Defense equals Offense
Remember those who gave their all for Freedom
“The best defense is a good offense,” says the old adage. It applies perfectly to the fight over our Second Amendment rights and as we roll into mid-spring, keep your eyes on the prize as you remember one thing — people died to preserve this right for you, and we will honor their memory at the end of May.
Next Goal
The immediate prize would be an affirmative ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of New York Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. If the high court sticks with tradition, a ruling in this volatile Second Amendment case challenging the Empire State’s highly restrictive concealed carry permit scheme will come down late next month.
If gun owners win, don’t gloat. A victory will put anti-gunners on the spot and will give you an opportunity to question incumbents running for re-election this fall, along with challengers hoping to replace. Here’s how to quickly tell the good guys from the bad guys:
“I support the Second Amendment, but I think there must be some common-sense regulation of where people can carry firearms.” This is a “bad guy” response and a monumentally stupid one. It’s boilerplate; the kind of camo-speak politicians use to deceive the rubes.
“It’s about time the New York law was struck down and the right to bear arms is recognized as one that extends beyond the front door of your home.” This is a “good guy” response, and what should be taught to every class on American Government in every high school in the country
Accountability
Political candidates have far too long gotten away with “supporting” the Second Amendment — “but.” In the firearms community we shouldn’t “support” the right to keep and bear arms, we should “exercise” it. We “live” it every day and we don’t need to prove to any bureaucrat we have a “special need.”
We can certainly cheer a victory next month if it comes, but we shouldn’t relax and let down our guard because there are more battles on the horizon. An affirmative ruling will not be the end of the legal battle, it will be the beginning.
Seven other states have similar discretionary permitting schemes and you can safely wager every one of those states is already trying to figure out how they will dance around any favorable ruling to gun rights. They will not quietly go along, instead offering arguments why their laws are different and therefore not affected by a New York ruling.
Keep this in perspective — this month will end with the Memorial Day observance. It’s not a weekend celebration to open the camping season; it is a day to remember all of those American servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice so the rest of us can enjoy our rights, including the Second Amendment. Memorial Day is not about hot dogs, hamburgers and picnics, and never was. It is about honoring the men and women who lost their lives defending those rights, including the right to keep and bear arms.
If you’ve been paying attention to this column, by now you will have been tucking money away to support a favored political candidate — or several candidates — who best represent you views. Over the next few weeks, figure out who these people are, contact them, write them a check, volunteer your time, set up an event for them to attend and share their views.
Mid-Terms
Just over six months from now, we all get to vote in the mid-term elections. This will be your opportunity to help take Congress away from anti-gunners and effectively put the Biden-Harris gun control agenda down for the count. Likewise, help change your state legislature. As this column explained last month, Virginia did it, so can you.
If Republicans take over the House of Representatives, watch for radical dinosaurs such as Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and their comrades to retire. If Republicans re-capture the Senate, you might be saying “good-bye” to Dianne Feinstein, Bernie Sanders and maybe even Chuck Schumer. They will not like being out of power and if they stick around, it is your job as a constituent to help make them miserable.
Here are some other things for your political wish list:
• Legislation mandating national reciprocity for all concealed carry permits and licenses by all states. National “constitutional carry” will come later because you’ve got to do this sort of thing in steps. Anti-gunners invariably overreach and it costs them. We show our allies on Capitol Hill that reciprocity works, they will be more likely to take our efforts to the next level.
• Legislation requiring all states to become NICS compliant, coupled with a provision any holder of an active concealed carry license anywhere in the country can purchase and take home a handgun on the same day. This is something you can also demand from your state legislators. It should be non-negotiable.
• A bill allowing cross-state purchasing of handguns. If you can clear a NICS check in your home state, you can clear a NICS check in a neighboring state or six states away. You are the same unique individual and you use the same information on a Form 4473 whether in Portland, Ore. or Portland, Maine. This must also not be open to negotiation. The creation of the NICS system should have automatically nullified this restriction years ago. It is time to fix this.
As gun owners, remind your political representative you’re not asking the impossible. You’re not even asking for anything special. You are merely asking to be able to exercise your rights as a citizen regardless of whether or not you cross an invisible state line — and you expect them to act in your interest.
Get In The Fight
In the event your representative just can’t find the time to meet with you, they don’t get a second chance to blow you off. Support their opponent, recruit an opponent or become their opponent and be prepared to fight. Politics is a contact down-in-the-gutter sport and comfortable incumbents who find ways to avoid you deserve to end up being unable to ignore you when you campaign to throw them out.
You must never allow yourself to be convinced your vote or your involvement is irrelevant. Cemeteries across the country are the final resting places of people who gave their all so you could live free. Remember them on May 30, and do your part to keep this country a place worthy of their sacrifice.
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