By Maria Heil,
Contributing Editor

Diet and exercise-ugh! Those two words pretty much bring the same reaction to all women; rolling of the eyes, sighing, remembering the resolutions long ago broken, and of course, the multiple pairs of blue jeans we all own that are in a range of sizes!

It's a shame that anyone has to be told that they need to watch their diet and get more exercise, but that's today's reality. Most of society no longer has the strenuous farm chores and the necessity of walking into town to keep them in shape. We have, according to the media, become a nation of lazy, overweight people who eat too much.

We are bad people. We are enjoying the rewards of being the best nation on Earth way too much. We should feel really, really, really bad about ourselves.

Okay, I'll admit to one thing here: I am guilty of being overweight. Since I started with the Second Amendment Sisters, (almost four years ago!) I have gained a total of 27 pounds. However, I don't feel bad about myself, like the media wants me to do. I knew I was gaining weight by sitting at my computer every spare minute to help in our battle to keep our Second Amendment rights. I would sporadically go on and off the Atkins diet, as well as sporadically start and end exercise programs. All I can say about my attempts at diet and exercise in the past four years is, thank goodness I did what I did! I probably would be at the "plus 50 pounds" mark if I hadn't at least done that much.

Now, don't get me wrong; it's not entirely the battle for the Second Amendment that is to blame for my "plumpness." I also love to cook! I really do enjoy the pleasures of the "holidays" we celebrate, and in the US all our holidays revolve around food. Don't forget birthdays, anniversaries, vacations, and even funerals! We are a "land of plenty" and we should not be ashamed of it. Actually, what would be a shame would be not enjoying the blessings bestowed upon us!

Now, you may be asking yourself, "What does all this have to do with guns?" Plenty!

The mainstream media has been slanting the news coverage of all gun stories for years. Basically, they've been telling people that if they even want a gun, then they must be some kind of a psycho. According to what you see on television, guns are bad, guns are only used to kill innocent people, there is almost never a case where a gun is actually used in self-defense, only the police and military should have guns, anyone who owns a gun is just a mass murderer looking for his chance to kill people, etc.

So, the media wants to make all gunowners feel bad for owning such a horrible thing, which is responsible for so many problems in our society. Well, gee, doesn't that sound familiar? The media wants all fat people to feel bad for eating so much food, which is responsible for so many problems in our society. See? It's yet another snow job from the mainstream media!

I'm not saying that it's perfectly fine to be overweight; being severely overweight can lead to a number of problems, but that's not my point. I am saying that a fraud was perpetrated on the American people long ago when the food pyramid was invented, just as we are having fraud perpetrated upon us now, in the form of gun-control.

Weight-control, gun control-it's all the same! The mainstream media (and at times, the government) has an agenda and they "know what is best" for us, because (they say) we are just too stupid to know ourselves.

We all know how to lose weight, watch what we eat and get some regular exercise. However, and there are a million different reasons, we all don't want to do that! We live in the United States of America, and we are free to choose to be thin, normal, or overweight, whether we do so consciously or not.

We all know that the best way to deter crime is to be armed. Once again, we live in the United States of America, and we are free to choose to be armed or not. (Location issues aside.)

For decades we have had that stupid "food pyramid" placed in front of us as being the "Holy Grail" for a healthy society. Well, gee, Americans have just been getting fatter and fatter, all the while using that wrongly constructed pyramid as a guide.

For decades we have had "gun-control" schemes foisted upon us as being the "Holy Grail" for a peaceful society. Well, gee, Americans have seen crime go up, almost exclusively in cities where firearms are not permitted.

I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics, Nutrition, and Food Science. The food pyramid has been wrong in dictating that people eat so many servings of breads and grains. For some people, eating whole grains is better for them than eating more protein; it's an individual thing. However, for the majority of people, eating that much, especially highly processed starchy foods, will make them fat, period. Think of cattle, being fattened for marketthey are fed a high grain diet and do not get any exercise.

The gun grabbers have been wrong in dictating that people should not own guns. For some people, not owning a gun is their choice, but once again, it's an individual thing. However, for over 90 million people, not owning a gun will make them potential victims of criminals, period. Think of cattle, being led to market and eventually to the Slaughterhouse!

So, do what you know is right for you. If you want to lose weight, you know how to do it.

It's not always fun, and it's not always easy, but you know what to do. If you don't want to lose weight, that's your personal choice, and still your right, for the time being!

If you want to own a gun, you know how to do it legally, it's not always fun, and it's not always easy, but you know what to do. If you don't want to own a gun, that's your personal choice, but remember, I have made my personal choice to own a gun, and that is still my right.

Diet pills, surgery, etcare not the answer to being overweight, they are merely short term fixes which often result in creating other long term problems.

Banning guns, waiting periods, and other restrictions are not the answer to violent crime, they are merely short-term fixes, which often result in creating other long-term problems.

Responsibility is the key. We are all personally responsible for our weight, in one way or another. We are all personally responsible for our Second Amendment rights, in one way or another.

If you are overweight, you know what to do; you don't need me to tell you.

If you are a gunowner, I can tell you what you need to do to continue to be a responsible gun owner. As a responsible gun owner, you need to get involved, at some level. Locally, you can organize a "Youth Fun Shoot" at your local gun club, or campaign for a Pro-2A candidate, or something as simply as taking a friend to the range and introducing them to firearms. At the state level, you can write to your representatives in Congress, and let them know how you feel about your Second Amendment rights, or volunteer to help your SAS State Coordinator. On a higher level, you can become an activist and really help out!

Another thing all gun owners should do is plan to attend, or at the very least financially support, the S.A.F.E.R. event in Washington, DC, on Mother's Day, May 9th. S.A.F.E.R. stands for Second Amendment Freedoms for Everyone Rally. Information on S.A.F.E.R. can be found at the Second Amendment Sisters website at www.2asisters.org . Additionally, donations can be mailed to our national address at 900 R.R. 620 S, Suite C-101, Box 228, Lakeway, TX 78734.

I am dieting and exercising, as I want to lose those 27 pounds before mid-April. I am going to Disney World with my Mother and two sisters towards the end of April. I will not have seen them for 15 monthsthat's about 15 pounds ago! Also, nothing can motivate one more than seeing film footage of 27 pounds ago, and seeing the recent footage! Wish me luck!