Defense of an Enduring Principle

They say if you’re born in America, you’ve won the lottery of life. One quick look around the world — and even a trip to Canada or Europe—confirms this is true. People all over the globe risk everything to get their feet on U.S. soil, to taste liberty, and dream of becoming citizens of the greatest country on the face of the earth.

Thanks to the foresight of America’s Founding Fathers, who understood human tendencies to try and rule over their fellow man, the right of citizens are enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Second Amendment is one of them, and the rest don’t exist without it.

“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,” it states.

According to the National Archives in Washington D.C., “the Constitution might never have been ratified if the framers hadn’t promised to add a Bill of Rights,” and “the first ten amendments to the Constitution gave citizens more confidence in the new government and contain many of today’s Americans’ most valued freedoms.”

But to whom much is given, much is expected.

As firearms enthusiasts, we have an obligation to educate ourselves, our families, and our friends about the value of these rights and what’s at stake should they be further infringed. As Americans, we have a duty to push back against power-hungry men who work day and night throughout their entire lives to take away our freedoms. Whether they are politicians or organizations working to disarm the populace, lawful gun owners must work to influence fellow Americans with education, true safety, community, and by passing along tradition.

The Second Amendment isn’t a series of words pieced together and written in a document many years ago. Instead, it’s an enduring principle at the center of our way of life and our culture.

At this unique moment in U.S. history, more Americans than ever are exercising their right to keep and bear arms. They come from all walks of life, backgrounds, religions, and neighborhoods. Like the melting pot of the country and our Nation’s motto of “E Pluribus Unum,” everyone is represented as one.

Owning a firearm isn’t defined by a business transaction from a dealer or as a routine gift from a family member. It’s a rite of passage and a deeply embedded part of what it means to be an American. It’s a foundational component of protecting liberty and freedoms—the very freedoms that can be quickly wiped away if we don’t understand the need for vigilance.

There are approximately 80 million lawful gun owners in the United States, with 14 million new owners in just the past two years. The potential of this large and growing coalition is unlimited and should be put to good use for the sake of preserving traditional American gun culture for generations to come. Volquartsen knows this tradition well, and the future is bright as a result.

-Katie Pavlich