By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
It’s all about passing the Second Amendment tradition from one generation to the next; remembering that it takes much more than words between friends to protect and perpetuate the right to keep and bear arms.
That was the message from Kerrie Ann Auclair, advocacy director for the Massachusetts Gun Owners Action League (GOAL) and that state’s director for Women for Gun Rights and Armed Women of America. She spoke at last weekend’s Gun Rights Policy Conference in Salt Lake City, and delivered a message that should resonate across the landscape.
Opening her presentation with a brief history lesson, narrated by Second Amendment Foundation President Massad Ayoob, Auclair noted that teaching young Americans about freedom is how this generation will assure the next generation continues the fight.
“It’s not just history, it’s a promise to our children and to each other,” she explained.
When 77 young and old men, the Lexington militia, stood on the village green 250 years ago, Auclair said they weren’t just refusing to give up their arms to British troops.
“It wasn’t about muskets,” Auclair observed, “it was about liberty.”
Jump ahead two and a half centuries and the battle still rages.
“It’s not just history, it’s a promise to our children and to each other,” she stated.
Auclair described her experience participating in the Massachusetts Junior Conservation Camp. She was there representing GOAL, and serving as the assistant shotgun instructor. This is a camp which teaches “about everything that makes freedom possible.”
“These kids learn conservation, wildlife management, first aid, map and compass skills, boating safety, archery, leadership and, of course, firearms safety,” she detailed. “The program is rooted in responsibility, stewardship and respect. It builds strong young people, not just strong shooters.”
By investing time to pass along these lessons, “we insure that America’s proud tradition of independence, responsibility and respect for the outdoors, will live on,” she said.
“We need to do more than just speak,” Auclair told her audience. “We need to teach. We need to connect, we need to reach beyond our comfort zones and meet them (young people) where they are. I promise you, if we don’t, someone else will, and they will not be teaching them the truth.”
As an activist, Auclair has traveled to Capitol Hill, worked with like-minded people in Massachusetts and elsewhere, and encouraging people in the Second Amendment community to work together.
“It isn’t about doing it perfectly,” she said. “It’s about showing up, standing together, and making sure that liberty is carried on.”
She suggested campaigning for a return of gun safety education in the schools, “not just in the homes.” And, she encouraged people to tell stories, explain to the next generation what liberty is all about by “telling them your stories.” Above all, this effort must be maintained.
“Advocacy through action means we keep showing up,” Auclair said. “We keep teaching. We keep standing.
“Let’s stop speaking only to each other and start speaking to those who will come after us,” she added. “Because the future is watching, and I want them to say we did more than fight, we taught, we reached, we acted.”
