I riled some people up with my Death of A Dream letter.
Let’s remember what the Second Amendment of the US Constitution says:
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 people” and “a person” are two very different things in my mind.
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There’s a lot of debate about this amendment and honestly about everything else under the sun these days.
I just want it to be clear where I stand when it comes to the Second Amendment. I value the right to live more than the right of an individual to bear arms. More. Not entirely. They don’t have to be mutually exclusive ideas, they just need to be stacked in the right order.
I was speaking emotionally when I said “take away all the fucking guns.”
In my mind, we’ve had it wrong. The preservation of gun rights has taken precedence over the preservation of human lives. It should be the opposite.
I understand that bad people will still do bad things, regardless of laws.
I understand that the complete denial of rights and freedoms is very anti-American.
But I also understand that the people who preach “preservation of freedoms” around their guns, business regulations, and their holy books… are also against the freedoms of women’s choice over their body, LBGTQIA+ rights, and health care for all.
Humans are hypocritical creatures prone to oversimplification and alienation. We create opposition and get lost in the semantics instead of agreeing on the fundamental truths. I truly believe 99% of humans can agree that these are important fundamental truths (this is a non-exhaustive list, in no particular order):
We all need our families to be safe and sound.
We all desire happiness and fulfillment.
We all want our community to thrive.
We all want to be better off tomorrow than we were yesterday.
We all have struggles.
We all dream.
So let’s get this right. Let’s shift our priorities. Human lives are more important than pure gun ownership freedoms.
Gun Rights REFORM
How to regulate gun rights is, of course, where all of this debate really happens.
I will admit that I am not an expert in much. Definitely not in the world of gun rights and regulation.
But I think a lot of the experts have spoken, and America has a problem compared to many of its wealthy peer nations.
In the article U.S. Gun Policy: Global Comparisons by Jonathan Masters at CFR.org, Jonathan explores one simple question:
2021 is on track to be the United States’ deadliest year for gun violence in two decades. How do other countries regulate firearms and respond to mass shootings?
This image alone should do the trick. It clearly shows that we have work to do, and I just gotta ask the question. How many fucking innocent kids need to die first? A thousand more? Ten thousand more? Where’s the line?
Let’s step back for a moment:
Okay, why do we need gun rights?
To preserve and secure the freedoms of our State.
Do you own a tank? What about an A-10 Warthog? An aircraft carrier? Nuclear submarines? A Predator drone?
How’s your little fucking pea shooter even going to stand a chance against the tyrannical future government you want to protect yourself and your family from?
Let’s be real here. That’s not why you want your little pea shooter. It’s not about defense against this nation’s military might should it ever turn on you.
The Second Amendment preserves the people’s right to defend itself from a tyrannical government. In my humble opinion, it does not protect you and your use of the little pea-shooter to protect your prairie house from anything else.
However, I think it's perfectly fine and right for you to have that little pea-shooter. To use at your heart’s content:
As long as your firearm is registered and cataloged at the Federal and State level.
As long as you pass an annual background check, a background check on the purchase of a firearm, and a background check for ammo orders above XX rounds/shells (the specific number is dependant on various factors beyond the scope of my understanding).
As long as you get an annual psych evaluation, and have one done before a purchase of a firearm.
As long as you are enrolled in and pass an accredited training course before the purchase of a firearm.
As long as there is an applicable waiting period tied to the purchase of a firearm.
As long as every ammo purchase gets tracked and cataloged at the State level (Federal when amounts exceed XX).
As long as magazines of certain sizes are banned from civilian purchase.
As long as you have a gun safe on the premises of your house and that is the only place where your firearms go.
As long as the government has the right to seize those arms (temporarily or permanently) under Red Flag laws.
As long as gun safety is taught within the public education systems of America.
I’d go so far as to say the government should subsidize (cover all costs) associated with these regulations. So in theory you could get everything cheaper (or free) as a result.
I’d even say we could loosen certain existing regulations if all of these were implemented in their stead.
You’re an upstanding citizen, right? That’s why you want these guns, to defend against the shitty citizens that are out to get you?
One Final Thing
I’m back to business, finance, and personal development next week.
I’ll probably be taking the holidays off too so next week will be the last letter of 2021. Maybe.