Back in 2000 when Kofi Annan was still the Secretary General of the United Nations, a working paper called “We the Peoples” was released by this international organization that stated, “Controlling the proliferation of illicit weapons is a necessary first step toward the non-proliferation of small arms. These weapons must be brought under the control of states, and states must be held responsible for their transfer.”

Please take note that, from the perspective of the United Nations, “small arms” are defined as anything that can be easily carried in the hands and that includes our hunting long-guns like rifles and shotguns as well as our handguns. And even more disturbing, the United Nations calls any gun “illicit” that is not “under the control of a national government.”

Secretary Annan’s proclamation in 2000 was not the first indication that the United Nations wants our guns. In 1995, another report prepared by the UN funded Commission on Global Governance decried the private ownership of firearms even by “… individuals seeking a means of self defense …” In this paper, titled “Our Global Neighborhood,” those of us – even and especially those of us who hunt – who own guns of any sort were condemned as part of a world-wide plague of "militarization." (Note: Additional information about the Commission on Global Governance and the UN report, “Our Global Neighborhood,” can be found by typing those terms into your favorite search engine)

Right now your thinking, “Well, this can’t happen. My right to ‘keep and bear arms’ is guaranteed by the Second Amendment.” And, you’re right but you have friends and neighbors – and consequently, elected office holders – who don’t see it quite the same way.

In the December 2007 issue of “ America ’s 1^st Freedom,” a publication of the National Rifle Association, we were given a glimpse of how close the United Nations is to reaching its “seize our guns” goal. Senator David Vitter (R-La.) said in an interview conducted by the NRA’s Ginny Simone, “Most folks aren’t at all familiar with this or focused on [the UN’s intentions to take our guns], but it is a very, very determined effort … to promote international gun control [that would] restrict and abolish U.S. citizen’s Second Amendment rights …”

Senator Vitter – fortunately – was very well versed in the UN’s plan. As he explained in the interview, “In 2001, the General Assembly of the UN … adopted a program of actions that would do … four things … promote national registries and tracking lists for all firearms … call for the establishment of an international tracking certificate … call for a worldwide record keeping [process] … and call for a comprehensive program of … gun control … including a total ban on certain types of legal firearms not yet enumerated.”

There is a long history both behind and in front of the Second Amendment that is the grist for lengthy argument by legal scholars. If you are interested in reviewing both the historical and current debate, much of it can be found at www.guncite.com.

“A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State , the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” This simple sentence sounds so straight forward, so easy to understand, and yet, to some – even to some within our own government – it is anathema; individuals should not have the right to own a firearm because it leads to “militarization.”

But that’s the point, isn’t it? “The Second Amendment,” as a popular bumper sticker explains, “is there in case they forget all the others.” Although it may seems like the plot from a Tom Clancy novel to imagine that the United States of America would ever jettison its sovereignty to a foreign nation (or to the United Nations), that’s not out of the question. In fact, it’s just one “treaty” away from being reality.

You probably don’t think about them very much at this time of year. I know I don’t. Our rifles, shotguns and handguns are hanging on our walls or stored away in a gun safes; out of site, so to speak, out of mind.

But there are lots of people thinking about our guns and someday, unless we remember the most important Amendment of them all, the United Nations might be knocking on our doors to inform us that “the right to keep and bear arms” doesn’t apply anymore. And then, perhaps, we’ll need to demonstrate anew how a “well regulated militia” is formed.

John Street is an inquisitive contrarian who writes, frequently with humor, about current events in fish and wildlife research as well as the ethical and societal issues that affect the outdoor life. He can be contacted at johnstreet@windstream.net