Our Declaration of Independence

[Ed: There’s no better way to mark July 4th than to read our country’s Declaration of Independence. The original orthography is retained, but the specific complaints about King George and Parliament’s abuses are edited out in order to focus on the principles that applied then, do now, and always will. Reposted since 2019.] Happy Independence Day from DRGO! . . In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America.  When in the ...
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A Day to Remember

(from minnmix.com)
(from minnmix.com) [Ed: First appearing on DRGO 5 years ago, we repost this piece yearly.] Memorial Day has now come for the 56th time since it was officially proclaimed in 1967. It has been kept nationwide, though unofficially, since World War II, and as Decoration Day since 1868.  It was born in spontaneous memorials early during the Civil War.  Remembering war dead has been important throughout history, even as the manner of recognition has changed across time and societies. As with...
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Review: ‘Gun Safety Activity Book for Kids’ by Jane Sharpe

(from amazon.com)
(from amazon.com) Jane Sharpe, the author of Gun Safety Activity Book for Kids, is becoming a prolific author of material that helps parents deal with behavioral and medical childhood issues. Our interest is in her works introducing, explaining and supporting our Second Amendment rights to children. We previously reviewed her Freedom Baby ABC, and were glad to provide a cover quote encouraging people to pick it up for their toddlers. She sent out a copy of her newest book for review and it i...
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Who Are the Guardians?

(from ammoland.com)
[Ed: A long, superb article by three longstanding experts originally posted on Ammoland October 23, 2023.] What is a ‘guardian?’ A simple definition of “guardian” is someone whose presence prevents crime. Criminologists, who created that evocative title, have ignored armed civilians as possible guardians. But there is no reason that civilian firearm owners could not be recognized as guardians. You know who they are. They are the peaceful folks who own firearms. They are the dependable fo...
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California should stop defying SCOTUS

(from cafepress.com)
[Ed: This was first published in The Orange County Register January 25.] The new year saw the customary barrage of new California gun control laws. The most appalling is Sen. Anthony Portantino’s Senate Bill 2, a rebellious reaction to last year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling NYSRPA v. Bruen. SB 2 has nothing to do with criminals. Rather, it selectively targets only one group—holders of a license to carry a concealed firearm for self protection (CCW). SB 2 is one of a flurry of statutes ...
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“Second Amendment Rights Empower Women’s Rights”

(from llouislinal1999.blogspot.com)
(from llouislinal1999.blogspot.com) Wednesday, December 12, 2:00 pm. I was watching the federal House Judiciary Committee on domestic violence and firearms, it’s title also being this piece’s. It is so frustrating hearing politicians talking over and around each other, hearing witnesses avoid responding to the fair points made by the other side and misusing statistics to confuse issues. DRGO is absolutely on the side of assuring the right of victims to arm themselves in self-defense, but the...
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The Bill for Our Rights

(from washingtonpost.com) [Ed: We have published this piece annually since 2015 for Bill of Rights Day on December 15. The  Bill’s Second Amendment is the reason for our being, in more ways than one.] Today we all should be jubilantly celebrating the 230th anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights, the original 10 amendments to the United States’ federal constitution. Remarkably, it slips by relatively unremarked. Yet our Bill of Rights may actually be the most significan...
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Disarmed and Unprotected

[Ed: This was originally posted on HaciendaPub.com November 5, excerpted from his latest book America, Guns, and Freedom: A Journey Into Politics and the Public Health & Gun Control Movements (2019).] For many years, the federal government has arrogated more power to itself at the expense of the individual states, including policing actions that should fall within the jurisdiction of state courts and not the federal judiciary. Likewise, federal government intrusion into every aspect...
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