Opinion: Guns Save Lives And Should Not Be Taken Away

The freedom to carry a gun in this country is a privilege I refuse to take for granted. It is arguably one of the most valuable freedoms we have been blessed with in this nation, and I will defend it with every ounce of my being. Despite what we are being told by the media and the leaders of this country, one thing remains true: guns save lives.

From a young age, my parents taught my sisters and I the value of the Second Amendment and how to be responsible gun owners. When my mom’s car was broken into while she was at work, I was never more grateful that she had her gun to protect her had the criminals still been in the parking garage when she got off work. 

I am so grateful for the lessons my parents taught me regarding the Second Amendment. It showed me the importance of being able to protect myself and those that I love from those who would wish to do harm.

As a young woman, I don’t think there are very many things more empowering than knowing I can protect myself and level the playing field against attackers who would most likely be much bigger and stronger than I am.

In light of recent mass shootings, including the shooting in Colorado a few weeks ago, the calls for gun control have grown increasingly louder, echoing off the very fabric this nation was founded upon.

“The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” This 14-word statement was written by our Founding Fathers for a reason. They knew the dangers of an unarmed population against government and other threats. They wanted the people of this nation to be able to have a right that is not found anywhere else in the world. 

In a country where calls for gun control are growing by the minute, I wish to be a voice that goes against the norm for people my age.

The most dangerous thing we can do is institute gun control in this country. The Second Amendment means what it says when it states this right “shall not be infringed.” 

This has been said time and time again, but it is worth repeating. The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.

When Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa entered a King Soopers store in Boulder on March 22, he was met by unarmed shoppers with no way to protect themselves from his heinous agenda.

Ten people tragically died that day but imagine if there had been just one shopper in that store who had a firearm on hand.

The King Soopers tragedy could have ended very differently.

While many believe that gun control will bring an end to mass shootings and make our country safer, the exact opposite is true. 

This may be controversial, but it is true. Guns save lives.

It is estimated that 1,029,615 individuals use guns every year in self-defense, excluding those in the police force and the military.

Of those people, 162,000 said they “almost certainly would have been killed” without their firearm to protect them.

To put it in perspective, the average homicide gun-related death per year is 11,208. 

The right to self-defense in this nation should never be put in question. Guns save more lives than they take by a staggering amount.

Our nation does not have a gun problem. It has a heart problem. Without God, evil reigns. Whether guns are legal or not, those intent on harming others will find a way to do it. When have criminals ever obeyed the laws of the land?

As of 2019, there are over 20 million concealed carry permit holders in the United States. The vast majority of these individuals are law-abiding citizens who wish to be able to protect themselves and the ones they love.

If guns were the problem, there would be way more shootings. Why punish the law-abiding citizens of this country for the sins of the few criminals? Gun control only hurts the law-abiding citizen and makes them more vulnerable to evil. It does not protect them.

Our Founding Fathers knew what could happen to an unarmed population, and they put safeguards in place for our protection. They knew the corruption that can erode the hearts of those in power. 

This was evidenced during the Nazi regime in Germany. The first move Hitler and his followers made against the Jews was disarming them. Unable to protect themselves from an evil dictatorship, the Jews were routinely slaughtered. 

Not only does the Second Amendment protect us from a tyrannical government and criminals, but the Bible backs it up. 

While the Bible does not explicitly speak about guns, it does command us to protect the vulnerable from harm, showing us that self-defense is not anti-Christian.

It is a God-given right.

Proverbs 24:11, NKJV says, “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling toward the slaughter.”

Similarly, Proverbs 82:4, ESV, says, “Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”

I don’t know about other American Christians, but I plan to do my part to be able to protect those that I love from the wicked who have evil in their hearts. I consider it an incredible privilege to have the ability to defend and protect. If it comes to it, I will not hesitate. 

Fellow Americans, gun control is not the answer in America, and it never will be.

Bailey Duran is the Opinion Editor. Follow her on Twitter at @duran_bailey.