The Painless Ladder of Self-Defense Activism

You’re a new gun owner or a veteran collector.  Whatever your level of experience, there is always something you can do to support the right of self-defense.  Here is a painless ladder of activism.  It is how movements are made.  It is how leaders are made; small step at a time.

Why does activism matter?  I can’t ask you to run for office to defend our right of self-defense.  Oh, it needs defending all right, but no one starts at that level.  Fortunately there is something you and your family can do to support the human right of self-defense.  It starts at home.  Let me show you.

Some of these activities cost money.  Others only take time.  You can spend what you have.  Let’s start at the beginning.  Here is what someone who isn’t a gun person can do.

• Suppose you’re a single mom or dad. You don’t really like guns, but your friends and relatives have firearms in their homes and offices.  You want to be responsible parent, so you take a firearms safety class.  Now you know how to make a home safe for children if a gun is in the house.  You also teach your children to be safe around guns when they are outside your home.  Thank you.
• You have some old guns collecting dust. You take out your favorite one and go shooting.  Why did you wait so long?
• You have gun’s you have not shot in years.  You give that small 22 to a young relative.  Might as well give them the old cleaning kit too.
• You inherited your grandfather’s guns. You’re interested but also a little intimidated by them.  You join a gun club to get both instruction and a safe place to shoot.
• You are a gun owner, but your roommates don’t know about firearms. You arrange a basic firearms safety class for your roommates as well as their boyfriends/girlfriends.  Now they can tell if a firearm is loaded and how to handle it safely.  Thank you for leading the way and being a responsible firearms owner.
• You take a friend shooting. That is how everyone starts.
• You promised to take your nieces and nephews shooting. First, you sign them up for a junior safety course at your local range.  That is a great first step.
• Volunteer at your local gun club for an event that teaches kids about safety and shooting.
• Now that you’ve been around kids and guns, how about helping teach firearms safety to a boy scout or girl scout troop?  Don’t let your experience go to waste.
• A BB gun or pellet gun makes a great gift for the youngsters in your life.  What about a bow and arrow once they are stronger?  Those are great ways to teach any new shooter.
• Join human-rights organizations like the National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, the Second Amendment Foundation, and Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership. If you are a member, become a life member.  They all need our support.
• You’ve run out of excuses. Go get your permit to carry a concealed weapon.  If you already have your state concealed carry license, go get a non-resident permit from another state so you can carry as you travel.
• Don’t keep the fun of firearms ownership a secret. Volunteer to recruit new NRA/ GOA/ SAF/ JPFO members at your local gun show, your county fair or your local political party meetings.
• Have you been to the NRA convention and Gun Rights Policy Conference yet? Make plans to go.  You will love it.
• Volunteer on a local political campaign. Wear your NRA shirt while you’re making phone calls.
• Admit it. It has been too long since you took a class.  It is time you took some firearms self-defense training again.
• Now you have a reputation as a gun person.  Friends ask you to take them shooting and shopping for a new gun.  You want to be sure you are giving them consistent advise.  Get your NRA basic instructor certificates.
• Listen to your state firearms groups as they monitor self-defense bills in the legislature. Speak to your elected officials about those bills.  Sometimes activism it starts with your local school board and town council.
• Advocate for the right of self-defense. Speak at your business group and social clubs.
• Has your church youth group had a firearms safety class recently?  I bet other families want to be safe around guns too.  You are probably the best qualified person to organize that event.
• Get involved with the PTA, school board, and attend your city council meetings.
• You’ve been attending local government meetings as a citizen observer for several months. Now you write about each meeting and send your observations to the local news sites.
• The local news organizations come to you for your write ups and your comments on local events. History is written by those who show up and take notes.
• Now you’ve decided to run for local office. It might only be for a seat on the local water board.  Thank you for your service!

There is always something for you to do if you want to advance the right of self-defense.  Each of these small steps builds on what came before.  It may seem small, but each small step is a significant accomplishment.

Thank you for your service.

What have you done that we could add to the list?
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Thank you, Michael, who inspired this article.
Rob