Friends, the time has come for our country to have a sane, reasonable conversation about gun control and the Second Amendment.
The carnage and heartache simply is not stopping and soon enough citizens are going to demand our government do something and the outcry will be so loud our government will be obliged to act.
Everyone on both sides of the issue must take care that when our government does act, it does something responsible, useful and substantive. What we cannot have is hiding behind the Second Amendment or calling for laws criminals won’t obey so we can tell ourselves we did something.
Before we do anything, here are four things it will be useful to remember and ask ourselves:
One, how much security do we require and how much are we willing to give up for it?
Two, we will be abridging a constitutional right. Let’s be careful. Now, they’re our rights and we can do that, but if we start modifying the Second Amendment, how much longer before we are modifying the First Amendment? Once others, including our government, see we are willing to alter or give up one right, they will try to take others.
Three, any law must be practical. It must be enforceable and it must provide us with a tangible benefit. It must reflect the way people live or else everyone – criminals, you and me, your aunt in Leadville – will ignore them and go about their business.
Finally, the spirit of the Second Amendment must be preserved. It was included in the Bill of Rights for a reason and the only way to fundamentally alter it is to repeal it. Citizens must be able to reasonably arm themselves, protect their home and take their kids hunting.
I support our Second Amendment rights without qualification or restriction, and I am willing to join the discussion, to talk about the matter openly, cordially and frankly. I hope you are, too.
Gaylon Kent is a candidate for the 2018 Libertarian nomination for Congress from District 3. He was their nominee for this seat in 2016 and for the United States Senate in 2014. He and his wife Marian live in Hayden. Learn more about Gaylon at www.thefreedomtrain.com.