Our Second Amendment Rights

With all the talk of gun control laws needing to be fixed every time there is a shooting in this country or elsewhere, I thought it would be good to cover another one of our Bill Of Right. Yes, you guest it, I have picked our Second Amendment. But you know before I do that perhaps our Bill Of Rights needs to be explained a bit since so many people seemed confused these days about what is covered in our Constitution.

Our Bill Of Rights cover the first ten amendments of our Constitution. The purpose of the Bill of rights is to protect the rights of liberty and property. Funny today so many want to trample on those rights feeling their rights out weigh the right of their neighbor. Our Bill Of Rights is like an insurance policy in that they guarantee personal freedoms, reserve some powers to the states and the public, and limit the governments power in judicial and other proceedings. Our Bill Of Rights is very important in American government and law, as well as being a symbol of the freedoms given in the United States of America.

 Now we all know the Second Amendment of the Constitution is the section of the Bill Of Rights which protects an individuals right to bear arms. Like the rest of the first ten amendments the Second Amendment was adapted into the Constitution on December 15, 1791. The Second Amendment reads: 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.

By the statement alone you would think there is no need to keep questioning what it means but yet we have those in power who feel they  need to stand on their soap box every time there is a shooting and threaten the American people with fighting to remove their Second Amendment Rights. Why is this? I ask this question because it is obvious to me and I am sure it is to others that if someone wants to commit a crime they don't need to do it with a gun they have purchased through legal channels so why are we going after the gun owners who follow the rules. What's next? Are we going to start taking away our right to drive cars since people seem to be using vehicles now to do more harm than good, as well as knives, and other sharp instruments. Where do we draw the line?

Our Second Amendment Right protects and individuals right to bear arms. It was put into our Bill of Rights not on a whim but heavily debated at the time of it's writing. The reason for this was because back in the day, during the time of the writing of our Constitution and Bill of Rights, many of the American colonial settlers believed the right to bear arms or having state militias was an important right for different reasons. Many of these reason were specifically written into the States Constitutions.

Now we are tracing this back to the early settlers and their reasoning behind this amendment being the country they left behind in order to come here and the government they fought to escape and never wanted to see in their new home. The fear of the government once again being in charge to the degree of the people not having a say or being able to  protect themselves from the tyranny they fought to escape from. Many died believing in their cause and those who were leading the way to a better place and life in the new land now known as The United States of America.

The early states adopted this amendment allowing the people to set up a militia. Hmm, you might say why would they do that. Well for obvious reasons. If the government was to try and force the people to do what they did not feel was right, then the people had the right to take up arms and protect what was theirs. Protect their homes, their states, and their God given freedoms.

Think about it, if our country was to suddenly face the attack of a terrorist group that wanted to take over government and try to force an undemocratic form of government on us our Second Amendment Right gives us the power to fight for our country. To take up arms and protect our government and the people of this great nation. It was the states militia who banned together to fight during the Civil War joining the government military and stopping the south from succeeding from the Union, thus putting an end to slavery in the process.

The Second Amendment gives the people the right to help with law enforcement. To protect their land, their property, and as I have said before the possibility of an invasion. How could anyone in their right mind, without and ulterior motive, want to do away with this amendment?

In my opinion, any government official or candidate who gets on their soap box against the Second Amendment is doing so because they have an agenda of their own. That agenda is to disarm the good citizens of this great nation and leave us vulnerable to outside forces and the loss of our freedoms. We as Americans cannot and should not accept this. There are many ways people can do harm and yes guns are one of them but as we have seen over the past few years people can be very inventive when they have this need to do harm. They don't need a gun, they can use their car, a bus, knife or anything else they can think of to make into a weapon. Evil is evil and you can't stop it by taking the guns away from good, law abiding citizens.

I know there are many who do not share my belief and that is your God given right. I grew up with guns in my house and taught by my parents never to touch them but to respect them for the power they have and the damage they can do. I have a daughter who works late at night and we live in a state that does not give you the right to carry. She works in an area where she should not be alone at night and I cannot tell you how often I wished she had that right to carry, to protect herself just in case she ever had the need.

I guess, unless you have lost someone close to you to murder, had someone you loved attacked, or were attacked yourself you could not understand the need to be armed to protect yourself. In today's society I honestly feel there are more of us that have had to face this then there are who haven't. All those big wigs in Washington D.C. standing on their soap box demanding gun control are able to have all the protection they or their family need. If they are threatened in any way, shape, or form, they get their body guards. What does the average citizen have? Just themselves and the hard working police department who may or may not get there in time to save a life. So yes, I support the Second Amendment and I support the right to carry. No more gun free zones because we need to keep America and all American Citizens safe.

