Guns and the 2nd Amendment

I have been thinking a lot about the 2nd Amendment over the past few weeks. In light of Saturday's tragedy, those thoughts are forefront in my mind, as they are in many people's minds.

The only words I can think of to describe my feelings toward the liberals who are making a political issue of this is some language I learned in Boot Camp when I joined the Naval Reserve – not fit for polite company. I would ask the usual questions, but conservatives already know the answers: No, the left has no shame, no morals and no manners. They are already dusting off new legislation, the same bad ideas they've been pushing for years, and, no surprise, gun restrictions is first on the list.

Well, here is my own personal "gun rights manifesto"; my contribution to the discussion:

The Declaration of Independence includes the following —

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…"

To summarize: All men are created and have inalienable rights given them by God. All governments are created by the people they govern.

I take this to mean men delegate certain rights to government for specific purposes. Among these is self-defense, because it is impossible for every person to bear full responsibility for the defense of his life and liberty in an organized society.

Logic demands that I cannot delegate a right I do not have. Equally self-evident is the fact that delegation of specific rights does not mean I abandon those rights. If my rights are God-given and inalienable, then no man – not even me – can take from me what God has given me. Therefore, the right of self-defense, indeed one may say, the core responsibility for my defense still rests on my shoulders. If I bear the responsibility, then, by extension, I must have the right to possess and use the tools necessary to fulfill that responsibility.

For this purpose, the Founders, in their wisdom, organized militias consisting of every able-bodied man, and enshrined in the supreme law of the land, the provision that "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."

The gun is today's archetypal self-defense weapon, but any means of deadly force is, by implication, included in this provision as a tool of self-defense, therefore, the Founders said "Arms" not "guns." Were I a carpenter or mechanic, the type and use of the tools of my trade would be obvious, and control of them would be simple, if such was appropriate (and it sometimes is). But, experience has shown us that no person can know when or how his or her life and liberty – or that of families, friends, neighbors, even strangers – might be threatened. Indeed, experience has clearly shown that the successful assault on life and liberty is most frequently and successfully achieved when the victim is ignorant of danger until it is too late to accomplish any effective defense!

Given these facts, we must conclude that, since the time and necessity of the tools of self-defense cannot be predicted, the measure and use of said tools cannot be restricted.

Speaking of tools:

In December 2010, Rep. Carl Wimmer (Utah House of Representatives), proposed designating the Browning Model 1911 as Utah's State Gun. Complaints were made that it was nothing but "fluff" legislation and not worth the legislature's time. Well, I agree wholeheartedly, it is fluff legislation, and that the legislature has more important things to do.

However, I understand the value and power of symbolism and statements. Almost every good movement starts with a statement, and every movement depends on symbols to unify and inspire. Will Carl's bill preserve our 2nd Amendment rights? Nope. Will Rep. Wimmer's proposal put the federal government and the other states on notice that Utah citizens take their 2nd Amendment rights seriously? Absolutely. Will such a public statement encourage others to stand with us? I certainly hope so, because, as the ancient sage observed, "If you are the only one protecting your civil rights, then you don't have any. If everyone else is looking out for your civil rights, you don't have to."

Thanks for listening, tune in next week for another rant.