I am a woman of a certain age. I have silver hair. Wrinkles. I’m tired. I don’t like conflict. I have never been arrested nor committed an act of violence. I want to lead a peaceful life. I sincerely hope you get to live in peace, too.

I am also a gun owner. Some of the guns I own are ones you want to take away or limit my ability to possess or use. You want to do this despite the fact that I’ve never used them for any aggressive purpose — and don’t want to. You want to do it to other people I know, despite the fact that their guns are no threat to you or yours.

As a gunowner who hopes to live a long, peaceful, free life and be a valuable member of my community, I have this to say to you. I speak only for me.

But I am not alone.

—–

So you believe guns will go away after you’ve forbidden them? They will go away exactly as much as liquor did during the 1920s, as much as illegal drugs have. Welcome to Prohibition. And the drug war. And all the futile violence they spawned, times ten.

So you imagine your loved ones will be safer because you’ve made our loved ones subject to your whim? You are putting everyone at greater risk.

So you believe that only police and soldiers should have guns? So did millions of other people, who died at the hands of their paid “protectors.” Study the history of genocide.

So you’re a member of some elite class and you believe you and your privileged friends will always be protected by armed guards, police, or soldiers? Fine. Enjoy the history of the Praetorian Guard.

So you believe that regulations, transfer taxes, permissions, paperwork, and more power for the most abusive, inept, and racist federal agency can be used to squeeze the firearms out of honest hands even if there’s no outright ban? Then you don’t know millions of your fellow citizens. You don’t know us, but you aim to take from us.

So you believe that we should spend 10 years in prison — or 10 times 10 — merely for possessing objects that you fear and want to put under the National Firearms Act? Mere ownership. Of mere things. Tools. Or parts of tools, like magazines. You wish this hideous fate for us, your peaceable fellow citizens? Without knowing us, you despise us that much?

So you believe we are your enemy? We are that only if you declare war on us. Leave us alone and we’ll leave you alone. We and our firearms may even protect you from harm.

So you fear armed Americans so much that you’ll try to disarm us at any cost to us — the cost of our lives, the cost of our freedom? Okay, then. We’ll give you reason to fear.

So you believe that you can use executive power or backdoor chicanery to bypass restrictions on government authority? Fine. We’ll show you which force ultimately restricts government, once government has shaken off all other limits on its power.

So you believe we’ll turn our guns and our lives over to you just because you demand it? Molon labe. Come and take them.

So you believe that we — the ones you have already declared to be evil, violent, fanatical, ruthless, fringe-oid, and so very, very dangerous that we can’t be trusted around children — will meekly submit to your will? Molon labe.

So you think your police and soldiers will be willing to kick down our doors to get our unregistered, privately held, or banned guns and throw us into prison for decades merely for owning tools? You think your armed, violent agents will do this to us time and time and time again — in the false cause of preventing violence? You think hired guns will do this dirty work for you year after ruthless, fruitless, defiant year? Yes, given the mentality of hired guns, some will. Some. The chaos they create will ultimately be laid at your doorstep.

Molon labe. Come and take our guns — if you have the courage of your convictions.

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