Regarding gun control and disarmament

(a brief commentary by Jose Rizal M. Reyes / December 30, 2015)

I am a man of Peace. But I also love Freedom. Whether we like it or not, those who value peace and freedom must be ready to fight for it if necessary.

Gun control may be regarded as the citizen-level equivalent of national defense. In affirming the right of citizens to bear arms, we are primarily recognizing their right to defend themselves against government tyranny. In strengthening national defense, we are primarily protecting the country from foreign attack or invasion.

I was 12 years old when Pres. Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972. I vaguely remember my father, who was a World War 2 USAFFE veteran, telling us that he buried his weapons in Marigondon Sur, the mountainous barangay where he was assigned as head teacher. Apparently, there was a drive to confiscate civilian arms during that time.

Aside from my father’s Martial Law story, gun control or disarming citizens has never been a serious issue with me and my generation, at least in those parts of the Philippines which I inhabited. Nevertheless, this is a relevant issue anywhere in the world between government and citizens. So I guess I better start formulating my stand on this issue.

I am reminded of our Muslim countrymen in the South who love to own arms. That’s their tradition since time immemorial. Well, I guess each Philippine tribe has a tradition of bearing arms, including Mangyans and Negritoes as well as the headhunting tribes of the North. But the Muslim tribes are particularly noteworthy because they don’t like to submit to gun control until today.

No problem with me really. We may cite the rationale of the Second Amendment of the US to help them keep their arms. I do not intend to solve the Moro problem by disarming them nor by killing them off. I want to solve the matter through earnest negotiations and hard bargaining based on the principles of fairness, justice, reasonableness, subsidiarity, generosity and reciprocity.

But first we must have a vision of what we want our country to be. That would give us confidence and certainty in the things that we do because we have a direction. As the Book of Isaiah says, “Without a vision, the people perish.” I will provide that vision, if no one will. Eventually, in God’s own sweet time and God willing, I will provide the leadership my country needs.