When I was in grade school we were all taught about the minute man, the members of the American civilian army at the time of the Revolution who volunteered to be ready for military service at a minute's notice. Now I can't find a kid who has ever heard of such a thing. We were also taught that the militia in the United States was all able-bodied male citizens between 18 and 45 years old who are not already members of the regular armed forces. I still have a common dictionary, "Webster's New World Dictionary" circa 1956 that defines "militia" as just that. I grew up believing that this was my civic duty. I was taught in school that it was my duty to my country. I was taught in my home that it was my duty to my country.

Anymore when you think of the militia, visions of sweaty racist rednecks with beer bellies and missing teeth come to mind. What has happened between then and now? Lots. Some of that will be mentioned here. Mostly I want this to be a site that I can share with you the sport of shooting but there are some serious concerns here too. I want to encourage responsible gun ownership and gun safety, as well as support my unique American right to keep and bear arms. That is why I joined the NRA.

The specific goal of the NRA is to encourage safe and responsible gun ownership and to help protect your constitutional rights. If you don't pay much attention to things I am sure you will be thinking , "Oh good grief, the NRA! They are the evil representatives of the gun manufactures." That is not true, I AM THE NRA. Myself and over 4 million other law abiding American citizens.

If you can just put aside the demonizing words of a partisan and unabashedly biased national media for a moment and do your own research into the facts you will see that the Second Amendment to the constitution of the United States is not an outdated 225 year old mistake that needs to be erased from the constitution any more than the freedom to assemble peaceably and yes, even the "freedom of speech". The right to keep and bear arms is at least as important as any of the other amendments in the Bill of Rights that our ancestors have continued to fight and die for to protect since the founding of this nation.

That is heavy stuff. Can you imagine dying to protect a concept? Millions of Americans have done just that. Unfairly and unjustifiably using the first amendment to the Constitution to destroy the second amendment is just as outrageous as using the second amendment to destroy the first. These rights and the body of the Constitution of the United States of America are vital to maintaining this fragile thing we call freedom.

America is a light to the world. God willing, we will continue being that light, but not if we continue to give away our freedoms. Join the NRA.