Join the conversation! We’d love to hear YOUR voice in our new and growing Facebook group. Join the community to share life with us here: Words To The Power Group. See Jim Matrix’s rebuttal to this article: Rebuttal: Dear impassioned gun control activist.
Dear impassioned gun control activist,
I understand you. I understand what you’re going through. The emotions that you and those beside you are experiencing are similar to those I’ve felt when I’ve seen people come back from war in caskets.
I’m here to let you know however that your anger, your fear, your zealousness, your age, or your innocence don’t give immunity to your arguments, policy propositions, and calls to action from criticism.
I’m here to inform you that your sense of victimhood doesn’t grant you higher moral authority, especially authority that usurps the moral standing and voice of others, or logic for that matter.
I’m here to show you the irony in using your 1st amendment right to protest your 2nd amendment right, which by the way protects your 1st amendment right.
I’m here to teach you that the right to defend yourself and your property doesn’t come from government, that instead it’s naturally occurring; that you have a right to survive and thus a right to protect yourself from those who thirst to take away your life, property, autonomy, or personal agency (Locke, p. 4, 28).
I’m here to tell you that the few who do conspire to strip us (you and me) from our rights would find it advantageous to first dismantle our ability to capably defend ourselves. That they can’t do this in one mighty stroke because of our Bill of Rights so instead they try discreetly, inch by inch, so as to deflect suspicion. That they hide behind and use whoever they can in order to avoid direct condemnation by We the People.
I’m here to give you pause, so that you may further evaluate the ethical standing of your activism, the potential consequences of your assertions, and so that you may consider if you’re being used by others whose devotions and agendas you actually don’t share, and consider if you’re even acting in your own long-term interest.
With Great Regard,
Sam Valladares
P.S. To reach out to me personally to talk about this article, feel free to Tweet me.
References
Locke, John. (1689). Second Treatise of Government. Rev. 2008. Retrieved from
http://www.earlymoderntexts.com/assets/pdfs/locke1689a.pdf
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Sam is the founder of Words To The Power, and writes articles on faith, life, and current politics, society, and culture. See his full bio by going to “Writers” in the main menu.