The fight for gun rights is not simply about being able to carry firearms. It is more than exercising your right to defend your life and property.

These are the areas we tend to focus on as gun owners. But the fight for the right to keep and bear arms is much deeper than it would seem, which is why the authoritarians in our midst desperately want us to be disarmed.

A friend of mine wrote a profound post on X in which he responded to another user claiming he was living in “terror” because he owns firearms. “Don’t [gun owners] sit up all night with their guns in their hands looking around nervously at every door and window?” the user wrote.

Carl responded, expertly laying out what the ability to defend oneself with a firearm truly means. He explained how it represents a sense of “personal autonomy and equality,” especially “in a world where violence can come unexpectedly”:

Philosophically, self-defense with a gun underscores the idea that every individual has the right to exist free from fear, regardless of external threats. It is a practical expression of the belief that one’s life is worth defending with the most effective tools available. A firearm, when used responsibly, levels the playing field between the strong and the weak, the many and the few. It shifts the balance of power, ensuring that even those who are physically disadvantaged or outnumbered can protect themselves and their loved ones from harm.

In terms of equality, gun ownership and the right to self-defense transcend socioeconomic, racial, and gender barriers. For historically marginalized communities, the ability to own a firearm can be a means of safeguarding both personal and communal security in the face of systemic injustices. It is an assertion that their lives hold equal value and that they, too, deserve the right to defend themselves against violence or oppression.

Self-defense with a firearm holds a unique place in the human experience, as it represents both the right to protect oneself and a profound assertion of personal autonomy and equality. In a world where violence can come unexpectedly, the ability to defend one’s life with a gun… https://t.co/4ufxJIsSuy

— 🔫UR a Smart Ass, Carl🔫 (@Ur_a_Smartass_C) September 20, 2024

Carl concluded by pointing out that “self-defense with a gun is not just about protection from immediate danger it is about affirming one’s inherent worth and the right to live in dignity, free from fear, in a world where not everyone values that right equally.”

Carl’s response was spot-on. He touched on sentiments shared by many gun owners who understand the importance of being able to defend themselves. But I would add to this that beyond the concept of defending one’s life, gun ownership is something even deeper.

Beyond the physical and moral dimensions of self-defense, at the root of gun ownership is independence and an aversion to relying on another entity for our well-being. At its core, carrying a firearm is an acknowledgment, whether conscious or unconscious, that the gun owner does not trust the government to keep them safe. It is a recognition that our defense is our responsibility, first and foremost.

Gun ownership reflects a mindset that understands that independence from a governing authority is desirable – and even necessary for one to live freely. It suggests that the government is not our savior or even our friend. Those who carry see that when danger arises, it is up to us and perhaps our community to take action.

This is what they wish to take from us.

It is why the authoritarian left is so set on disarming the public as much as possible. Ironically, while anti-gunners know little about guns, they also seem to understand on some level that the mindset behind gun ownership is in direct opposition to their belief that the state should be the ultimate authority and protector of the populace. It flies in the face of those who seem to think the government and the elites should be the only ones who possess firearms.

When people take the step of becoming gun owners, the notion that the state cannot save us from imminent danger will eventually shift to a realization that we cannot rely on the state and the elitists who control it in other areas as well.

If the state cannot protect us from violent criminals, perhaps it also cannot protect us from poverty. Maybe the government cannot ensure that our children are receiving the education they need to prosper as adults. It also becomes apparent that we cannot count on the government to ensure adequate healthcare.

It’s only a few steps from this realization to see that the government causes all of these problems in the first place.

If more Americans start entertaining these thoughts and expressing them out loud, they pose a direct threat to the authoritarians who seek to control us while enriching themselves at our expense.

At its heart, gun ownership and gun rights are about more than just safety – it is about autonomy. It reflects a desire to live our lives as we see fit as long as we are not infringing on the rights of another. It exemplifies the notion that we do not wish to be ruled by distant bureaucrats and politicians who care nothing for our well-being.

In the end, it’s about liberty, a concept that is anathema to the authoritarian left. When they push for gun control, we must remember they are not simply coming after our guns; they are coming for the sense of freedom gun ownership embodies.