The 2nd Amendment  -  It's Your RIGHT!

"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, Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress, initiator of the Declaration of Independence, and member of the first Senate, which passed the Bill of Rights.)

"The great object is that every man be armed . . . Everyone who is able may have a gun." (Patrick Henry, in the Virginia Convention on the ratification of the Constitution.)

"The advantage of being armed . . . the Americans possess over the people of all other nations . . . Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several Kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." (James Madison, author of the Bill of Rights, in his Federalist Paper No. 46.)

Samuel Adams, a handgun owner, pressed for an amendment stating that the "Constitution shall never be construed . . . to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms,"

And last but not least, "If I want to own a fully automatic, weapon, I can.  Whether for sport, for fun, for protection, or for reasons unknown; I can!  God gives me the right, and the Constitution protects it."  Who said that one?  Me, Tracy C. Tarum.  Does that make it any less true?  Is it less accurate or less intellectual?  Does it matter that it was penned in 2010, not 1776?  Does it not follow the intent of the Founders?

The simple fact is that we were given the Second Amendment for myriad reasons.  One reason in particular, however, stands above the rest.  We were given the Second Amendment by our Founding Fathers because they wanted to ensure there was a way for tyranny to by overthrown.  As stated in the Declaration of Independence, "...all men are created equal...they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness...That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive...it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government."  And found later in this profound document, "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."  How will we do that, with water balloons?  How will we protect, if it ever becomes necessary, our posterity from the yokes of tyranny?  Peace, flowers, and hippie love?

However you choose to use your guns is your choice.  It is your right, as long as you do not cause unjust harm to others.  The right preserved by the Second Amendment does exist so we have a means to hunt and provide food for our families and friends.  It does exist so we can provide self protection within our homes and outside our homes.  It does exist so we can enjoy our guns at our leisure.  All these are valid reasons.  However, do not lose sight of the fundamental reason this right exists.  It exists to protect our freedoms!  Do not let your government take away your means of defense.  FEAR ANY GOVERNMENT THAT FEARS YOUR GUNS!