The right to bear arms is a blessing not given to many people in other countries. I knew a Russian immigrant many years ago who purchased a gun once he came to the United States, but never shot it. He said he bought it just because he couldn’t own one in the Soviet Union.
I can’t imagine not being able to carry a gun, let alone own one (or many). Those areas in the US that don’t allow people to have guns or carry them concealed or open-carry as a matter of personal security and protection are in violation of the laws of nature.
It’s wrong to withhold the right of anyone to defend himself or herself. The right of life and safety is a basic human need.
Furthermore, the right to bear arms came because our founding fathers felt that tyranny under an oppressive government needed to be stopped, and the only way to stop that was to arm the citizens. Additionally, militias and armed citizens would have the ability to stop evil people.
As a former solider and now a cop, I’m grateful I get to carry a gun for a living. I respect all people who carry guns and I would never infringe on that right. I’m first a citizen of the United States and second, a cop.
In law enforcement, I have been able to carry a gun concealed while I worked undercover as a Federal Air Marshal. After the World Trade Center towers fell and the Pentagon was attacked, I flew secretly in the air, hoping that the plane I was on wouldn’t get attacked. I was however confident that if it did, I’d fight with all my might to defend every person on that plane and the innocent people on the ground as well.
As a father of six children and a husband to a wonderful woman, I feel it is my duty to protect my family. From all I’ve seen in my career, I know that there are people who don’t think like most of us do. There are psychopaths and murderers who don’t care. They’ll do horrific things to people, to women and to children. I don’t ever want that to happen to anyone. I’ve taken oaths to defend others and to especially defend the US Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
Having firearms means I need to be responsible. I need to be trained, be safe and be smart. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I love my country. I love my freedom. I love my family, and I’m glad I have firearms to protect those things I love and cherish most.
Just one more thing: I don’t like violence. In fact, I hate violence, but violence isn’t always bad. Sometimes violence is necessary, so much so that I believe what is written in the Book of Mormon has application to me personally. In short, I believe in defending my family “even unto bloodshed” (see Alma 43:47) and I believe in defending the lives of good people everywhere.
I couldn’t do that without the blessing of being an American and having the right to bear arms—a right that should never be infringed.
The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the position of Guns.com.
