While he was campaigning, Obama frequently spoke of the increasing hardships of the middle classes and the progressive frustration they have experienced over the failure of government officials to keep their promises.

While in Pennsylvania, he gave a few examples.

“And it’s not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy… as a way to explain their frustrations,” he said.

Of course, this outraged Pennsylvanians, who claimed they were much more than rural folk who cling to their guns and memorize their Bibles.

And along with an extensive history of pro-gun control ideals, gun rights advocates found the statement particularly offensive.

They began questioning whether the government would continue to uphold the second amendment, the right to bear arms.

Not long before Obama was elected, however, he made a promise.

“I will not take your shotgun away. I will not take your rifle away. I won’t take your handgun away,” he said.

According to the Chicago Tribune, buyers across the country began voting with their feet after the last presidential election, flocking to gun stores to stock up on assault rifles, handguns and ammunition.

But if you think about it, it’s unfortunate that anyone should feel the need to buy a gun, other than for the simple purpose of hunting and sport shooting, in the first place.

Self-defense is the foremost reason for owning handguns, though owning handguns provides the ability to injure and, ultimately, to kill.

According to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, residents of homes where a gun is present are five times more likely to experience a suicide than residents of homes without guns.

The same study found that those who own guns in the home are 43 times more likely to kill a member of the household or friend than an intruder.

And the likeliness that the gun will be handy, within arms reach when an intruder decides to pop in?

Highly unlikely.

Though I’m not arguing to allow someone to hurt you or a loved on, resistance has always been the best policy, as people are generally more likely to react negatively to aggressive behavior.

In 1994, Bobby Crabtree thought his daughter was over at a friends’ house, and upon arriving at home during the wee hours of the morning, heard a noise coming from the closet of his daughter’s room. 

His daughter, who thought it’d be funny to play a practical joke on her father, opened the door and jumped out.

Crabtree, suspecting an unwanted visitor, was armed with his .357-caliber pistol.

Out of immediate response, he shot his daughter in the neck.

She died 12 hours later.

I believe Obama said it best: “You’ve got the tradition of lawful gun ownership. It is very important for many Americans to be able to hunt, fish, take their kids out, teach them how to shoot. Then you’ve got the reality of 34 Chicago public school students who get shot down on the streets of Chicago.”

Many believe he’s on a rampage to close down the doors of every single ammunition-selling business in the United States.

They point to his past support of bans against the sell of handguns, and especially allude to his proposal to enforce a 500% tax increase on gun purchases while senator in Illinois.

However, I argue that his past record simply proposed the preventive measure for the ability of criminals to easily access weapons.

So, gun owners, aspiring gun owners, gun rights advocates: I supposed anything is possible.

Obama may still be in support of gun control, and he may attempt to enact legislation in support of his ideals.

But though it is true Obama has the power to encourage a policy against gun ownership, I encourage you to save your pennies.

Perhaps all the money spent on guns could instead be infused into an education program for the prevention of violence, a stronger criminal justice system or a better local police department.

It’d be a little hypocritical to spend your money on a weapon in order to ensure your safety.

Go out and buy something else.

Go buy a security system. Buy a few extra locks for your doors.

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