Perspective (UPDATED)

After listening here to some "opposing" views, and commenting here,and reading here (must read this link), I felt some things were "Lost in Translation."
Most who would read my words know of Mike Vanderboegh, and the 3%. There has also come into the debate the "probable role" of the military against the "alleged 3%." The military is comprised of citizens and would react in direct proportion to a similar percent.
Perspective is defined as a way of regarding situations or topics etc...
Most of us are trying to defend what we believe we would do if it happened.
A song from the Mighty Mighty Bosstones says:

"I'm not a coward,

I've just never been tested

I'd like to think that if I was,

I would pass"

I think that pretty much sums up my argument as to the effectiveness of the letter that began this train(wreck) of thoughts in my mind.

Your perspective is probably not mine. Most of my beliefs are from "fictional" worlds or history. The most defining change in my life was when I was about 17, sitting in a juvenile jail cell reading anything I could to take my mind out of that place. I found my Bible, and hope you find yourself reading it someday. I was raised Roman Catholic with all the guilt it can imply, and as a kid of the punk rock era fought it every step. Here was a book that asked me, or more accurately demanded, that I not only "know" that one day I will die, but to accept and embrace that fact. This single idea, that single grain of knowledge changed my life forever, and for the better. Living the "good life" became a responsibility to myself, for the purpose of my fulfillment, not some higher power or greater good. Since that time I have tried everyday, to know that today might be the true endgame, and I better make it worth it. Some days I succeed, other days I fail. There are others who have lived a warriors life that I can only imagine, others a life of benefits that I cannot comprehend. One life is not worth anymore than another, yet none of us will see the event horizon coming in the same way, nor will we react in what everyone would call a "rational response."

As the man above said "live for nothing, die for something"

We all have an idea of our "threshold" and they are all different, but every discussion has ended and began with 1 of 3 points

1. The govt is doing its job and has a "right" to regulate them.
2. The "right" is god given and a citizen, requires no regulation.
3. A hybrid of the above 2 without passion to jump sides.

Anyone who reads this desires liberty, it is the cost we have a debate over. I am willing to pay a much larger price than others, that is my threshold. Are others willing to pay the price to strip me? That is the root question, equation, we need to be asking ourselves.

Who we are dictates our lives, our lives do NOT dictate who we are.

Thanks for reading my rants,

Jason

III