Hoplophobia – An unreasoning fear of instruments (weapons). Hoplophobia is a term that was coined, if I recall correctly, by the late Jeff Cooper.  It is an excellent term and describes well those who fear instruments more than the hands that wield them.  The very heart and soul of the anti-weapon movement revolves around the idea that individuals are not responsible for their actions, rather it is the object that spurs the criminal to commit the act of violence.  Simply put, this is idiocy.  It does not take into account the millions upon millions of owners of weapons who do NOT commit crimes of violence.  Such an attitude is akin to looking upon all men as potential rapists – because, after all, they’re equipped to do so.  Or considering all women to be potential prostitutes – because, after all, they are equipped to exercise that activity.  And that’s not to mention the slap in the face of the billions of honest poor upon the planet when we are told that high rates of criminality are due to poverty.  What about the billions of poor who do NOT commit crimes?  Or the rich who commit crimes? What is THEIR excuse if it is poverty that causes crime?

Criminal activity does not stem from availability of weapons.  Nor does it stem from the presence or absence of the Y chromosome.  Nor does it stem from poverty – or lack thereof.  It stems from the “heart” of the criminal, from his or her way of thinking and manner of justifying his or her actions.

And yet, too many people fear the object, the implement, the instrument – rather than fearing the person who wields that instrument.  The person who is capable of utilizing a firearm to commit a crime is also capable of committing crimes via other means.  Many, many criminals have extensive “rap sheets” in which their criminal life is partially recorded.  I say partially because all that’s there is what they’ve been arrested for or convicted of – not every thing they’ve ever done.  And time after time you’ll see the same person guilty of utilizing anything from a broken bottle to a pilfered firearm to commit acts of violence.  Often the same person will be guilty of physical aggression with a wide variety of objects, from their own hands to a pool cue to a broken bottle to a baseball bat to a firearm.  So why are firearms singled out?  Because of their perceived ease of use.  And also too often due to the inclination of the people who vilify them to desire to use them themselves. This is known as projection.  They believe that since they see the firearm as a means of doing harm to others and recognize that if they had such an implement at hand they would use it to harm another, therefore ALL people who possess firearms have the same inclination and desire.

It’s amazing to see the hypocrisy of the anti-weapon campaigners.  Many of them have weapons themselves – and yet seek to deprive others of their lawful use.  Why?  Because of the evil that lays within their own hearts and their fear that others may have that same evil within.

We should not fear inanimate objects.  We should fear the latent evil that resides within a considerable portion of the population.   And our goal should not be to remove weapons but rather to remove the desire to commit violence against others.  And that can only come about by a change of mind.

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God Romans 12:2