For the most part, I try to stay out of political issues, but there is one issue that I simply cannot stay quiet on. The extremely controversial issue of the right to bear arms. Many do not agree with my standpoint, and that is fine, not everyone sees the world the same way that I do. We all are unique and have vastly different experiences which make us who we are. Let me explain a little of why I think the right to own a gun is important.

In the wake of the tragic massacre in Orlando recently, there has been a rise in outcries to ban guns. While I understand that for people to grasp some meaning from acts resulting in a loss they want something to blame so they can feel some kind of control after feeling so helpless, I cannot understand why removing the right to own guns will help the situation at all.

It has been said many times, but it is worth repeating again, “guns do not kill people, people kill people” guns are merely a tool that some people use to harm others. If we start banning things that kill people, there will be very few legal items left. Cars have killed people, fast food has killed, alcohol, cell phones, electricity, the list goes on. It is not the items previously listed that killed, they are inanimate objects, they cannot act on their own accord. The way in which they are used is up to the person holding them. Again, it is people who kill people. We won’t ban these things because these things also have helpful uses as well as they are not only tools used to kill people. Guns do not only serve to harm innocent people they are a form of protection as well.

If you believe that banning guns will keep the “bad guys” from obtaining them, then I am sorry to tell you, but that is not the case. There are many things that are currently illegal yet somehow we still find that people find ways to obtain these illegal items. Making guns illegal will only make the situation worse for civilians in their attempts to keep their family safe.

Perhaps if there had been someone with a Concealed Carry Permit carrying that night in or near the nightclub in Orlando, we would be telling a different story, one of praise for all of the lives saved, rather than one of loss and mourning.

Do not misunderstand me, I believe there should be a process to getting a gun, rather than simply being able to walk in and purchase a gun. There are training classes to ensure proper gun safety for those who wish to learn, which is wonderful. Before we are allowed to drive a car, we have to learn, and then show what we know before we are able to go out on the open road. This should be no different for obtaining a gun.

In my opinion, the right to own a gun is a privilege, that we should not take lightly. It should not be forced on those who do not wish to own a gun, but for those who do wish to, they should be allowed to do so. Not owning a gun is perfectly acceptable, but please don’t take away my right to protect you, should your life be in danger.

We as a nation are facing a huge heart issue, we have found darkness, and we will remain in these troubled times until we address the darkness in our hearts. We must change the way in which we approach things.

“Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed, as they are in almost every country in Europe.”– Noah Webster