In his work, The Law published in 1850, French economist Frédéric Bastiat stated, “Each of us has a natural right–from God–to defend his person, his liberty, and his property. These are the three basic requirements of life, and the preservation of any one of them is completely dependent upon the preservation of the other two.”
Note that he did not say that your rights come from a consensus of your peers, the Congress, or any politician. Rather he stated each of us has a “natural right” from God. In case you happen to be non-religious by the way, the implication is the same: our rights to defend ourselves are a birthright, not something granted to us by mankind.
At the present time in our country, we have seen a man killed at the hands of a rogue police officer while three of his partners essentially looked the other way; and we must now deal with the aftermath. The violation of George Floyd’s right to life is abhorrent, barbaric, and wrong; but it is not representative of the other 99% of the people in law-enforcement in our country. The vast majority of which would stand between you and a knife or gun-wielding attacker without a second thought.
With so much turmoil, rioting, looting, and burning going on, the average citizen has a right to fear for their safety and that of their family.
In some cities things have gotten so out of hand that the National Guard has been called in, and with good results. But some people have risen questions about the use of the military as a peacekeeping force on American soil. Their fears are unwarranted.
The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 limits the power of the federal government to use federal troops on American soil. It is one of the many safeguards that exist to protect our freedoms. It places limitations on another important law, The Insurrection Act of 1807. This act provides an option for the President of the United States to protect our citizens through the use of the military during times of great upheaval, when local governments are unable (or unwilling) to handle things a situation.
However, neither the police nor the US military can be our personal bodyguards. For this reason the US Constitution includes another valuable guarantee for Americans – the Second Amendment. The right to bear arms is the most fundamental and important part of the Constitution with regards to one’s personal safety. It assures every American citizen that they can defend themselves legally and justifiably if the need arises. Furthermore, the use of firearms is a great equalizer. If an American finds themselves and their family home in the path of a mob of rioters who are burning things to the ground, a firearm goes a long way towards deterrence as well as protection.
In conclusion, we need to look at this whole situation with the proper mindset. When our politicians protect our natural right to defend our life, our liberty, and our property, they deserve our trust and support.
When they do not, it’s time to elect those who will.
The Empty Cup 