Opinions are like brains—everyone has one

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

And you know I do not read this to mean every person is a de facto member of the militia. It is my opinion our armed forces are the Militia. 

I have lived through martial law. In the 1967 riots in Cleveland, Ohio, the Ohio National Guard camped in the field by our apartment building, under the bedroom window, by my new baby’s crib. They were under the living room windows and the kitchen windows too. I had every confidence guns were under control. Before I am reminded innocents fell to the National Guard in 1970, in my opinion that tragedy was perpetrated by our governor, James Rhodes.

It is my opinion any weapon in the possession of any civilian belongs under lock and key. It does not need to be holstered on a hip, on public display and is does not need to be hanging down a back or over a chest, counterbalanced by a bandoleer.  In my opinion, that is a public display of power, not a need for protection.

The legislators who make the laws of the land seem not to hold my opinion. The current laws allow guns to be carried concealed or openly in all but, I believe, six states. I object to Ohio’s concealed and open carry, and take my opinion to the ballot box.

Our local and national legislators’ ears are not turned toward much of the public on gun issues. That leaves me with another right as a citizen—to object, and to boycott. Protests and me go way, way back. They are not effective overnight, but if the cause is right, the ground swell can become a crescendo that catches the attention of lawmakers, who realize their seat is in jeopardy unless they have an epiphany.

I’m sure there is a large audience barely aware many equal rights of women today were secured by their mothers. I hope they are watching and participating in securing equal rights of the LGBT community today. It’s how change happens.

In my opinion, the only visible gun should be carried by a soldier in a parade, a policeman on duty. There should be no invisible guns in civilian pockets or glove boxes of their cars. In my opinion it would be foolhardy to walk up to a person with a gun and say “Excuse me, please take that weapon home, disarm and store it safely.” My power does not match that gun.

I will, however, exercise my power of the purse against any public business that does not take a sweeping stand against guns carried openly or concealed among the public. It’s been years since I've shopped in a store selling guns, but I have no problem putting them on my public list, too.

In my opinion it’s also not too difficult to shop my beliefs, and I’ll write more about that, soon.

In the meantime, I got a chipmunk yesterday. They are so fast and I am not. They see me and spring through the grass, tail straight up, like Tigger with springs.