“It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.” — Robert A. Heinlein

As I was driving down the street this morning in southern Oregon, I saw a bumper sticker which said, simply “Health Care is a Human Right.” That started me thinking about our new law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Upheld by the Supreme Court, the PPACA is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law requires individuals to buy health insurance coverage or pay a penalty.

If the U.S. government has the right to compel people to exercise rights, we should use this power wisely. Some rights are more important than others. I, for one, welcome our new federal overlords. There is another right we urgently need to protect.

I hereby propose the following legislation and urge members of congress to move it forward into law. Below I describe the Shooter Protection And Realistic Training Act (SPARTA), informally referred to as Guncare. The heart of this bill is an individual mandate requiring every American to purchase firearms, ammunition and training.

As everyone on this site knows, the right to bear arms is a genuine human right. Free men and women are recognized by their God-given ability to protect themselves and those weaker. Unlike the right to healthcare, gun rights are enumerated in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. Guncare addresses the problem of inadequate access to affordable firearms, training and ammunition to support human rights.

There are millions of Americans who don’t have access to adequate training and firearms. They count on the police and righteous citizens to protect them. This unfairly places the burden and costs of protecting our civilization on a tiny few. Because of this uneven distribution of responsibility, the cost of guns and ammunition is unreasonably high. If everyone is required to have a gun and ammunition as well as adequate training, exercising our firearms human rights would be afordable for everyone.

There would, of course, be exemptions for religious beliefs or financial hardship. Convicted felons, sex offenders and other liberals would be required to pay a fair tax which would be used provide free guns to the poor.

The costs in human misery of poor self-defense can no longer be condoned by society. If we can stop just one rape or child abduction with this law, it will all be worthwhile. The bill will also provide for a federal concealed carry right for any adult without a criminal record or a mental illness.

According to Gallup polls, 47% of American adults currently report that they have a gun in their home or elsewhere on their property. This is up from 41% a year ago and is the highest Gallup has recorded since 1993. This is a good start.

The US Census population clock estimates there are 313,810,389 people in America. By my very rough and admittedly un-scientific calculations, there are about 150 million people in America who are not exercising this most fundamental human right.

Become a civil rights activist. Let’s protect human rights every where they are endangered. It is the right thing to do. Write congress. Think of the children. Support Guncare.