Last year I moderated a panel on "The Internet: The Information
Superhighway" at the Gun Rights Policy Conference

I never made so many enemies in such a short time. I didn't know that
there were people who liked to hear themselves talk as much as I do.

I decided I'd never do that again.

At this year's Gun Rights Policy Conference, I was asked to facilitate
a panel on "Marginalized Gun Owners." Facilitate is attorney-speak for
moderate.

I never knew that I was marginalized. Even the dictionary in my
computer doesn't recognize this word.

When our panel got together we all asked the same question. "Huh?" and
said we didn't know what we were going to say. I don't feel
marginalized, I usually feel overwhelmed.

I decided that I must be the woman gun rights advocate, Aaron was the
Jewish Second Amendment supporter, Tim was the pro-gun doctor and Ken
was the African-American firearm's instructor. I couldn't figure out
who Dave was supposed to be, so I decided that he would be the
Grateful Dead fan/Constitutional Scholar/Author.

As we chatted, I realized that each of us had made a decision about
our right to keep and bear arms that goes against the accepted norms
society expects of the roles that we play.  Aaron is of the Jewish
faith. He is supposed to be a supporter of the anti-gun Jewish Anti-
Defamation League.

Tim is an Ear, Nose and Throat physician with a large HMO. He is
supposed to be against personal possession of firearms because of the
victims of the violence that doctors deal with every day.

Ken is an African-American. He is supposed to be a supporter of gun
control because of the violence in which young black males are being
disproportionately injured.

Dave is supposed to be a Handgun Control Inc. supporter because he
likes 60's music and carries a backpack instead of a briefcase.

I am supposed to be a nurturer. I am a MOM. I am supposed to support
the destruction of any thing that can harm my children.

In reality, it is because of these societal expectations that we have
individually chosen to fight for our personal right to keep and bear
arms.

Aaron chose his position from his study of the Holocaust in World War
II and the fact that gun control was one of the first steps taken by
the Nazis in their zeal to annihilate the Jewish and other
non-acceptable populations.

Tim believes in his individual right to keep and bear arms because he
rejects the spurious arguments of the Centers for the Control of
Disease.

Ken is a supporter of the Second Amendment because he knows what the
Black Codes in the South did concerning firearms' ownership by black
citizens after the Civil War.

Dave values individual liberty and freedom from government intrusion
in all areas of his life.

I refuse to be a victim or allow my children to become victims. In
this way I feel I am the ultimate protector of my children.

We all have more complicated reasons that we have become out-spoken
and out-front supporters of the Second Amendment. We all came from
diverse religious, ethnic and educational backgrounds and we all came
to the same conclusion. Simply put, we all believe that we have an
individual right to keep and bear arms in defense of self and the
State.

The same proved true of our audience.

I started by asking all the people in attendance who were parents to
stand.

Then I asked all the people who exercise on a weekly basis to rise.

Next I asked everyone who voted in the last Congressional election to
join.

Finally I asked everyone who liked chocolate to stand.  (Believe it or
not there was one man still in his chair!)

We were a group of some parents, who may exercise regularly, choose to
vote and almost all of us like chocolate. And we all were ardent
advocates of the Second Amendment.

As I said, I am not marginialized. I am usually overwhelmed. But I do
know that it is the holiday season.

To all you gracious readers, may your bells jingle in celebration of
happy times for you and yours.

Remember that a subscription to Women & Guns Magazine is the perfect
gift for anyone- including yourself!


Personal Parting Shots

To Aaron, Tim, Ken and Dave, thank you for an enjoyable round-table
discussion.  To my S.O. (significant other) I'm still waiting for that
.22 I put on my wish list two years ago. To my elves, Happy Hanukkah
and Merry Christmas.