Below, from our friend Steven Fair, is a patriot's passionate response to Thursday's featured essay here on 'gun nuts.' A wildlife sculptor who exhibits and sells his impressive work in Oregon and at festivals across the U.S., Steven is well qualified to address the topic, having worked in law enforcement and having been certified as a Distinguished Expert by the NRA. He notes, among other things, that a requirement to be trained in the use of firearms, and to participate in an unorganized militia, is an obligation of U.S. citizenship. Here are some excerpts from his letter to me: 'I grew up with a 30-06 and a 12-gauge shotgun in an unlocked closet by the back door. The shells were on a shelf next to the guns so that said guns were not worthless pieces of metal stacked in a locked closet. I was taken out at a very young age and shown how a rifle would blow a water-filled jug to pieces. I was taught that a gun is used to kill, and there is no bluff about it. If I point a gun at a Thing, it is to kill it; make no mistake about my training as a small child. I also shot competitively from the time I was 12 in a controlled environment at a gun club, and I qualified for a Military Garand - Match Grade from the federal government when I was a teen. A Tyrannical Government? 'I never mishandled a firearm, and I never touched a firearm without the permission of my father. So my friend, what is different today? Could it be that a tyrannical government and people desire to be able to enforce their will upon the People with no fear of being held accountable ? 'I believe that if one
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