Arguments over civilian disarmament – a policy euphemistically termed "gun control" and ardently opposed by The Martialist's editorial staff –  invariably become wars of statistics.  Those who rightly oppose rendering the law-abiding less prepared in the face of violent criminals (whom the state will never successfully disarm) have the thorough work of Gary Kleck and John Lott with which to bolster their cases.  The "gun grabbers" who actively push for firearms bans have only the flawed methodologies behind oft-quoted myth and misinformation, which they ignorantly repeat as gospel.  Despite the "factual superiority" of pro-gun data, however, statistical arguments are only part of the picture.

An argument about the benefits or harm of firearms is ultimately a utilitarian argument – a debate over outcomes.  While this can be very persuasive, it is also amoral.  It is, in effect, the argument that a given end justifies the means through which that end was obtained.

For example, many pragmatic benefits can be derived from universal conscription.  Preparing society for violence, creating a more diverse and better-educated pool of military personnel, and fostering a sense of national pride are only a few of these.  Touting these benefits, however, does not address the morality of a draft.  It does not address whether it is wrong to empower the state to force citizens into government servitude (and possibly into life-threatening situations).

The right to "keep and bear arms" is the other facet of the gun control debate, the facet that is not a question of utility.  In order to argue persuasively that the possession of weapons is a right rather than a privilege, the martialist requires information – both historical and contemporary.  One of the most comprehensive volumes of this type is found in The Second Amendment Primer, written by Les Adams and published by Palladium Press.

Subtitled, A Citizen's Guidebook to the History, Sources, and Authorities for the Constitutional Guarantee of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, the Primer explores the history and traditions that led to the inclusion of the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution.  It also discusses the implications of the Second Amendment, dispels the "collective right" myth propagated by firearms prohibitionists, and quotes colonial discussions regarding the meaning and purpose of the right to keep and bear arms.

This "little black book" is handily sized, beautifully printed, and attractively bound.  It delves into ancient and European expressions of the right to keep and bear arms, as well as support for that right in England.  A lengthy section on the right to keep and bear arms in America is followed by an equally lengthy appendix containing excerpts from "scholarly articles" confirming US citizens' Second Amendment rights.

Biographical profiles of the Primer's quoted authorities provide some context for the cited statements.  There is also an extensive set of endnotes and a bibliography.

My favorite component of the Primer is the last item in the appendix:  Jeffrey R. Snyder's famous 1993 editorial, A Nation of Cowards.  Few essays have so boldly encapsulated the firearms debate as has Snyder's scathing piece, which takes all Americans to task for the folly of "gun control."  Snyder's essay passionately excoriates the scions of the Left as it refutes several gun myths and draws a line in the ideological sand:  The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

The Second Amendment Primer is required reading for martialists and curious fence-sitters alike.  The historical information and editorial insights it contains will give any reader much to consider.