things are incredibly important, especially in the United States today.
1. The right to self-defense
The 2nd Amendment reads as follows:
“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.”
Now what exactly does that mean? Many people view it as gun rights should only be to members of a state militia. And since the US doesn’t use such a state militia anymore, many people are viewing the 2nd Amendment as even more outdated than they think it is. However, the wording of the amendment in and of itself completely disassembles this argument. People seem to overlook five very important words that are included in the amendment: “The right of the people.” This shows that the Founding Fathers had the interests of the people in mind when drafting this, not the military. They realized that humans have the right to self-preservation and self-defense. They also realized that the most effective way to provide self-defense was through use of a firearm. And just think about it; if an assailant is breaking into your home, they’d be more likely to flee if you even brandished a firearm. A lot of times, you wouldn’t even have to fire a bullet. A burglar would be intimidated even by the sight of a firearm because it’s possible that they might get shot. There’s an extension to this self-defense idea that is also just as important.
2. Enhanced security
There is staggering evidence that shows that around 92% of mass shootings occur in “gun-free zones”, where even concealed-carry permits are nullified. And there’s a simple reason for this: gun-free zones are simply the easiest targets. So the simplest answer is to simply get rid of gun-free zones in order to bump up armed security. If campus security, campus police, and even certain staff members were allowed to have firearm training and concealed-carry permits, the amount of school shootings would plummet practically overnight. As counterintuitive as it sounds, the removal of gun-free zones, easy targets for mass shooters, will actually make the US a much safer place.
3. A firearm is a firearm
Many opponents of the 2nd Amendment try to argue that the only thing the Founding Fathers had in mind about firearms were muskets. Well first things first, that argument is just completely wrong. There were other rifles and even handguns invented around the time of the Revolutionary War or even hundreds of years beforehand, that could fire upwards of twenty (20) rounds in five (5) seconds. But all of these details aside, the most important thing to know is that the entire purpose and function of firearms has not changed since they were invented. Regardless of era, regardless of design, a gun is designed to expel either a pellet or wad of lead (unless you use a BB gun or airsoft gun) out of a long metal tube for the purpose of hitting something, killing it if it’s a living thing, human, animal, or otherwise. As such, all firearms need to be treated with the same amount of care and caution, whether it’s a musket, an AR-15, a 20-gauge shotgun, or a Glock 19. Probably the most important things to know when handling ANY firearm are the three (3) most important universal rules of gun use, the first rules I heard when I first learned to shoot a gun when I was eleven (11) years old.
1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
2. ALWAYS keep you finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
4. Women benefit from gun ownership as well
I was watching another video from Prager University, called Gun Rights are Women’s Rights. In it, journalist and author Katie Pavlich talks about how because women on average have less muscle mess and physical strength than men (not to shame or judge women, it’s just biology), the best way for them to “even the odds”, as Pavlich puts it, is for more women to own guns, especially in the US. Like I said earlier in this post, even just brandishing a firearm or showing that you have one on hand will deter most criminals from doing anything to you, your family, or your property. Right-leaning blogger and social media personality Lexie Bess goes even further into this in a video series on her Facebook page, the pilot of which you can check out right here. So for any of you young ladies reading, this may be worth checking out.
So that’s it for the list. Again, to any of those who were affected in Parkland last week, I offer my condolences, and I am fighting to help you. It’s just that seeing how so many people react to something like this and try to push for things that have never worked and never will work just gets my blood boiling. This is just my take on it and why I feel that so many things that the left is pushing for are complete nonsense. In any case thank you for reading. I would truly appreciate it if you shared this post, and go the word out. Also be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. This is Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and I’ll see you next time.
Resources
Crime Prevention Control Center: crimeresearch.org/2014/09/more-misleading-information-from-bloombergs-everytown-for-gun-safety-on-guns-analysis-of-recent-mass-shootings/
Politifact: politifact.com/florida/statements/2017/feb/21/richard-corcoran/do-most-mass-shootings-happen-gun-free-zones/
Louder with Crowder: https://youtu.be/CquUBWHU2_s (yes, I get Steven Crowder is more of a comedian if anything, but I trust him more than most mainstream media sources)
Prager University: https://youtu.be/2iKBEJp92CA
Lexie Bess: facebook.com/officiallexiebess/videos/884689121713489/
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One reply on “The Gentleman’s (and Lady’s) Guide to the 2nd Amendment and Gun Ownership”
Guns for few, freedom to live for many.
I’m a 35-year old female gun owner, and I desperately WANT gun regulations. Growing up in rural Idaho, and now living in California for half my life, I have a somewhat interesting relationship with guns. I held my first gun in my hand around age 5, I suppose, and my dad was super strict about guns. I was taught very strict gun rules, how to handle them, the respect they deserve, the seriousness of the matter, and was watched like a hawk everytime we were target shooting or hunting. Yes, I’ve hunted game before. I actually own a few guns for hunting purposes. I haven’t used them in years, but I still own them and they are NOT in my home. I knew exactly where my food/meat was coming from: I killed it, I watched it bleed, I skinned it, I gutted it, I preserved it, I cut it up, I cooked it, I ate it. There was NEVER any messing around with guns, (I’m not even sure what my dad would think of these video “games” today, which I’ve never played, that have you shooting someone, as he was so adament about NEVER pointing a gun at anything you didn’t intend to kill.) Guns are used to KILL. The end. There is no playing around. I had to attend a hunter education course at our local Fish & Game office for about 6 weeks or more, if I remember correctly, before my dad let me go hunting. I had to pass his tests of responsibility with guns and I had to be supervised at all times with a gun. I see a purpose in using a gun to assist in hunting so you can feed your family. I see the beauty in spending time in nature while hunting. I know the one-ness that having your own wild game makes you appreciate the circle of life. (I cringe buying meat at a grocery store to this day and am now mostly vegetarian).
