The Ethics of Armed Citizenship

From 2019, various surveys have shown a sustained increase in gun ownership in the United States. Estimates of new, first time gun owners range from 7.5 million to about 15 million; almost 5% of the U.S. population. There is an immediate need for each of these new gun owners to be educated on the issues of proper storage, the need for training to become proficient with the weapon, and a clear understanding of the legal and ethical issues surrounding self defense. Guns implicate fundamental rights and raise issues that are literally matters of life and death. The ownership of a gun does not confer the ability to use it properly nor the mindset to possess it safely. The solution is not to paternalistically regulate guns out of existence. The attempt to do so may prove not only self-defeating, but dangerous. The way forward is a more thoughtful and educated gun owner. Drawing on the author’s personal experiences of gun ownership and marksmanship, this book addresses a wide variety of issues ranging from the ethics of self defense, to the legal history of the Second Amendment, and the practical considerations necessary to exercise the right to bear arms. "The Ethics of Armed Citizenship" is a guide for gun owners to exercise their rights responsibly and commit to protecting others; and for those who research gun ownership to better understand both the philosophical issues behind the right to bear arms in the USA, and the practicalities and legalities of gun ownership.