In no nation is it entirely impossible to get a gun. The only issue is whether it's a viable possibility or not, particularly for the average person. The elite will always have a way to get a firearm. It's the rank-and-file folks that have difficulties, and therein lies the problem. The elite usually wants to uphold the status quo, no matter how terrible it is, and the regular guy on the street might have an issue with a few things.

But guns aren't just about overthrowing tyranny. They're great for that, obviously, but shooting is just fun.

And shooting sports are a great way to compete. It's just not an option for many.

One gold medalist would like to see that change for her home country.

In a recent interview, Francisca Crovetto, the Olympic gold medalist in skeet shooting, discussed her meeting with President Gabriel Boric and her views on gun control in Chile. Crovetto, along with fellow medalist Yasmani Acosta, were received at La Moneda, the presidential palace, on August 12th, where they were celebrated for their athletic achievements.

During the meeting, Crovetto revealed that she had asked President Boric to ‘flexibilize’ the country’s gun control regulations, which she described as ‘very restrictive’ for both owners and clubs, as well as those wishing to develop their skills in the sport that earned her the gold medal.

"I asked him to make it more flexible, to read the regulations again, that there should obviously be special treatment for athletes, but also for all the people who want to legitimately have a gun to practice the sport," Crovetto commented.

Crovetto argued that guns do not have a soul of their own and that in the right hands, they can bring great joy to a country. She emphasized that the goal should not be to reach the level of easy access seen in the United States, but rather to not deprive responsible citizens of their right to own firearms for sport and self-defense.

That's disappointing, in that she argues against the freedom we have here, as Crovetto goes on to advocate for registration and mandatory training, but considering how gun laws in Chile are at the moment, that's actually still a step forward.

The truth is that few nations lose their rights all at once. They can't get them back all at once, either. Especially when you consider the fact that a lot of people are still laboring under the misperception that gun laws actually make people safer.

While Chile's homicide rate is pretty low, most of its neighbors who have similar gun laws also have sky-high homicide rates.

The issue isn't gun control.

But liberalizing the gun laws would still be a major step forward, and Crovetto still calls it a right to own guns, which is a big thing for anyone from South America.

The truth of the matter is that an Olympic gold medalist is the kind of advocate a nation like Chile needs. While I'd like to see her understand rights better, the truth is that she's advocating for moving the needle toward liberty in her nation, and for that, I applaud her. My hope is that if she gets what she asks for, she starts looking for the next way to improve gun rights in the country.