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Who’s on First? Who’s on Second?

Opinion

By Jaymz Cervantez

In the past month or so there was an image floating around, largely on the Facebook page, “The Gun Collective”. The image showed Tim Kennedy during a podcast interview with Lance Armstrong saying, “…yeah I believe gun control is a massive solution, I don’t think a 19-year-old kid should have access to an AR-15, I don’t.” This led many people to call out Tim Kennedy for falsely supporting the Second Amendment and requesting that his sponsors drop him. I waited to see if there was more to the story, and sure enough there was a phone interview with Tim Kennedy and Recoil Magazine’s Patrick Roberts. I listened to the Fifteen-minute-long interview so I could make an informed decision on the subject. 

In short Tim Kennedy said that it was just his own opinion and that there was nothing deeper to it than that and he stuck to that despite Patrick Roberts asking him multiple times to clarify his statement from the podcast interview. Kennedy also stated that because of the podcast interview he received multiple messages from listeners stating that he opened their minds on the subject and that they were going to explore their Second Amendment rights and go to a range. This was a result that Kennedy was hoping for and wanting to show people that not all gun owners are afraid to have “that” conversation. 

Although Kennedy’s personal stance is unpopular, I can understand why, he is completely entitled to express these views in accordance with the First Amendment. I personally believe that more can be done to prevent mass shootings from happening, what that may be is difficult to pin point and treads on many grey areas. I do not believe that Kennedy should be punished and pushed away for simply using his First Amendment right and not sticking to the ridiculous, “From My Cold Dead Hands” approach that many gun rights activists take. The way of thinking makes the conversation impossible to take place and further divides the pro- and anti-gun groups and individuals. It comes off as a broken record and talking to a brick wall that will only hurt our cause in the long run. 

Tim Kennedy has done more for the Second Amendment than the average Joe and I support him as a person. I believe that many of us have an unpopular opinion of some sort but wish to never express it for fear of rejection. I personally do not believe that civilians should have access to fully automatic weapons because I believe that the general population is too immature to handle that responsibility and will wind up hurting themselves, much like that moron who shot a lawnmower packed with Tannerite at close range and then had his lower leg severed by shrapnel. On the other hand of the argument I do believe that people have the right to own such firearms because the existence of the Second Amendment. This conversation with the Second Amendment is a difficult one to have and it will not be won by yelling or posting online, “From My Cold Dead Hands.” 

Jaymz Cervantez

Jaymz Cervantez

Jaymz is a medically retired Infantryman that was able to attain the rank of Sergeant. He has since graduated from Sonoran Desert Institute with an Associate in Science of Firearms Technology and plans to work on a Sociology degree next. He is passionate about well-constructed gear, military firearms, and firearms safety.

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