“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Abraham Lincoln

Sadly, we see our country becoming more and more divided. It’s heartbreaking to see division ripping our country apart. There are no longer conversations. It is literally impossible to discuss any issue without it turning ugly, even among friends, workmates, and family. Regrettably, the effects of division have infected so many areas of our life including the political, social, religious and cultural arenas. Included in this is the fight to protect our Second Amendment rights.

Any organization or community of people must be united in their shared goal to attain their purpose successfully or to protect it. They must lock arms, side by side with the core purpose protected within. Naturally, the people who share a united mission will be diverse. They will varying opinions on any or even all other subjects and beliefs. Yet, they commit and show loyalty to the core purpose. They must be able to honor and respect the differences amongst them. With unity comes strength, influence, and power. We achieve significant accomplishments when we are one in purpose. The fruits of unity are so attractive. New people are drawn to the cause. That is where our strength lies and what we require in the battle to preserve our Second Amendment rights.

To fully understand the importance of unity we must understand what division is. What does it look like? What is  the effect it has on us personally and collectively? To protect what we together and personally hold dear, we must fully understand division to prevent it from taking hold and wreaking destruction within the community.

What is Division?

• The act, process, or an instance of separating or keeping apart
• To separate into opposing sides or parties
• Separation by difference of opinion or feeling; disagreement

Here is the most important thing to understand about division: It isn’t spontaneous or something that just happens to us. IT IS INTENTIONAL!

IT IS A TACTIC!  Division is a strategy to gain power, and it has a purpose.

This strategy has been used since ancient times. I am sure you have heard the phrase “Divide and Conquer,” it comes from the Latin dīvide et imperā and this tactic has been used throughout history. People use this tactic to gain power and to control enemies and potential enemies. It’s rather simple, to increase power, any opposing groups must be divided and therefore weakened and must not grow in strength. The breaking up of existing groups that have power or influence is the key to gaining control. Additionally, we can see this play out with mentally unhealthy individuals as well. Narcissists and abusers divide and break up the other relationships of the abused. This is a way to control and manipulate them. Therefore, they use this tactic to have or to get the attention or power they crave.

What does this intentional use of the tactic of division look like in our fight to protect the Second Amendment?

• The popular media bullies and demonizes gun owners and Second Amendment supporters. They tell us we don’t care about children, or that we are terrorists. Because of this, the public ostracizes us. We are losing the ability to do business or told our business isn’t wanted. At times, physical threats have occurred. Bullied people are quiet people who can’t grow in power. This is the goal of the dividers.
• The pitting of one against another by provoking people or groups within the community to fight amongst themselves and to not trust each other. They falsely accuse and plant seeds that the leaders of the Second Amendment community are doing something wrong. They say we aren’t genuinely working for the collective best interest. This fosters distrust and jealousy amongst the ranks. Additionally, this weakens our ability to stand and fight with strength, power, and influence to protect our Constitutional right.  When we divide, little things become big things, and this blurs our common purpose. The result weakens our unity and strength. This is the goal of the dividers.
• Our diversity as gun owners and Second Amendment supporters is being used as a tool to divide us. We see this tactic in the language and rhetoric that pits conservatives against liberals. Republicans against Democrats. People of one color against those of another. Language matters and words are being used to divide us. This is the goal of the dividers.

Who We Are

American gun owners and Second Amendment supporters are people who believe in the right of self-protection from harm, by others or by a tyrannical government. That’s it! This is where we will come together to join in the battle. We will protect this right. The battle is between people who believe in the people’s right to bear arms and those that don’t. Period! They use our diversity against us. Those seeking to create division use our differences, which are a strength of our community, to create tension among us. They shine a light on the tensions that are naturally found in diversity and are using them as a tool to divide us. This is the goal of the dividers.

More Effects of This Division

• The introduction of false facts and false accusations create distractions both intellectually and financially on the Second Amendment organizations and their leaders. This causes the organizations to spend precious resources, both human and financial in having to deal with multiple “side” issues. This keeps the organizations that we rely on off of the focused work on the primary goal of protecting the Second Amendment. This is weakening our power and influence while exhausting all resources. This level of distraction decreases the efficacy of the community and creates more opportunity to take the community down by dividing it. We are making the job of those opposed to our Second Amendment right easier. Their battle for power or control is won with less physical resources. Our Second Amendment community is weakening itself! This is the goal of the dividers.
• Weak and predatorial people within are being enlisted and seduced. Sadly, they are willing to cooperate and assist with the division for some form of personal gain. Moles exist in almost all communities, these are the “me first” people who are in it for themselves and what they get out of it, not for contributing to the community for the unified purpose. Therefore, they are easy to seduce and entice into participating in the division. This is the goal of the dividers.

What About Us?

Regrettably, these tactics are being used against and within our Second Amendment community. Outside forces, influencers, dollars and the application of these tactics are weakening our ability to protect our precious Second Amendment. These are creating gaps in our chain of locked arms that our core purpose within, the protection of the Second Amendment resides. You have to see it too. People and groups that are forming cliques that are causing us to focus and fixate on details and sub-issues rather than our immediate need to just fight to keep our Second Amendment right in existence.

I am not judging these opinions and beliefs nor saying that they hold no validity. What I am saying is that now is not the time.  We are dealing with all of the above while we are trying to fight battles on EVERY possible front. While we grumble, complain and question them, we use our precious resources.  Simultaneously, we “expect” them to protect the “core,” our Second Amendment. Yes, this is the goal of the dividers.

What Can You Do?

Please, understand the very real threats that exist to our Second Amendment TODAY. The midterm elections and even the 2020 Presidential election pose severe and imminent threats. Therefore, we must recognize the intentional use and the purpose of the tactic of division. My plea to you is to look for any evidence of division in your Second Amendment world and expel it. Then, lock arms in unity with your brothers and sisters in arms and let’s get to work together now to protect our common core, OUR Second Amendment.