Some of us do not realize just how big an impact the Second Amendment can have on a person. I know that some anti-gun advocates think that the reason gun owners are so passionate about gun rights is so they can have guns to shoot or to hunt. Other times they think that we are all a bunch of paranoid people that believe that the world is out to get us and that we believe the only chance we have is to own a firearm.
The practical side of owning a firearm and gun rights is often lost on them. I had the very special privilege to speak to a woman that the practical reasons for owning a gun are all too real. Due to the nature of her employment and the sensitivity of her work, we are keeping her name anonymous and will not go into a lot of detail about her employment. In order to tell her story, I am going to use the fictional name of Beth. The events of this article are true just some of the details have been left out in order to protect her identity.
As I was talking with and listening to her story, I realized that many other women across this nation find themselves in similar situations. Beth is a small framed woman and is a survivor of a violent marriage. Throughout her marriage, her ex-husband displayed violent tendencies. 
His rages would result in damages to inanimate objects. When he was in one of his rages Beth stated that he was a different person and that she would see pure evil in his eyes. One incident with his boss resulted in him having a violent outburst and turning his rage against his truck. When he was finished, the truck looked as if it had been in an accident with another vehicle.
With the work that Beth does, she had considered getting a Concealed Carry License in her state. The nature of her employment would at times take her to some of the more unsavory parts of the communities that she works in. One trip to a client that Beth had to see was the home of a known gang member. It was natural for Beth to consider getting a Concealed Carry License from the state in order to ensure her protection. One thing prevented her from moving forward with her considerations. That was because of the violent outbursts of her spouse and the fear of what he may do with a firearm during one of his rages.
Due to the nature of Beth’s employment, she would be required to visit clients in some of the more unsavory parts of towns and cities within her region. One time she was required to visit a client in the home of a known gang member. Even with these dangers, the fear of what her husband may do continued to prevent Beth from pursuing her Conceal Carry License and carrying a firearm for defense.
During one of his rages, Beth’s husband became physical and he attacked her. This is what finally changed Beth’s mind and the fear of being attacked again caused her to complete the requirements for her Concealed Carry License. Her Concealed Carry Instructor helped her select a weapon to start carrying. This was kept secret from her husband until shortly before she separated from her husband. He continued to have his fits of rage and violent outbursts.
Once her husband learned that Beth now had a firearm and was carrying it, he would have fewer violent outbursts. He may have feared what may happen if he lost control again and attacked Beth. Today Beth is with a supportive new husband and is still carrying the firearm that she purchased. The reason for carrying now is not that she fears her husband but to ensure that she is able to come home to him every night.
It was a humbling experience talking to this woman and as she told me her story the more I realized that if we lose the rights that are protected by the Second Amendment the greater the chance that women like Beth may not survive an encounter with a violent attacker. A firearm is an equalizer and it allows a woman to be able to defend herself against an attacker much larger and much stronger than she is. This applies to men as well.
The work we do, through the Liberty First Foundation and the Religion of Arms, to support and defend the Second Amendment is much more important than just being able to have a gun. It is so much more. Only through the telling of stories like Beth’s can we hope to help people to understand just how important the Second Amendment is to the freedom that we all deserve.
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