Continued efforts by Congress to pass gun control—threaten American’s right to defend themselves, explaining the “Sold Out” signs at sporting goods stores and gun shows. Sensible Americans want to end violence against innocents, but gun control is not the solution.
In 2009, talk show host Lars Larson and I discussed this trend using a Constitutional attorney’s term, “Second Amendment remedies”, to describe our right to self-defense and defense of family, property and country. Demonized by the left, these “Second Amendment remedies” in the Constitution are, “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.” National and state constitutional documents all affirm that “provide for the common defense” in the Declaration of Independence begins with the people.
The language “Militia,” “security of a free State” and “keep and bear Arms” all contribute to this understanding. By articulating “for the common defense, “the intent was to exclude excuse for disarming the people. In the context of Article I, Section 8 the Congress’ common defense responsibility is limited by the prevalent, recurring theme that self-defense is one of the “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God,” existing with or without the Bill of Rights. The framers further secured this right with the text, context and Congressional debates around the Second Amendment explicitly stating or strongly implying the right of self-defense, the right to have arms, the duty to be in the militia, and the danger of standing armies. The Courts ruled that the amendment protects the right to maintain militias, the individual’s right to bear arms, and in District of Columbia v. Heller, an individual right to own and use guns for lawful purposes including self-defense. I emphasize Adams second amendment remedy argument, “Here every private person is authorized to arm himself, and on the strength of this authority,… for their defense, not for offence.” I have always emphasized, like “Patriot’s Day,” 1775, every citizen has the duty to defend themselves and their country and not as a pre-emptive offensive act.
In April 19, 1775 the shot heard ’round the world responded to British troop orders to disarm the population by seizing arms stored at Concord. Cromwell reasoned the standing army provided “for the common defense.” Eyewitnesses said the king’s troops opened fire, killing eight of the parishioners lead by Pastor Clark. In self-defense and defense of country, they returned fire at Lexington Green, directly beside their church.
When tempted to believe we can safely disarm, Thomas Paine warned, to “expect to reap the blessings of freedom.” Americans have to “undergo the fatigues of supporting it.”
Beginning in 1934 with a gun tax, Congress has incrementally attempted to disarm Americans by converting Militias to federally controlled and funded National Guards and passing laws such as recording names and addresses of gun purchasers. States’ demands further restrict with their own requirements. Specifically, gun control laws did not prevent tragedies in “gun free” zones like Newtown, CT or Aurora, CO.
Attempts toward gun control legislation are classic examples of “activity mistaken for progress.” We need solutions …not political salves
