What do you think?

There are still a lot of people out there who think Covid is like the Black Plague and that our power-hungry world leaders are locking us down and pitting us against each other for our own good.

There are people out there who, frankly, will never believe that those powerful wolves are anything but friendly and just. They have ears to hear, but will never listen to the warnings of those like Lord Acton:

Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority; still more when you superadd the tendency of the certainty of corruption by authority.

Or C.S. Lewis:

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies.

Or Alexander Hamilton:

For it is a truth, which the experience of ages has attested, that the people are always most in danger when the means of injuring their rights are in the possession of those of whom they entertain the least suspicion.

Or Patrick Henry:

Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.

Or, heck, even 18th-century British Prime Minister William Pitt:

Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.

These blind people tend to be the same who grew up hearing "follow your heart" from Disney movies and think human beings are generally good, instead of depraved wretches that need constant accountability, discipline, and checks to our power.

Zuby might say that his statement about the Second Amendment is hyperbole, but America's Founding Fathers didn't think so. Consider this quote from Jefferson in a letter to Peter Carr:

A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.

And when Jefferson said "constant companion," he meant constant companion:

The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.

What about Noah Webster, who is turning over in his grave at how woke his dictionary has become?

Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed, as they are in almost every country in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops.

Or this meme totally created by Patrick Henry:

Or this quote from absolute-Chad James Madison in Federalist Paper #46:

Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of. Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.

Only Jesus will save the world, but it is interesting to ponder what role America's Second Amendment will play in protecting all inalienable rights during this first half of the 21st century.

James Madison believed that the Federalist system, where people were attached to local and state governments and had state militias to represent their interests, would provide an ample check to "enterprises of ambition" from the federal government. Unfortunately, the states have very little power in America today, and people are far more concerned about the national power struggle than their local communities.

To the end, that our other checks and balances have failed, the "advantage of being armed" might very well turn out to be the most important advantage of them all!

Too bad we all lost our guns in tragic boating accidents though... 😭