It is the end of June – the time for Independence Day celebrations to begin. I love this season. The fireworks. The picnics. The family time. It is wonderful.
As home educators our family always used this season to review the history of the United States and the principles of liberty upon which it was founded. Now that the kids have graduated, I still take time to review these things personally.
A Right
One of the principles of liberty is that each individual is made in the image of God. Therefore we have a God-given right to protect ourselves from those who seek to do us great bodily harm (a right to self defense). We also are commanded to defend the lives and property of the orphan and widow. We can choose to willingly lay down our personal rights – as Jesus did. Commanded responsibilities are another matter. (I will save that discussion for another day.)
Regardless of whether we are protecting ourselves or others, arms are necessary tools. They provide the force required to defeat those who seek to destroy life and liberty. Our founders recognized this. That is why they codified the right to keep and bear arms in our founding documents.
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.
2nd Amendment, U.S. Constitution
So for Americans, this God-given, natural right is also codified in the highest manmade law of the land, the U.S. Constitution.
By the way – at the time our founders composed this, “Well Regulated” was defined as ‘well trained and proficient,’ NOT the modern definition of ‘overseen by government.’
For research on what the Bible says regarding self defense and the use of arms, check out this site. For more information about the principles of liberty and the history behind our Constitution check out this video.
Not Exercised
Mark Twain said, “The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.”
Similarly, I would say:
A man who does not exercise his right to keep and bear arms
is just as vulnerable as one who does not have that right.
Cesare Beccaria said it this way:
“The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes…. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.”
Thomas Jefferson, Commonplace Book (quoting 18th century criminologist Cesare Beccaria), 1774-1776 (published here)
So we should exercise the right to bear arms for personal defense.
However this principle also applies to nations. If the general population ceases to keep and bear arms for whatever reason, then our nation ceases to have a citizen militia which can defend itself from invaders and tyrants. We will have no advantage over a people who do not have the right to keep and bear arms guaranteed in their founding documents.
Therefore it is critical for our personal safety and for the security of our entire country, that average people – like you and me – keep and bear arms and train with them regularly. Again, our founders recognized this when they wrote the Second Amendment. That is why they included the phrase, “being necessary to the security of a free State.”
Is Easily Lost
So we must we know our rights and exercise them. Furthermore, we must teach these principles AND skills to our children and to their children. The following quotes sum it up well:
“To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them.”
Richard Henry Lee, Federal Farmer No. 18, January 25, 1788 (published here)
And, much later:
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
Ronald Reagan (as quoted here)
THIS is why I teach women how to shoot. On the one hand, I want them to become competent and confident in handling firearms so that they can protect themselves and their families if that is ever necessary. On the other hand, I also want them to be able to pass these skills and principles down to their children. It is all about passing on the principles, skills, and tools that preserve life and liberty.
Mothers hold the keys to the future. Together with fathers, they raise the warriors who will protect us when we are old and weak. If mothers fear the tools of the warrior, and are not willing to overcome that fear, they do a disservice to their husbands and their children. And ultimately we will be left defenseless in our old age – both as individuals and as a country.
Let’s Preserve Liberty
So as we enter this season, I would like to ask:
Are you preserving liberty by teaching the principles and carrying the tools?
If not, are you ready and willing to learn?
If you live in Northeast Georgia and would like to train with me, message me here. I offer lessons for individuals and families in a classroom and/or on the range. I also offer Girls’ Nights: invite several friends to learn the fundamentals of firearms in a casual, comfortable setting (like your home or office), then we’ll schedule a visit to a public or private range together.
If you live somewhere else, ask for recommendations at your local shooting range, search for a USCCA instructor near you, or find a nearby chapter of Armed Women of America.