Issue Position: Guns

Issue Position

The 2nd amendment protects our rights to both KEEP and BEAR arms, saying that neither of these rights shall be infringed. And yet our federal government has not just infringed upon those rights, but has totally revoked them in many instances. Disarming U.S. citizens in their own homes after Katrina, not allowing guns in any government building, and prohibiting guns on any national park property. How is that not infringement?

Many people claim that the 2nd amendment only applies to the government's right to maintain our military. But there are several sections within the Constitution that deal with the military; and the 2nd amendment and Bill of Rights were requested by the people AFTER the Constitution was written to further limit the federal government's powers. Also, it specifically states that a militia is necessary to the security of a free state- not the security of the federal government.

This amendment was written for us to be able to protect ourselves when the government fails to do so, whether from foreign invasion, or in extreme cases- from our own government becoming despotic and turning against its' own people. Some will claim this can never happen in America. But it already has; in fact this is how our nation came about! The colonials were British citizens being attacked by the British government. And if they didn't have guns for their defense, things would have turned out very differently.

The Founders went to great lengths to ensure that history wouldn't repeat itself, and so they included amongst our rights, the ability to keep and bear arms for our own security. It is the number one right, that helps secure all the others, and so it must be protected.

Amendment 2 of the Bill of Rights: 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.

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