All of human history shows us that a disarmed populace is a vulnerable populace. Vulnerable to tyrants. Vulnerable to criminals.
Human history also shows us that an armed populace is a free populace.
None of this is theory. It is a documented, empirical, undeniable fact.
And yet, politicians, the media and the super elite in Hollywood and business, are all working together to hide that fact. More to the point, they’re working to manufacture the deceitful perception that legal gun ownership is something to fear, loathe and eliminate.
That’s why when a bad guy commits a crime with a gun, the story is amplified nationwide, along with all the familiar soundbites blaming you, me and the NRA. We never hear about how the bad guy dodged prison for previous crimes because of an insane revolving-door justice system. We never hear about how law enforcement refused to prosecute him when they had the chance.
And we rarely ever hear when good people use firearms to save their lives or the lives of their loved ones. Those stories are buried, if they’re even reported, all with the express purpose of creating the false impression that guns are rarely, if ever, used for good.
Just read the stories below and tick off how many you remember hearing about on the nightly news, or reading about in a major daily paper.
In Syracuse, N.Y., a man was on the street waving a gun, threatening people and firing into a crowd. Thankfully, a law-abiding concealed-carry permit holder was on the scene. He drew his 9 mm pistol and, according to the county’s district attorney, saved the lives of several individuals.
This past August, four masked thugs kicked in the front door of a Phoenix, Ariz., homeowner. But the homeowner retrieved his handgun and fired multiple shots at the attackers, sending them fleeing into the night.
In Weatherford, Texas, a 67-year-old woman came home one day to find a strange car in her driveway. She found two men who had broken into an outbuilding on her property. She drew her firearm and held the two intruders at gunpoint until police arrived to take them into custody.
In Lake City, Fla., a violent criminal armed with a shotgun tried to break into a home with children inside. The homeowner, a law-abiding gun owner, shot the intruder twice and sent him running. Deputies found the criminal later, took him to the hospital and charged him with attempted home invasion robbery and aggravated assault with a firearm, among other charges. “People have a right to protect themselves,” said Sheriff Mark Hunter, “I am glad that this resident was prepared to defend their home and family.”
In San Antonio, Texas, a homeowner was awakened to a man trying to break into his home. The homeowner confronted the intruder, shot and wounded him, and waited for the police to come arrest the perpetrator.
In Woodbridge, Va., a 44-year-old woman was leaving her house when a masked man with a handgun accosted her from the side of her home. A concealed-carry permit holder, the woman drew her firearm and shot her attacker, likely saving her life.
In Miami, Okla., a man was awakened when a thug broke into his home through a bedroom window. The homeowner grabbed his shotgun, confronted the intruder in the living room and fired once, killing him. As it turns out, the intruder had been released from prison just a few days earlier and had a long, criminal rap sheet that included assault, battery, theft and child abuse.
These stories, of course, are only the tip of the iceberg.
The fact is, nearly every major study shows that Americans use firearms to defend themselves, their families and their fellow citizens anywhere from 500,000 to 3,000,000 times a year. The exact number is nearly impossible to pin down, because an untold number of defensive-gun uses go unreported, either by the media or by the victims.
Anti-gun politicians know these statistics. They know the facts. They just don’t care.
They’d rather trade the truth for political power and campaign contributions from anti-gun billionaires. But make no mistake about it: When they say you shouldn’t be allowed to own guns, and when they rail against NRA and the Second Amendment, what they’re really saying is your life doesn’t matter and isn’t worth protecting.
There is simply no freedom without the freedom to defend yourself with a firearm.
As NRA members, this is why we fight.
