It is Better to Have and Not Need than to Need and Not Have

[Eric Levay]

The title of this posting is something a police officer told me a while ago when I spoke about how I despised having to own a firearm. I believe it to be true in the fact that if I ever do need to protect myself against any deadly force,, I will have the means by which to do so. Yet still being the peaceful soul I am, I detest the need to own a weapon as I believe that we are born with the greatest weapon of all; the human mind.

The premise set forth in our second Constitutional amendment clearly states the following: "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." According to Webster's on-line dictionary this is defined as such:

Regulated - 'to govern or direct according to rule, or to bring under control of law or constituted authority'

Militia - 'a body of citizens organized for military service, or the whole body of able-bodied male citizens declared by law as being subject to call to military service'

Right - 'acting or judging in accordance with truth or fact'

Keep - 'to take notice of by appropriate conduct'

Bear - 'to be equipped or furnished with'

Infringed - 'to encroach upon in a way that violates law or the rights of another'

After reading the above definitions of the words used in the amendment, one is brought to the logical conclusion that, our forefathers spent much time in formulating this amendment as they covered the rights of the people and bound them into law which was to be adhered to. It is my opinion and most probably fact that our local municipalities are in need of checking our law enforcement officers for their ability to adhere to this law.

A web site called Oath Keepers 'http://oath-keepers.blogspot.com' is full of active and retired service men and women who believe that it is our duty to ensure this amendment remains as it was written and Not To Obey orders Which Violate their Oath. It brings to light the possibilities of what might happen if 'We the People' are disarmed and also claims to stand fast against any form of tyranny set forth by our government against the American people. ( I joined a while ago )

Even though I am a firm believer in peace and discussions which should always evolve into peaceful solutions for both sides of any argument, it is my belief that if our local and state agencies truly are being told 'who is a domestic terrorist or national security threat by the Department of Homeland Security. (this phrase sickens me because to me the Homeland will always be known as Germany during World War II) We must formulate a 'Well Regulated Militia which is necessary to the security of our free States. Our Militia should be armed and prepared to stand against unlawful orders which may be attempted to be carried out by local and state agencies.

In order to effect such a militia, we would need to be in contact with one another and we would need to train ourselves in the proper use of weapons. Having a tool and not knowing how to use that tool can cause serious injury and death! We must learn the correct measures when handling any firearm and learn the rules of being armed. The first being the most important one; All Firearms Are To Be Considered Loaded Until It Is Checked By You. I could continue to elaborate about the other safe handling rules which govern the ownership of a weapon but here is not the place. instead I recommend that anyone who is old enough and responsible enough to go get your concealed weapons permit and take the needed lessons by a certified NRA instructor on the proper use of a weapon.

Now being a pacifist at heart and soul and also believing that there is always a peaceful solution to any problem my previous statement about formulating a local militia goes against my very nature, yet somewhere inside I know fully that without those words from our second amendment we are nothing more than targets for all other forms of tyranny and injustices. An armed people who are able to defend themselves against oppressors of liberty are justified by our Constitutional Bill of Rights.

It has been stated before that throughout history those governments that disarmed the populace has always turned out to be unjust and tyrannical. If for no other reason than the statement above we should not give up our right granted by our creator and the second amendment of the United States Constitution.