If the government really wants to stop the trafficking of guns in this country, stop them being illegally brought in. Stop the sale of guns at gun shows to just anyone. No matter what there should be a waiting period for anyone to obtain a firearm and they should have to go through training in order to use it plus qualify, same as any police officer, every year in order to continue to keep their weapons. No one, not even our government, should be allowed to take away our freedoms, our rights. No one, not even our government should feel they have the right to step on our Constitution and interpret it however it suits them.

The Second Amendment was put into place for a reason and although we are no longer a new colony we still have the same reasons for needing our right to bear arms. We still have the need to have our civilian militia ready in case they are needed to protect our government, our country, and the people of this great nation. Obviously I am not the only one to feel this way because back in 1990 there was a debate much like what is going on still to this day as to whether the right to bear arms was just for militia's and armies or for the individual as well. This argument went before the Supreme Court and they found ultimately that the right was an individual one in this case.

So to all our government officials who can't seem to agree on anything important to this country such as health care, tax reform, environment, infrastructure, illegal aliens and the list goes on, leave our Second Amendment Rights alone and try fixing what needs to be fixed in this country. Try doing what you were elected to and make this nation what it once was. Ban together as a united front and bring this great nation and all it's people together to fix what has been broken for so long. You see our forefathers knew just how screwed up things could be without a good foundation. They gave us that foundation in the Constitution and our Bill of Rights. It is up to our elected officials to uphold these laws and stop trying to divide this country. Time to work together and Make America Great Again.

May God Bless America and give us the strength to stand our ground and see to it no one takes away our God given rights.

Tragedy Strikes Vegas

This week the world watched in horror as terror unfolded in Las Vegas at the hands of a madman. As we were glued to the news reports wishing there was something we could do to help the only thing that came to my mind was to pray. I have heard the comments on social media about that being the go to for everyone so I ask, "Why not?" The people being shot at, pinned down helplessly, the police officers who ran towards the gunfire, the first repsonders who ran in the line of fire to help those in need, the concert goers who didn't think of themselves as they helped others to safety, they all needed our prayers, the needed something more powerful than that gunman firing down on them.

Over the past few days we have heard a lot of speculation, conspiracy theories and cries for gun reform, which took all of a few hours to get going. What many didn't get was this is the real world and in the real world crimes aren't solved in an hour so an investigation of this magnitude is going to take time and dedication from the agencies involved in piecing all of this together. Tossing out conspiracy theories, speculating what might have been going on in the gunman's head at the time, and getting on the soapbox for gun control isn't helping anyone especially those who are suffering at the hands of this evil person whose name I refuse to use. I don't want to give him anymore credit than the news has already bestowed on him. He has had more than his 15 minutes of undeserved fame.

The fact that someone could do this to any human being let alone a crowd of innocent people out to enjoy a good night of entertainment and family time boils my blood. The remarks made on social media about it being OK with the right because the shooter was white is more than disturbing. Evil comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors. I don't care what color anyone's skin is if a person can carry out such an evil plan with such accuracy, in my eyes, he is not insane, not mentally ill, but smarter than most would give him credit for. After all there is a thin grey line between the power of good and evil just like there is a thin grey line between the dark and the light and once your cross over that line into the darkness, for many, there is no turning back. This attack was thought out and as the information comes through to us it is becoming more and more clear it is not the only one he could have been planning. I am not a psychologist nor to I pretend to be, I am a concerned citizen and I honestly believe he had an agenda and was in the process of carrying it out as a well thought out plan, not the act of an insane person acting on impulse.

Unfortunately over the past few years we have become very acquainted with the mind of a terrorist and we know they don't act on impulse, domestic or foreign. No one should have to live in fear of going out with their families and enjoying a pleasant night. No one should have to live in fear of attending church and being attacked for your belief. No one should have to live in fear of being attacked for their religious or political belief. In other words, no one should have to live in fear for any reason at all. This is the United States of America and we have allowed the evil to seep in somewhere along the line and those of us who still believe in the American Dream are being silenced because we offend others, hurt their feelings by standing up for ourselves, and make them feel dizzy and out of control of their own lives.

