Stand Up

It's time for me to stand up!

A Dark Path

I would like to begin by confessing that I’m a Liberal and a Catholic, and I’m also a gun owner which makes me something of an enigma or at best a public contradiction, because despite my politics and religion I strongly support the Second Amendment. While struggling with my personal identity crisis I’ve been writing down how I feel about the argument currently raging across our nation.

 

I should also confess that the name for this blog came from someone else’s article, which inspired me. I found myself wanting to reach those who are focusing on the tool instead of the underlying problems to help them understand why I think they are fighting the wrong battle. I hope the posts in this blog will promote a more reasoned and less emotional understanding of gun ownership and use.
 

I started out trying to understand what gun control advocates understood about gun violence. I pulled information from statistics and reports as well as input from family and friends on both sides of the issue, but most of what I’ve written are my own thoughts and beliefs. I was also concerned that the saying, “United we stand, Divided we fall” applied to gun rights activists regardless of political affiliation. If we don't unite and work together I'm convinced that our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms will be permanently infringed.

 

I now realize that there is a much bigger problem: Modern “rights” theory is redefining our personal and collective rights as rooted not in human nature but in the human will, which in turn is manifested in a system of law. In other words, natural law is being ignored and our personal rights are assumed to be dependent on existing law. As a result, if a person proposes some form of truth that society does not accept and also proposes that we can know this truth, such as a belief in God or the basic rights of individuals (including the unborn), then that person is labeled as a trouble maker.

 

In our government's actions we are being told that thinking for ourselves means we are acting against the best interests of society. This is especially true regarding the Second Amendment which even includes the phrase "shall not be infringed". I recognize that the common will of the people can be guided by personal gain or misinformation, but too often it is simply usurped by political and corporate power. As a result of misdirection and misinformation by the media, dialogue and affirmation by the people will not keep political evil at bay, nor will a misguided attempt to maintain a free and open society protect us.

 

Protecting our Second Amendment rights in particular and the Bill of Rights in general have become absolutely necessary if we are to protect any of our other rights. Unfortunately, taking a Patriotic stand today is defined as not acting in the best interests of society, and not accepting the rules created for the "common good' has become an act of terrorism. This country is headed down a dark path, and I hope that this blog is not the record of its fall.