What do you think?
Rate this book
Each One, Teach One: Preserving and protecting the Second Amendment in the 21st century and beyond
E pluribus unum, words that served as this nation's motto for much of our history--out of many, one. And yet today, as the map of the U.S. House seats after the 2014 election shows, we feel more divided than we have in a long time. Whether we have marriage, religion, privacy, or speech in mind, the illusory promise of safety has seduced many in our nation to believe that greater controls will bring greater security.
As with other rights, so with guns. In many ways, gun rights are symbolic of all the others. A leader who genuinely trusts the people with firearms is someone more inclined to accept that power flows from the people to the government, not the other way. But with Republicans and Democrats less and less willing to share common ground on essential liberties, rights are divided piece by piece among the special interests until each one is easier to reduce, restrict, and ultimately remove.
The purpose of this book is to get gun owners and others sympathetic to the cause of rights to see past partisan squabbling to the deeper truth that as Benjamin Franklin observed at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, "We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."
Each one, teach one, or the rights we value will fade into a forgotten past.
As with other rights, so with guns. In many ways, gun rights are symbolic of all the others. A leader who genuinely trusts the people with firearms is someone more inclined to accept that power flows from the people to the government, not the other way. But with Republicans and Democrats less and less willing to share common ground on essential liberties, rights are divided piece by piece among the special interests until each one is easier to reduce, restrict, and ultimately remove.
The purpose of this book is to get gun owners and others sympathetic to the cause of rights to see past partisan squabbling to the deeper truth that as Benjamin Franklin observed at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, "We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."
Each one, teach one, or the rights we value will fade into a forgotten past.
132 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 8, 2016
5 people are currently reading
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 15, 2018
This is a fascinating book! As someone who lives in the UK not the US, with little or no experience of the gun-rights debate apart from what I pick up from the News, I found this discussion illuminating, but ultimately not quite convincing. Written by an academic and an Indian immigrant, Each One, Teach One is an impassioned plea for every American citizen to own a gun. This argument is based on the philosophical conclusion that the right to self-defence is a corollary to the right to life.
One of my concerns is the authors’ overt mistrust of government – or is that merely a cultural problem I have? Basically reasonable, the style also at times goes into exaggerated rhetoric, claiming for instance that those who argue for gun rights are ‘the strong and the individual’, whilst those who don’t are ‘the diffident and the lazy’; and that government is ‘brute-force’ and that gun ownership is a ‘constitutional circuit breaker’.
But, mostly, the book seems a realistic, if at times an emotional, attempt at putting one side of the argument. The writers emphasise the need to educate people about guns and their use, about media and political ignorance and bias, about other cultures and firearms, and so on. With more than one gun per person (but households at only 30-40%) people need to think through this debate again. From my English perspective, this book offers new angles to approach the discussion and some as yet unconsidered conclusions – so well worth the read.
One of my concerns is the authors’ overt mistrust of government – or is that merely a cultural problem I have? Basically reasonable, the style also at times goes into exaggerated rhetoric, claiming for instance that those who argue for gun rights are ‘the strong and the individual’, whilst those who don’t are ‘the diffident and the lazy’; and that government is ‘brute-force’ and that gun ownership is a ‘constitutional circuit breaker’.
But, mostly, the book seems a realistic, if at times an emotional, attempt at putting one side of the argument. The writers emphasise the need to educate people about guns and their use, about media and political ignorance and bias, about other cultures and firearms, and so on. With more than one gun per person (but households at only 30-40%) people need to think through this debate again. From my English perspective, this book offers new angles to approach the discussion and some as yet unconsidered conclusions – so well worth the read.
October 15, 2018
Explains YOUR right to bear arms
A very nationalistic and political view of our second amendment right and the importance of protecting that right. This book very clearly outlines the definitions regarding weapons, and clearly defines each term as it applies to relavant topics in todays society. This book is a very interesting read and it will definately enrich your knowledge about our constitutional right to bear arms and what that means for society as a whole. I would suggest reading this book even if you don't believe in guns because it will open your eyes to the true definition of the second amendment.
A very nationalistic and political view of our second amendment right and the importance of protecting that right. This book very clearly outlines the definitions regarding weapons, and clearly defines each term as it applies to relavant topics in todays society. This book is a very interesting read and it will definately enrich your knowledge about our constitutional right to bear arms and what that means for society as a whole. I would suggest reading this book even if you don't believe in guns because it will open your eyes to the true definition of the second amendment.
November 2, 2018
Many proponents and opponents of the Second Amendment tend to push their philosophy on the other side. Ranjit Singh takes a more academic approach to gun ownership and what the Second Amendment really means. Singh compares the Founders’ original intentions for citizens to protect themselves from the government and community dangers. He painstakingly defines “arms” and clearly draws distinction between rights and criminal activity. More authors should follow his rationality. While this book may not win fans from either side of the argument, Singh does present the material in an easy-to-understand format, draws clear comparisons, and advocates his beliefs in a rational and academic fashion.
May 22, 2018
Intended to provide a nonpartisan, pro individual rights introduction to the right to bear arms in the US.
Some notes.
* Makes a good point to be critical about the language used in discussion (what is an 'assault weapon'? Where did this definition come from? etc.)
* Appears to overvalue the defensive nature of a physical gun against the government. Today, I'd argue its more valuable to have your resources in a non-fiat source that can't easily 'disappear', and to know how to communicate and share privileged information in reasonable secrecy.
Some notes.
* Makes a good point to be critical about the language used in discussion (what is an 'assault weapon'? Where did this definition come from? etc.)
* Appears to overvalue the defensive nature of a physical gun against the government. Today, I'd argue its more valuable to have your resources in a non-fiat source that can't easily 'disappear', and to know how to communicate and share privileged information in reasonable secrecy.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews