What if I Told You that Guns Do NOT Preserve Your Freedom?

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What if I told you that guns do NOT preserve your freedom? I can hear your thoughts now:

"Alex, what are you saying? I thought you were pro-second amendment and an advocate for the right to self-protection?"

Or

"Are you seriously posting this on the 4th of July? A day we won our freedom precisely because we had guns and arms?"

Yes, I am posting this on the 4th of July - and yes, I most certainly am a staunch believer in the 2nd amendment and the right to self-protection; that is never going to change. Yet, I maintain that guns do NOT preserve freedom. What do I believe is the best way then? If rifles don’t preserve freedom, what does? Before I reveal my answer, let me explain why a rifle is not the answer.

WHY NOT GUNS?

As we are fond of telling our fellow regressive leftist citizens, a gun is an inanimate object. It cannot ensure the freedom of anyone unless it is wielded by a person. Or, I suppose, an AI robot. But the bottom line is that the gun must be wielded by someone or something designed with agency and the ability to act. In most cases, this means a human being.

Is the human being then the most essential element to ensuring freedom? Yes, but that's only part of the equation. Do we trust regressive leftists to ensure freedom? No, because they lack the necessary element to ensure freedom - the thing more powerful than any gun. That thing is virtue.

A virtuous man or woman is the best "device" ever conceived of preserving freedom. Some might call a virtuous man or woman who is willing and able to fight to preserve freedom and truth a warrior. That is what I call them. The warrior, the virtuous warrior, is the most important element to ensuring freedom. They, in fact, are the only thing which can preserve freedom. A gun is just a tool. Without virtuous, skilled warriors to wield them, they are useless.

We need virtuous warriors who are skilled in the use of arms to preserve freedom. I know it's cliche, but freedom isn't free. How do you ensure the preservation of freedom? By being the most virtuous person you can become. Why is this true? Let me explain.

WHY VIRTUE?

Men and women who are consumed in vice are easy to control. Gluttony, laziness, lust, greed, etc. these things make you a prisoner, a slave. Slaves are, by definition, owned and controlled by a master. In this case, the master is your lack of self-control, your lack of virtue. Vice is a cruel master - merciless and pitiless.

On the other hand, the more virtue you acquire, the more difficult you are to control and the more likely you are to do the right things. Virtue breeds virtue and vice breeds vice. If you are a virtuous warrior, you are more likely to use your weapons justly and appropriately. A gun in the hand of a virtuous warrior who is skilled is the greatest enemy of tyranny. An army of such men and women is even better.

If you are a reader of mine, you are likely well aware of how viciously our right to self-protection is under attack. While this is true, don't let them distract you from what really matters - DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL VIRTUE! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL TO THE SURVIVAL OF FREEDOM! This is what the regressive left seeks to destroy - your personal virtue! Why? Because an unruly, viceful, and evil populace cannot retain freedom. Tyrannical leaders and governments arise to subdue such populations. Precisely because,

1) such people are easy to control
2) vice leads to anarchy and chaos

Such anarchy and chaos invites tyrannical leaders who think they can mold civilization according to their own will - it invites psychopaths who live to control everything. Civilization literally cannot stand without virtuous warriors - men and women willing to do the right things who are skilled enough to fight back against evil.

Vice also erodes skill and ability as all vices are unhealthy (which effects your skill level). Vice also inevitably leads to meaninglessness and purposelessness which also kill your desire to strive for greater virtue and skill acquisition. For if life has no meaning, why strive for virtue and for skill?

MY PLEA TO YOU

My plea to you is to acquire skill in the art and science of self-protection and strive for virtue! Don't let what you can't do stop you from doing what you can do. You don't have to become a Jason Bourne operative to make a difference. Even if all you can do is acquire more of the virtues of a warrior (Courage, Love, Justice, Humility, Prudence, Faith and Temperance) you will prevent violence and chaos. If you pair up your pursuit of virtue with the acquisition of some real skills with firearms, self-protection, first-aid, medicine, and physical conditioning, you will become an even greater force for preserving freedom. If you teach these things to your family and friends, you have done an even more immense good.

WHAT THE ENEMIES OF FREEDOM ARE REALLY AFTER

Never forget that the primary reason Japan did not mount a land invasion of the US during WWII was because our population was armed and skilled enough and healthy enough to fight back. Japan saw too many guns in the hands of too many skilled warriors who loved their families and nation enough to fight evil. We need to return to such a time.

Guard against the degradation of your virtue at all costs. This is the true battle. The battle is not for your guns, the battle is for your hearts - the source of your virtue. For if your heart (or the hearts of your children) are conquered, the guns will naturally go away and be relinquished without a shot being fired.

Do you see now how nothing is more important than guarding your heart and gaining virtue? The enemies of freedom know this and have known it for thousands of years. This is the true battle. The enemy is at your doorstep in countless forms. From music, politics, movies, TV, radio, even from many churches and corporations, you are being programmed and indoctrinated to slowly give up control of your heart. This is done so that you will be unwilling and unable to resist the tyranny that inevitably fills the void left by vice.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IN THIS?

Personal virtue ultimately means self-control. You gain control over your heart instead of being controlled by it. Vice is when you are a slave to your impulses and passions. You have only 2 options: control yourself (pursue virtue and learn to master yourself) or you will be controlled by others.

Your importance in this fight against evil cannot be overstated. You know and influence dozens of people. How you choose to live (with virtue or vice) affects all of them. You have a purpose, meaning, and significance in this fight. Do not give up. Fight on. Pursue virtue, lead by example, and teach it to whoever is willing to listen. If you train and prepare for violence, some around you will follow. If you strive to lead a virtuous life, some in your circle will strive a little harder too. Your life is NOT meaningless and you have a purpose! You are a crucial soldier in the war to preserve freedom! If you were not aware of this, I invite you to the battle now! You are either a net positive (virtuous force) or a net negative (viceful force) in this war - and the good thing is, whichever one you wish to be is entirely within your control. It is your choice.

INDEPENDENCE DAY, 2018

On this 4th of July, 2018, resolve to take up your role in the war to preserve freedom. If you have already been fighting, I encourage you to keep going! If you have been waiting to get involved because you don’t think your contribution matters, I am exposing that lie now! Your contribution does matter. Just as every link in a chain is necessary for a strong chain, you are necessary.

Keep before your mind and heart the real source of freedom - Virtue! Never allow yourself to be distracted from this truth!

Always remember, virtue should be your goal. Strive for it, gain it, keep gaining it and fight to keep it. The regressive left and all other enemies of your freedom are not truly after your guns, they are after your hearts. For if they can gain your heart, you’ll forfeit your guns without a fight. Then, you will truly be a slave.

Live with virtue so that freedom may be preserved!

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Alex Lanshe, the Warrior Millennial, is a committed activist for the right to self-protection, defender of the 2nd amendment, personal protection trainer, national speaker, author of 3 books including the acclaimed Anatomy of a Warrior: 7 Virtues All Warriors Must Live by to Successfully Protect and Serve, blogger and podcast host of the Anatomy of a Warrior Show. You can follow and support him by:
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