Why The Rifle? What Is Its Use? Really?

[Gabe Suarez]

At another forum...that is usually very good, the discussion of of generalizing and prioritizing has come up. The general gist seems to be that training with rifles is a Walter Mitty pastime and one is better served by making sure his teeth are clean and he is eating right.

The various posters seem to have been in agreement and have brought out certain statistics to show that even a bolt action single shot 22 will do for a "civilian". Those of us who "run around the hills with rifles seemed to get painted with an unflattering brush". It was not insulting mind you, but one can discern a tone, and the tone was that if you train with rifles you ae wasting your time as all you will ever need is a 6 shot revolver.

The question then is why bother owning much less shooting and training with a rifle. Heck...why even own such an expensive and troublesome implement??

Why men are drawn to possess weapons is an important one, both sociologically and politically. It is also important historically. As anyone who is remotely familiar with the historical record will attest, history was written by the sword, not the pen.

Man is attracted to weapons (not just guns, as they are a relatively recent invention), because the mere possession of them is the ultimate expression of individual power, personal responsibility, and the freedom to choose one’s future.

In ages past, an unarmed man was at the mercy of beast and brigand. Is it any different today? By taking up arms (and their study), we are saying that we take responsibility for our safety and that of our loved ones (whether simply a family or an entire nation). Need I remind anyone that the fact Americans are armed is an actual "check and balance" of the governmental process. An armed man cannot be enslaved...and armed man ius free...because he says so!

This simple resolution is a powerful one. It is a profound statement that the individual does, indeed, have the power to enforce his own commitment. To recognize such a feeling of individual power and freedom is an exalted experience. In my opinion, that itself, is the reason for the widespread fascination with firearms and their use. Some would identify this as a Walter Mittyism. I say it is what makes us Americans! Every American should have a rifle. If he cannot aford one, he should save up and buy one. No need for an AR or AK...and Enfield is better than a set of golf clubs!!

This is also, unquestionably the underlying reason why citizens of oppressed countries will still keep a gun or two hidden under the floorboards, in spite of any tyrannical laws prohibiting it. They may dislike America...but I expect it is all out of jealosy.

This attitude supersedes any considerations or arguements put forth by apologists such as the NRA (sporting has nothing to do with keeping tyranny in check). It is based on the mere possession of the artifact itself and what it conveys to its wielder. This is separate from any concerns about actual ability with the weapon.

I believe this is also the “bottom-line” reason for the anti-gun movement, or actually anti-anything-martial movement, whose advocates seek to divest themselves of any personal responsibility or power, and instead, want to be taken care of like children by a paternal governing body. These pseudo-americans have no concept of what freedom is. They are afraid of actual freedom like they fear a raging storm outside their childhood bedroom windows. They are not "fpr freedom", they are for the illusion of security provided by subjugation. In essence, they seek a sort of “freedom from freedom”, and are intimidated by any whose ideology differs from theirs.

These two ideologies are distinctly incompatible and must be intolerant of one another. One group is afraid of individual power, personal freedom and the subsequent responsibility. The other group seeks these things out like a voracious hunter. As a result of the seeking, they are drawn to firearms as the tools by which that which they seek will be found and preserved.

Today’s man of Freedom may never need to shoot for blood, or stab an enemy with a fighting knife, bu he is drawn to the warrior arts and possessing firearms and other weapons for the same reasons his Neolithic ancestors first sharpened stone clubs.

They are the tools of power. With such tools man need not fall prey to beast or brigand...or dare I say, politician. This personal security, and ability to enforce his will is the root of freedom, and the by-product of freedom is personal responsibility.

All of these gifts are diminished, and potentially lost without the teeth of enforcement, specifically weapons, to protect them.