The Bill of Rights is arguably the most pertinent portion of the Constitution. The bill's 10 amendments were part of an effort by our Founding Fathers to limit the size and influence of our omnipotent government on the private lives of American citizens. It is imperative that Americans wholly comprehend these 10 amendments to competently resist our government's attempts to unconstitutionally deprive us of these fundamental, non–negotiable rights.

Our government violates our right to bear arms daily, even though the Second Amendment states in plain language that this right shall not be infringed upon by federal, state and municipal governments.

One man who is taking a stand against laws that violate the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is Rick Stanley, the Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate in Colorado. Stanley was arrested last December for protesting the recent unconstitutional ban on the private ownership of firearms in the city of Denver. This law will be contested in court on May 7.

Other cases of infringements on the right to bear arms abound. In Massachusetts, one must take gun safety classes prior to purchasing a gun. Here in Texas, we are required to attend a class to earn a license to carry a concealed weapon. In Washington, D.C., there is a complete ban on the private ownership of firearms. Possessing a gun in the nation's capital can land the perpetrator up to five years in jail.

Why aren't more Americans enraged by these obvious infringements on our fundamental right to protect ourselves? The answer is obviously multi–faceted. One reason is that too many Americans are simply ignorant of the laws of the country, states and cities in which they live. Another reason involves misdirected human emotion. Proponents of strict gun–control laws, including celebrities and politicians, theorize that restrictions keep Americans safe by preventing the bad guys from purchasing guns. Unfortunately, after tragedies such as the Columbine High School shooting, the focus is shifted to so–called conservative gun laws instead of the real problem: The people who commit these terrible crimes. They then call for the government to make it harder for law–abiding citizens to simply exercise the right to protect themselves.

However, stricter gun–control laws only hurt law–abiding citizens, not criminals.

Criminals will possess guns regardless of laws. Good citizens will be at a disadvantage when faced with danger if they aren't armed, which will more likely be the case in a city where it is very hard, if not illegal, to own a firearm. Is it any surprise that the cities and states with high crime rates have very strict gun laws?

England and Wales have a complete ban on the private ownership of firearms. Since these countries imposed this restriction on its people, the crime rates have escalated. The International Crime Victims Survey, conducted last year by Leiden University in Holland, found that England and Wales ranked per capita second overall in violent crimes among industrialized nations. The case is similar in Australia. Since Australia banned private ownership of most guns in 1996, armed robberies have risen 45 percent. Criminals are the ones who own the guns, and it's the law–abiding citizens that are being hurt everyday.

It is imperative, now more than ever, that the people of this country wake up and stand up to our reckless government. Every American citizen should unite behind Rick Stanley and his effort to have more than 20,000 unconstitutional gun laws repealed. He is spearheading Bill of Rights rallies around the country to gather support for this effort to make his vision become a reality. These rallies are simply a prerequisite to the final showdown, the Million Gun March on July 4, 2003 in Washington D.C. Hopefully these rallies and the march in D.C. will result in the repeal of these laws and consequentially making this nation safer for every citizen.

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