Guns, heroes, liberty

Ever since the school shootings occurred in Colorado, American firearm ownership has been subject to a hostile, unrelenting, and merciless political assault from the Left. Guns have increasingly gained a dishonorable reputation for allegedly serving as despicable tools of terror and mass destruction, with absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

But it was not always that way. I remember a time when guns represented the American frontier life: when it symbolized such romantic notions as hope, opportunity, rugged individualism, independence, self-reliance, and the ever intrepid pioneering spirit.

Indeed, when I conceive of liberty, when I think of the noble statement, the sentiment, “Give me liberty or give me death,” I think of firearms and the sacred right to bear arms.

I hark back to history. I see—-and hear—-the booming artillery barrage at Normandy, the storming of the invasion beaches in France.

I see the doughboys rising from their muddy trenches, offering a heroic charge for liberty. Patriotism fills me.

I see the gallant US Marine retreat at the Chosen Reservoir, in defense of the Korean Peninsula against fanatical Red Chinese Communist aggression.

I see the flag rising triumphantly at Iwo Jima, proudly–gloriously–unfurling, bearing the colors that, to me, represent, liberty, capitalism and opportunity.

In the words of my hero, General Douglas MacArthur, “Through the bloody haze of their last reverberating shot, I shall always seem to see a vision of grim, gaunt, ghastly men, reverently following their sacred passwords of duty honor, country . . . still unafraid.”

When I gaze adoringly at a beautiful rifle, admiring it in my arms, I seem to see them, too. Then I think of John Wayne and Audie Murphy. I see the films, “The Sands of Iwo Jima,” “Patton,” and “From Hell to Eternity,” playing incessantly in the mind’s eye. I think of Gary Cooper playing Sgt. York, shooting turkeys on the farm, and then later, imperialistic Germans on the battle-fields of World War I–the one to “make the world safe for democracy.”

Anyway, that’s at least part of what guns mean to me. They are a symbol–a romantic celebration of freedom—-of life, property and sacred honor—-for over 200 years of American history.
America. The land of the free. The only nation in the world with firearm ownership specifically protected in its constitution.

What ever happened to that glorious liberal tradition–to that chivalrous code of manly honor? The gun, the gun, the gun–oh, where have you gone?

Strictly a personal view. Charles Reyes Jr. is a regular columnist of Saipan Tribune. Mr. Reyes may be reached at charlesraves@hotmail.com