A right unexercised is a right lost

“… the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed…” That’s what the Second Amendment says. Did you notice where it says you cannot carry a loaded weapon openly in public? No, you didn’t. Why not? It’s not in there.

Equally as interesting is that prohibiting you from carrying a loaded weapon openly in public isn’t in there either! In fact, any law that infringes upon your right to keep (own, posses, care for, maintain) arms (firearms, knives, swords, long-guns) or bear arms (to have with you, to carry with you on your person, to carry with you in your vehicle) is unconstitutional. Plain and simple. Read it yourself.

Of course opinions on the matter vary widely, and laws have been passed that infringe upon this guaranteed right. Opinions are one thing, unconstitutional laws/regulations are another. That’s why I’m writing this entry today. It’s a soap-box entry, so if that kind of rhetoric offends you, try the next article… or the previous…

The United States of America is in a sad state of affairs. The rights of the person who has committed a criminal act outweigh those of their  victims. Where did we go wrong that allowed this to happen?

We let it happen

But what did we do to make it happen? Maybe that’s not the right question… but it leads us to the unfortunate answer: we didn’t do anything to stop it.

Notice I’m using the pronoun we, not they. “We” or “us” is you and I; “we” have control over our own actions, or lack thereof. “They” are a the mysterious someone that for some unexplained reason has been charged with the protection of “us,” but “they” have little incentive and relatively little obligation to do so.

From every media source, police department, and government agency we’re told “when you need help call 911 and the police will come and help you”, and “don’t take matters into your own hands”, or in some way demonizing “vigilante justice.”

Did you know that it’s not the job of the police (or any law enforcement agency) to protect you? Proof of this is no further away than court cases. (I can provide references if you’re not savvy enough to find them for yourself.)

What’s worse that that

What’s worse than “them” not having any accountability to protect “us”, criminals know that, too! They know that it’s unlikely that you’re going to defend yourself, and even if you do, it’s even more unlikely that you have the means to do so (whether that be hand-to-hand combat training, karate training, a firearm, a Tazer, even pepper spray). And by the time you’ve called 911, they’ll be long gone… and if they injured or killed you (or someone else in the process), it’s not a big deal to them.

Try an experiment some time, call your local police department or city hall, ask them for last years average  911 response time within the city. Then ask for the same data from the county. That’s how long you’ll have to wait with some crazed nut job holding you hostage before the police show up. Can you live with that?

Another interesting tidbit: according to FBI recommendations, for suburban environments there should be 1 police officer on-duty for every 800 civilians. 1 in 800? Doesn’t that make you feel safe?

Prevention versus Reaction

Let’s face it, calling 911 is a reaction — it’s not preventing any crime. So how do “we” prevent crimes? (Remember “they” are all but powerless and are not obligated.)

1. Refuse to be a victim. That’s a whole topic in and of itself… go look it up on Google.
2. If you’re not prohibited from owning a weapon for self defense, do so. Own a couple. Keep them safe. Teach your children how to use them properly… and how to respect them.
3. If you’re not prohibited from doing so, carry a weapon for self-defense with you at all times and in all public places. If you can’t protect yourself or your family, who do you expect to?
4. When you’re in public, open-carry your weapon. THAT is your true deterrent.

Pop Quiz

If a would-be criminal sees that you’re armed, are they (A) more likely or (B) less likely to assault you? Why?

Further, if the would-be criminal sees that you have the means to defend yourself are they (A) more likely or (B) less likely to assault the person next to you? Why?

Carry that logic on: the greater the number of people that openly carry their means of self-defense, the more protected the rest are.

Open Carry

I live in the state of Utah, where according to state law, it is legal to carry an unloaded firearm “openly.” Utah also has a process by which a legal resident not prohibited from possessing a firearm who has met certain qualifications and criteria shall be issued a permit to carry a firearm concealed.

Here’s a real-world example of why “good guys” should have guns: In the following video from COLUMBUS, Ohio, Police said a desk clerk shot a man who was attempting to rob an east side motel on Saturday night. Officers said that shortly before 9:30 p.m., a man walked into the Super 8 Motel, located at 2055 Brice Rd., showed a gun and demanded money. Police said the desk clerk on duty then shot the alleged robber, Antoine Stephens. Stephens, 20, was transported to Grant Medical Center and was in serious condition on Sunday morning, NBC 4 reported. Police said he would be charged with aggravated robbery. No charges filed against the employee.

People are idiots

The unfortunate down-size is that people are idiots. Take this case for example: a man is exercising his right to open-carry a firearm. A person calls 911 and reports a “man with a gun.” Ironically, two men with guns show up to investigate. They detain this man, who’s done nothing wrong and harass him. Only by intimately knowing the law and his rights is he able to eventually go on his way. No charges were filed. Did the police detain the person that made the call? Did they educate the caller on the law? No? Why? That’s what “they” want. “They” want the power, the authority, and “they” want an uninformed, docile populous.

The lesson

The take-home lesson here is the title of this post: a right unexercised is a right lost.

So what are you going to do about it?