I have read more postings on social media aimed at starting a fight then at thinking of those who were affected by it all. This entire country was touched by what one man did even if we didn't have a person directly involved in the shooting. We cried with the witnesses as they gave an account of what happened as they tried to get to safety. We sat on the edge of our seat as we listened to the recount of how so many were trapped, pinned down, by the gunfire aiming down on them. Cried as we heard the stories of those who have lost their loved ones and yet there are still those out there who want to bait and fight. For what? For gun control laws that may or may not have made a difference because we all know if someone wants to get their hands on a gun, an illegal weapon, they can and there is nothing a gun control law will do to prevent it.

I grew up with guns in my house and guess what, no one went out and about killing anyone they felt like. Yes, it was simpler times but that is a poor excuse. This shooter was older than I am by a couple of years so he grew up in my time and still something triggered him to go off the deep end but no matter what the cause it didn't make it right. There is never a reason to murder someone let alone open fire on a crowd of innocent people you don't even know. You aren't happy with your life don't take it out on others, blame the one person who is responsible, you!

Less than 24 hours after the shooting while parents and families members were still waiting to hear of the fate of their loved ones politicians and the Hollywood elite jumped on the band wagon and started spewing the need for gun control and how the Republicans are against it. This isn't a Democrat or Republican issue this is a Constitutional issue and Congress needs to understand the American people deserve the right to protect themselves. I am not going to get all into this because I will do a blog on the Second Amendment but for now I just want to say this is not the forum for it. Let the people who have suffered a loss, are sitting by the beside of an injured loved one, or home recuperating from this ordeal  know we are concerned about them and not politics. Show them your love, support, and unity that American's pull on in times of crisis. Let them know they are not alone that America stands united with each and every one of them.

President Trump spent Wednesday in Vegas visiting those who were injured and social media lite up like a darkness tree spewing hate and insults every which way. Attacking even some of those who were injured and posted their meeting of the President and First Lady on their social media page. I honestly feel this country, our morals, our values, respect for others, love for our country and flag, have been seriously misplaced among the mouthy. Those who love to keep going at the negative and never find a way to instill the positive in any situation. Gnawing and instilling hate where ever they can and then they ask why something like this happens. You are asking for it by holding onto the hate and not letting the goodness into your soul. We don't all  have to agree on things because then life would be boring but what about listening to one another on a pleasant note and not calling names, spewing insults and insisting it's your way or no way because you know what is best for all. No one knows what is best for all especially not our government. Congress is having a hard enough time trying to fix the healthcare bill and tax reform piling on gun control is really going to over load them but then again perhaps that is what people want. They want Congress pulled in so many different directions nothing gets accomplished. Again this is not what should be discussed right now.

What should be talked about is the United States of America and it's citizens. We are a nation of mixed nationalities and color. No one person is better than anyone else. The colors of our flag are red, white, and blue. Colors to be proud of, that don't run and hide when trouble comes calling. We have the most amazing military, police, and first responders in the world, of course that's my opinion. We are a nation to be reckoned with on any given day because we don't back down. Suddenly we have become soft and now we  have a President who is fighting to get back the strength of this great nation and he is met with anger by those who feel we are too tough, to ready for battle, to willing to protect our own. When something happens like the mass shooting in Vegas we come together as a nation in support of one another and while some talk about a way to fix it, others argue it can't be fixed, while others pray there is a happy medium. Who we are and what we stand for says it in the name of our country UNITED yet there are way too many to who would use a crisis to Divide us and fight to keep the negativity growing. Stop for five minutes and think of those people who have faced death on our soil and are now faced with mourning those they lost or living with the memory of the horrors they saw because of one evil man.

Stop being the armchair detective and putting conspiracy theories out there or mocking those who have their own opinion of what caused all of this. Start standing strong with the victims and their families and showing them the love and support I know this country is capable of. If someone pops on you social media page or you are confronted with a nasty person on someone else page just scroll down, walk away, and move on. Don't take the bait because it will not help anyone heal. When all is said and done the investigation will be revealed to us and we will know what the police know in due time. Let's let them do their job as we stand in support of all the victims and their families.

I want to give thanks to all those who didn't give a second thought to their own safety, to all our off duty police, military, and EMT's who just did what came naturally, to all the police who ran towards the shooting and protected those who were attending the concert, and especially to all those who were in attendance who pitched in helping strangers in need, seeing to it people got to the hospital and helping others get to safety. Each and every one of them, in my eyes, is not only the true meaning of what it is to be a American but they are real American Heroes.

May God Bless America and help the victims of this mass shooting, as well as Vegas, heal.