Most of you by now have undoubtedly seen the stories about the two major protests here in Michigan last month that were held to push back on Gov. Whitmer’s executive orders. Most states had shelter-in-place orders issued but the Governor here went over the top. Not allowing gardening equip to be purchased in some stores but not others, and allowing you to golf but not use a golf cart.

Real screwball stuff.

However, the focus of the media and the Governor was not the substance of the complaints but that a few people showed up with Confederate flags or guns. Big guns. Assault weapons if you will (being as only something with a clip can assault you. A simple handgun is not assaulty enough.)

Now, I’m not going to sit here and condemn anyone’s personal choice of flying the Stars and Bars of the Confederacy, being that is, of course, their First Amendment right and that is not the focus of this article. However, the last time I checked the South still lost the war so I’m not fond of waving a flag of the losing side. Might as well wave a white flag with General Lee’s face on it.  You can do it, just don’t expect me to clap.

The thing that has most peoples’ nose out of whack is that American citizens actually went to a State Capitol carrying their guns openly. “HOW DARE THEY?!” paraphrasing the lil’ environmentalist Greta Thunberg. Even Libertarian SUPERHERO, Justin Amash, (he knows more about the Constitution than you will ever now, just ask him) criticized the protestors for “threatening” legislators. Just watch this clip from CNN

Sorry, Justin, the Founders were not concerned about the feelings of legislators worried that the citizens get pissy occasionally. They actually counted on it.

Those protestors were doing what the Consitution was written to allow them to do. Carry a weapon on their person to protect themselves and others. If you concede the rights of citizens to carry scary-looking guns than you might as well ban them from carrying 22’s also. A gun is a gun. They are made to stop and kill someone and be used for protection.

The same as law enforcement.

No one was killed or arrested at this rally. In fact, pictures of some of the protestors with the Michigan State Police are the exact opposite of the narrative that is being sent around now.

For those who are not fans of guns, I fully expect the shallow arguments of “guns are bad” anywhere at all times. That is part of the feelings-over-facts crowd’s most consistent talking points. However, we should not allow that to sway the fundamental rights that we as citizens of this republic have.

These are times that the rights that our ancestors fought for starting 243 years ago need to be reinforced and not abandoned.

No matter how scary the gun may look.