from G. Hughes

It always makes my heart race. Every time I hear those words spoken (especially when I reenlist) my blood pumps faster in my veins. While I listen to friends and fellow comrades in arms repeat those words my mind drifts back to our history. To the brave men and women who fought and died so that we may believe in those words. Most of you don�t have to repeat those words every 4 years (I know a lot of you have before) but I do know that most of our people believe them in their hearts. A few years ago I didn�t really think about the words. I just did what the officer told me to do which was �raise your right hand and repeat after me�. That was then, this is now.

The last time I reenlisted my officer in charge gave me an U.S. Constitution booklet. I sat down and read the whole thing, especially the bill of rights. I thought about others (politicians) who take this or similar oaths. A lot of them just do what I used to do �raise your right hand and repeat after me� but don�t follow through with the �so help me God� part.

I started out reading on the web what I could do to help them understand what �we the people� wanted them to do. I joined a few Second Amendment groups, but still didn�t think about doing more. The groups kept sending me mail asking for help with certain things, but I would just trash them. What did they want? I already gave them my membership dues! They have more than enough money; they have a web site...

Then one day while looking at GOA�s web page I saw an appeal for help in writing to Congress. I thought �I can do this�, they already give me a prewritten letter to use. I wrote my house representative, and a couple of days later I received his response explaining his views on the Second Amendment. I thought, �I wonder what my senator's view on this critical issue might be,� so I emailed them as well. What I got back from them made my heart sink. I could not believe that these people, who took this oath, had this point of view. I was mad, so much so that that day I went out and registered to vote vowing that I would not allow these people to be reelected. A couple of months later along comes KeepAndBearArms.com. I decided to join and started surfing the web for news articles to add to the news clippings archive section. I bought raffle tickets. I continued to email my congress representatives. Finally one day I stopped and realized that I was actually doing a lot for our Second Amendments rights. I was making a difference.

The point I am trying to make here is: I am on the other side of the world in a country (Turkey) that most people don�t even know exists, but I am still making a difference. Granted, it may be a small one but if everyone who believes in our cause made a small contribution, we all together could make a big difference. It doesn�t take much:

• Take 5 minutes and registers to vote. Read up on candidates and make an informed decision. It doesn�t matter what party, just be informed.
  
  

• Take 5 minutes and join as a member. There are so many groups out there (KABA, GOA, Second Amendment Sisters, etc�) that say the same thing but use a different approach.
  
  

• Buy a tee shirt or hat from one of these groups to show your views to others (with most of these you can enjoy hours of entertaining conversation with others).
  
  

• Take 5 minutes to email your congressman or woman. Hell, most of these web pages have prewritten messages you can use to send off to them.
  
  

• Take 5 minutes and peruse your local newspapers on the web for gun related subjects and send them in to be archived.
  
  

• Donate $10.00 and even be given a chance to win a $775.00 gun.

All of these suggestions can help weather you are living in the good ol� US of A or stationed on the other side of the planet in Turkey or anywhere else in the world. Remember the words of Teddy Roosevelt:

�Speak softly, but carry a big stick.