Readers of political essays may have noticed arguments about guns are much more heated than discussions about religious liberty and freedom of speech. There's a reason for the heat. Argumentation about free speech and religious freedom can become almost purely abstract, separated from physical reality. The gun, however, is a physical and real symbol of individual sovereignty. It is a tangible object, a physical possession that stands between the citizen and predators. Stripping a person of firearms leaves him naked -- vulnerable, practically defenseless and therefore open to predation, not just from individual criminals, but from the State. Further, stripping away defensive firearms instantly turns the police and armed forces into potential tools of tyranny rather than brothers and fellow citizens standing together against common enemies. There is a reason Americans love the idea of an honorable posse that goes after the horse rustlers. The sheriff, an elected and legitimate...(Read Full Post)