By Peter Caroline

What’s the worst thing that can happen to our
Second Amendment rights? Well, I guess we’re
about to find out. Picture the worst coalition of
anti-gunners in the White House, in Congress and
in the various anti-rights groups such as the Brady
Campaign. Now, imagine them in control of the
government here in the U.S.A., and legitimate gun
owners on the defensive. That’s the current situation,
and if you think that they won’t take advantage
of their power, then you’re probably smoking
some illegal substance.
Given this admittedly bleak situation, what’s an
individual gun owner to do? You could go into
denial, as many have, and say, “It can’t happen
here; we have the Second Amendment to protect
our rights!” Well, let me tell
you, that’s pure crap. There
are any number of ways that
anti-gunners in power can
get around the Second
Amendment, and if you
don’t believe me, go to New
York City, San Francisco,
Boston, Chicago, or D.C.,
and see how difficult it is for
the average law-abiding citizen
to legally own a gun.
Okay, here are some ways
you can help to keep a lid on
the anti-gunners, legally and
with none of that “from my
cold, dead hands” oratory.
First and foremost, if
you’re not already a member,
join the NRA. Yeah, I know,
they’re too extreme, or too
political or too willing to
compromise, and they’re
always hitting you up for contributions.
But they are the
largest, most effective Second
Amendment lobbying group in the country. If you
like another pro-gun group, join that, too, if it makes
you feel better. Give gift memberships to your
friends and family. The prospect of a larger, stronger
NRA scares the living bejesus out of anti-gunners.
Buy more guns and ammo. I’m preaching to
the choir, I know. But the more you have, the less
stress you’ll feel if supplies get tight down the line,
or if the lawmakers institute more restrictions or
higher taxes on gun and ammo-related purchases.
Besides it’s good for the economy; what you buy is
more likely to be made right here in America than
your average electronic gadget.
While you’re at it, buy guns for your non-gunowning
friends who might want a gun but can’t
afford one. Or, if you have a lot of guns, you might
give one or several to friends and family. It doesn’t
have to be an expensive gun; even an old .22 single-
shot rifle makes someone a gun owner. And
the more active gun owners there are in this country,
the more of a task it becomes to take the guns
away. Look at it this way: is it more difficult for the
authorities to confiscate 100 guns from one person,
or one gun each from 100 people?
Resolve that, at least once a month, you
will take a firearms newcomer shooting. There
are supposedly about 80 million gun owners in
the U.S.A. But it’s quite obvious that most of
them either didn’t vote or voted the way their
union or Sarah Brady or Barack Obama wanted
them to vote. We need new blood…fresh,
enthusiastic new shooters to swell our ranks
and become pro-rights voters.
Encourage all your shooting buddies, old and
new, to take firearms safety
and CCW courses…
firearms safety for obvious
reasons, CCW because a
license to carry, where it is
available, confers official
status on your firearms ownership.
I know, it’s your right,
but it’s also subject to government
regulation, whether
you like it or not. And, for
those of you who are
firearms instructors…how
about some free or lowerpriced
sample courses to
attract more people to
responsible firearms ownership?
How about local gun
clubs offering a free range
day to any new shooter
accompanied by a member?
Stay informed on any
gun-related legislation being
considered, and keep your
friends and neighbors up-todate
on these issues, and get
active in supporting your rights. What can you as
just one person do? Helen Keller said, “I am only
one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything,
but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do
the something I can do.” You can write to your
local paper, and to your representatives. You can
stand up at your town meeting and protest proposed
local anti-gun ordinances. You can work for
or contribute to political candidates who truly
support the Second Amendment. Most important:
take the offensive. We need to push pro-gun initiatives,
so we don’t have to spend so much time
battling anti-gun proposals.
Each one of us is one; all of us are many, and if
we act in concert, we have the power to win back
our rapidly disappearing Second Amendment
rights. Take the anti-gunners’ slogan and throw it
back in their faces: “Yes, we can!”