Nevertheless, I have also seen moments in which my dad used a gun when he was fearful. When an unknown person was driving down our long driveway in the country, he reached for his trousers and gun and off we went in the suburban to find out who was “trespassing.” It ended up being the farmer’s kids. No threat. But, I can see how some people would feel “safer” having a gun available to them when they are more isolated from society. However, I see how gun culture has changed. Today, guns aren’t just thought of as instruments to kill game to feed your family. People seem OBSESSED with this notion that we should feel entitled to own a gun and are missing out if we don’t. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, but unfortunately, FEAR has crept into the conscious minds of many people that 20 years ago may not have felt a need to own a gun. Why is this? I believe it is because we are more connected than ever to the world via the internet and other means of constant media which expose us to the awful, terranical forces of humanity that impedes upon our very soul and creates fear. Sadly, this fear is not resolved by owning a gun. I know people will argue and say they feel empowered owning a gun. But lets take the average American, who was NOT brought up knowing how to safely handle a gun, how to safely store it, respect it, and use it. Here is one of the problems we have today. Average American buying guns these days are not necessarily responsible or ready whatsoever for this responsibility. And, there is this possibility that a relative, friend, whomever has access to said average American’s gun now who wouldn’t have had access before. You can guess what could happen, and is happening because of this irresponsibility….
So, why do American’s have this fear that they NEED to own a gun (lets forget whether or not you believe its a RIGHT or not), why the feelings to want or need it? I encourage everyone reading this to ask themselves this question. Why am I feeling the need to own a gun? or rather Do I need to continue owning this gun? Explore: The fear that someone will break into your house? What makes you think someone is going to break into your house? What are the statistics that that would actually happen – say – compared to a car accident, or to getting raped, or to getting your wallet stolen? Maybe your reasoning is that you want to protect your family —-from what? What is happening in your life right now that makes you think you need protection – from who? What can you do outside of owning a gun to resolve these feelings in your mind? Is there a particular situation that you had happen that makes you paranoid now? Could you possibly go to counseling to resolve these ongoing, unresolved feelings? The thing is, if you own a gun, there is ALWAYS a possibility that someone else could accidentally get ahold of it and do the unthinkable. Its happening everyday. What other fears do you have? The gov’t is going to take over and you need to protect yourself? Do you really think your AR-15 or whatever is going to outshoot an entire country’s malitia? Maybe you have these feelings of paranoia, anger, or instability. That’s ok, but maybe GUNS are not the answer. Let’s face it, we ARE having a mental health crisis of sorts in our country, and until people take the initiative to take care and attention to our mental health to the level that we take our physical health, we will struggle with humans that don’t know how to healthily cope with their problems. Some know better than to resort to gun-violence, but many – too many -don’t. And, innocent lives are at stake. We have social and cultural pressures to own guns these days, why give into them? Be a secure human being and know that you are enough as you are, a gun doesn’t mean you are a stronger human being. (In fact, some would argue it shows insecurity and instability.) People who are secure in themselves don’t feel a need to have a gun on their side. Do you want a gun to go hunting and for recreation shooting? Then, you should be more than willing to take the measures that many hunters already take, a hunter’s education course and all the proper and extreme precautions to make sure no one else ever has access to your guns.
I am not ANTI-GUN, but I am for GUN REGULATION. Why? Because as a responsible gun owner, I know that I am secure in the fact that a responsible, mature, mentally sound adult would WANT to take all the precautions necessary to protect their family, friends, neighbors, schools, community, from ANY accidental death. They would be WILLING to jump through any hoops if it meant that one more life was saved. They would be HONORED to pass exams, classes, orientations, registrations, background checks, mental health checks, whatever —-if they knew it would weed out the thousands of IRRESPONSIBLE gun owners out there who have blood on their hands due to the fact that someone who shouldn’t have had access to those guns DID, and now people are dead. I think that people can own guns, but they should MOST DEFINITELY have to prove themselves as responsible adults. It should be a long process. Lives will be saved, and YET people can still own their guns that are responsible people.
I can’t stand to see one more child shot because these laws aren’t in place. I know fellow hunters out there, if you are one, will agree with me, that you are secure in who you are and have nothing to hide and therefore wouldn’t mind going through a process to own your guns if it meant that future disturbed idiots wouldn’t be able to kill your kid. We must do what is best for our community, protect them from their worst selves. We go to extensive measures to protect society from drunk drivers, from broken bridges, from all sorts of FDA-regulated poisons, etc. And, yet this should be another on the list. Have your rifles, have your hand guns, but prove you deserve it, and that you have nothing to hide. If you are angry that you have to go through a process, then why haven’t we been angry at the DMV? Or the SAT’s? Its just another measure that we currently aren’t used to, but eventually will be. A government’s job is to PROTECT its citizens.
Consider turning your guns in. If you are the type of person that has them, but they are just sitting there, and others could have access, don’t be in denial about today’s gun culture. Its so much worse in case you aren’t keeping up with what is out there, and yes, we have been desensitized to it, so you forgot to notice! Look around. We, American’s, have become irresponsible in our awareness and its toll that it is taking on our children, on our families, on our future. Make a difference, encourage gun regulation, be secure in who you are, help others that may be disturbed, and be willing and happily jump through whatever hoops you need to if you MUST own a gun. It could, and probably WILL SAVE A LIFE. And, as always, I firmly believe that as Jesus so elequently put it “Those who live by the sword, die by the sword.”
-Tara Eisenhauer
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