Opinion: Gun rights foundational to liberty

Why do I keep returning to the natural right of each and every human being to own and to carry guns?

Because when it comes to liberty, unless you get that right, you’ll get everything wrong.

This right is non-negotiable, along with the right to free speech, freedom of association, and the right to own and use property. Anyone on the other side, or trying to keep a toe on the other side, is a danger to you.

Governments and their politicians want exceptions. There aren’t any, but they’ll pretend to find some so they can continue to govern you. They’ll discover or create fake exceptions. They’ll pretend government has rights that give them power over you. It’s all a lie.

A government that claims the imaginary right to ration weapons and have a say over who can have which weapons, where, and under what conditions, can censor you. It can force you into close association with people who want to harm you. It can decide to steal your home and other personal property for “the common good.”

A government that can deny you the proper tools of defense can deny you food, water, sanitation, or air. It only takes a reason.

The fundamental right to own and carry proper weaponry everywhere you go, all the time, is the right to have a chance against those who want to kill you. Denying this option to anyone for any reason is to claim their life is without value.

Proper weaponry means anything equal to or better than what anyone who might want to harm you has access to. This does mean “weapons of war,” especially when government says you aren’t trustworthy enough to have them.

The only reason anyone would want you inadequately armed is so they can do things to you that you wouldn’t allow if you could stop them. This is why bad guys don’t like their potential targets to be armed. Any other excuse is a lie.

Why do I focus on the right to own and carry guns and other effective weapons? Because it matters. It’s part of liberty and can’t be carved off just because some people don’t like it. I want you to be fully able to fight off anyone seeking to harm you, no matter who you are and no matter who your adversary might be. When you’re in the right, I want you to win the fight.

Farwell’s Kent McManigal champions liberty. Contact him at:

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