So choosing to bear arms is indeed an act of great courage. It is a decision and a stance that any human being should be proud of.

Yet my students do not come to me with pride. They come to me furtively and ashamed, desperately making excuses for their decision as if mere association with firearms will somehow damage their integrity as human beings. Before I can even begin to teach them what they must know to bear arms safely and legally in this state, I must teach them that armed self-defense is their right, not a privilege they must ask for – and never, never something they should apologize for. They are requesting a concealed handgun license from state for sole purpose of remaining out of jail, but they were born with instinct and right to defend their own lives. This instinct is not immoral, and it never will be. And there is nothing nobler than decision to risk your own life to defend someone else.

It is interesting to watch process. They sit a little straighter now.

The next step is to teach them Texas law and a few simple rules for resolving conflicts without violence. We cover some firearm safety rules, and they take a range test so unbelievably easy it only proves that they know at which end of range target is located. That test is meant to be easy. It should be easy for an 80 year old grandmother to pass. It was designed that way!

After state requirements and testing are completed, they take their first steps on a lifetime journey together. I would not presume to tell my students what is right and what is wrong. I tell them about Texas law, that’s all. But I do have an obligation to make them think about right and wrong. They must begin to set their personal boundaries and define what they are and are not willing to do.

In midst of a firefight is not place to make these philosophical decisions!

For example: If a burglar broke into your house tonight and tried to make off with your VCR, would you confront and try to stop him? If he attacked you then, would you shoot to defend yourself? You had better know answers to these and many other questions before you choose to keep and/or carry a firearm. When situation is happening, it is already much too late to think it through. I ask my students to try imagine every possible circumstance and decide what they would and would not do. The thinking process is never complete. It is ongoing.

There is self-defense, and there is murder. Much of time that line is clear and obvious. But many circumstances can blur line between self-defense and murder to point where there is no clear cut right and wrong answer. Personal boundaries must be set in that gray area. In fact, I can’t imagine any decision more personal except possibly decision of what deity to worship.

That idea sinks in, and my students leave classroom with a lot of thinking to do.

What they do not yet realize is that thinking they will do over coming months and years is going to change them forever – and for better. It never fails. That is hidden virtue of firearms. We do very little moral thinking in our society. Most kids today are actually embarrassed at mention of “right” and “wrong.” Yet concepts of right and wrong, of duty – and of sacrifice – go hand in hand with idea of lawful carry. Training your kids in use of firearms offers a golden opportunity to teach them moral values.

Thomas Jefferson, one of great architects of our nation, understood this very well. In 1785, he wrote a letter to Peter Carr, then attending school in Paris, in which he offered warm advice on how best to seek success, both in college and in life.

In Jefferson’s own words: “A strong body makes mind strong. As to species of exercise, I advise gun. While this gives a moderate exercise to body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to mind. Games played with ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for body, and stamp no character on mind. Let your gun therefore be constant companion of your walks.”

Excellent advice.

At a tiny 5'1", Kathryn A. Graham is a licensed private investigator, pilot, aircraft mechanic and handgun instructor in Texas. Also a prolific author, she has written numerous articles, short stories and a science fiction novel. http://www.kathrynagraham.com/

Element 3 is to demonize enemy. That's pretty easy. The Roman Catholics started that some centuries ago with lie that Pagans are Satanists. Since Pagans do not believe in Judeo-Christian pantheon at all, belief in Satan – let alone worship of Satan – is a bit of a stretch. Nevertheless, that ghastly lie resulted in literally millions of deaths at hands of Inquisition, and is still believed by many ignorant people today.

Interestingly enough, Pope John Paul, himself a sincere Christian, has only a few months ago formally admitted his Church's responsibility and made public apology for those very deaths, among many others.

So now opportunists are taking a slightly different tack.

It seems (now) that earth-based religions are destroying America by promoting environmentalism and U.N.'s "New World Order."

Really. Uh, huh. This lie flies because very few non-Pagans known anything about us, and they believe without question what their religious leaders tell them.

Oh, sure, Pagans have some brain dead nutcases that get some lurid press now and then by sitting in Lotus position under trees, and I wouldn't be surprised to find that some of these twits have a mutual love affair with United Nations. Christians have their share of nuts, too, in case you hadn't noticed. I don't think any religious faith is devoid of silly fanatics.

In fairness, It is certainly true that most Pagans are environmentalists. As a group, we revere Earth which gave us life, and there are few of us who are not concerned about things like destroying rain forests of Brazil (which produce more than 70 percent of world's oxygen, by way). Breathing – and eating – are very difficult habits to break.

On other hand, most Pagans also have pragmatic view that Man is very much a part of Earth's environment, and I have yet to meet any Pagans nutty enough to advocate destruction of Man's habitat to benefit some nearly extinct snail garter! Nor would most Pagans object to further development of our world's energy resources – while searching for a renewable source of energy, of course. I, for one, prefer an automobile to my feet, as my ample fundament will attest.

Since we don't cling to ridiculous belief that Man's history is barely 6,000 years long, we have a more encompassing view of geological history, recognizing that "global warming" is a part of a cyclical climate pendulum that has been swinging back and forth for many hundreds of thousands of years, and is certainly not a result of Man's rise to civilization – which, if you think about it, is a singularly arrogant view of problem.

Now we come down to United Nations. I have never imagined a more sinister threat to country that I love or to my personal freedom than I see in very existence of United Nations, let alone very idea of a "New World Order." I have publicly stated on many occasions that I would dearly love to nail an eviction notice addressed to that evil organization to their Manhattan front door personally.

Just to set public record straight, I have been a practicing Witch (Pagan/Wiccan) for thirty years. I am a Libertarian activist, and a firearms instructor. I am Texas Director for Armed Females of America, and I carry a firearm 24 hours a day, so global disarmament plans of United Nations constitute complete and absolute anathema to me.

If – if – I agreed with those plans, which are an integral part of "New World Order" as originally coined publicly by George Herbert Walker Bush, I would be no threat to anyone at all. I would be just another sad and pathetic victim suffering under yoke of a global income tax.

Please allow me to point out that my very favorite targets for practice shooting are mock United Nations helmets – and I am very sure that real ones – especially occupied – would be even better.

Support "New World Order?" Don't make me laugh!

My dearest dream is a return to literal interpretation of our great nation's Constitution, most especially her Bill of Rights, followed by immediate and forceful eviction of United Nations from U.S. soil. Hell, don't even bother to give 'em a boat! Let them swim all way back to socialist Europe, where they damned well belong.

The First Amendment of that Constitution guarantees my religious freedom – and that of Christians, too, in case you had forgotten.

The Second Amendment guarantees enforcement of First Amendment. I would strongly advise against any attempt at moving past Element 3 practice of demonizing Pagans to fourth element – or "whupass" – stage.

A rapidly growing population of individualist, Libertarian, anti-U.N. and extremely well-armed Pagans are just liable to turn tables on you.

At a tiny 5'1", Kathryn A. Graham is a licensed private investigator, pilot, aircraft mechanic and handgun instructor in Texas. Also a prolific author, she has written numerous articles, short stories and a science fiction novel. http://www.kathrynagraham.com/