Gun's purpose is to protect life

At the outset of the great experiment known as the United States of America, 13 fiercely independent states faced a common critical dilemma. How would they relate to their sister states and the burgeoning federal government? What checks could they install to ensure their independence but also build a foundation upon which they could unite for mutual security, freedom, and prosperity?

The Founding Fathers provided a great start in the first draft of the Constitution, but state leaders needed more. They refused to sign the document unless 10 important amendments, the Bill of Rights, were added. The first included the freedom of religion, speech, and press. Closely following this was the freedom for individuals to protect themselves against a tyrannical government or other threats.

The Second Amendment (2A) is one of the most cherished, yet one of the most targeted amendments in the Bill of Rights. It’s detractors often claim it exists only to keep the government in check, but the founders were smarter than that. They realized it was also necessary for individual citizens to have a means of protecting themselves in their daily lives.

Those who attack the Second Amendment speak continually of the atrocities committed by misguided or disturbed civilians with a weapon. Those events are tragic, and Christians should rightfully mourn with those who mourn.

Sadly, those tragedies fill every news outlet across the television and internet. But rarely will those same productions highlight citizens who exercised their 2A rights and saved lives. Fortunately, 2A advocates are compiling stories of civilian heroes. These incidents include moms, dads, and teens who did not desire to be involved in violence but had their hands forced by others.

There are great benefits and encouragement in these stories. They show what can happen when ordinary people are faced with impossible situations but have prepared themselves with the best tools available. Because the nature of these events can be sensitive and may also be part of ongoing investigation, the names and precise locations are not revealed. 

Home protection

Of all the stories compiled by 2A journalists, the majority involve homes. In- stances of neighbor disputes, domestic violence, and robbery add up to reveal the fact that self-defense must start at the front door.

In Texas, a home security camera captured four men attempting to break into a family home. The house was occupied by a mother, two 17-year-old males, and a 12-year-old female. Two minutes after the four invaders entered the home, two fled back to their vehicle and escaped, and two were later found at the side of the house with gunshot wounds. One of the 17-year-olds grabbed a shotgun and defended his loved ones.

In Patterson, California, a woman protected herself and her husband from an intoxicated intruder. After the offender forcibly entered the home and got into a "significant fight" with the husband, the wife grabbed her gun, which she had purchased the day before, and discharged it into the intruder. 

Again in Texas, numerous armed men held a woman and her young children at gunpoint. The male homeowner was in another room and heard the commotion. He took up his rifle and entered the common room, taking the life of one intruder and causing the other two to flee.

Business protection

Recent crime statistics reveal a massive rise in “smash-and-grabs” and violent assaults against businesses. It has become so rampant that major chains are closing stores rather than increasing security. But some small business owners are choosing to protect their livelihoods. 

In Chicago, an armed thief held employees of a cell phone store at gunpoint demanding all the electronics available. A concealed carry employee drew his own handgun and ended the threat, protecting the lives of his coworkers and his employer's business. 

Jewelry stores are often seen as high-value soft targets. A jewelry store owner in Hamtramck, Michigan, used his legal firearm to defend his business despite being stabbed by his assailant. Both recovered from their wounds, but the robber is being charged with multiple felonies. 

Sadly, it isn't just high-value stores that deal with violent threats. A man and a woman entered a vape shop in North Carolina and held a customer as a human shield while demanding cash from everyone inside. An employee with a legally concealed weapon un-holstered his weapon and shot the man. The woman was later charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and first-degree kidnapping.

Life protection

      It must be emphasized and always remembered that the point of carrying a weapon is not to end life but to protect it. Sometimes that life may be your own or that of a loved one. Sometimes it is the life of a complete stranger.

An Arkansas paramedic learned that fact as he defended himself, his partner, and a woman they had been called to treat after receiving a domestic disturbance call. The woman told the pair her boyfriend had beaten her up. In a rage, he violently confronted the two first responders. He pulled a weapon, firing on the paramedics. Both were shot, but one was able to reach his own concealed gun and return fire, killing the boyfriend. The paramedics and the woman survived the attack.

A woman in an Atlanta, Georgia, apartment complex witnessed a man firing several shots into her neighbor’s back. She responded by grabbing her own weapon and firing at the assailant before calling emergency services. She ended the threat and saved the life of the initial victim.

Two armed individuals entered a fast-food restaurant in Texas threatening the patrons. A customer decided to act by withdrawing his concealed handgun. A firefight ensued. One robber was fatally struck by the customer, and the other fled. No bystander was injured.

These are a mere sampling of experiences of people who exercised their 2A rights to protect themselves, their businesses, and the lives of people around them.

It always bears repeating: The purpose of a gun is to protect innocent life. And it could be your own. Or your mother's. Or your child's.

Editor's note: Teddy James, a former staff writer for AFA, is content producer for Media Gratiae (mediagratiae.org).