The NRA Puts The Second Amendment At Risk

As Job stated in Job 3:25, “The thing which [the citizenry] greatly feared is come upon [them], and that which [the citizenry] was afraid of is come unto [them].”

A friend of mine once told me the purpose of the Second Amendment (2A) of the United States Constitution was so citizens could protect themselves from a government that seeks to be an overlord, similar to that of the British government during colonial times, which I failed to point out in my post entitled, “Is It Time To Use Article V Of The US Constitution?”.  While my friend is a member of the NRA, I have not heard nor seen such language from the NRA organization of late. Instead, what I have heard and seen from the NRA organization is that more guns will prevent people from using guns to kill other people (that sounds silly, does it not?).

The NRA loves to tout the Heller opinion focusing on one aspect, guns for self-defense, hence its promotion of more guns.  The NRA fails to acknowledge another aspect of the Heller opinion, the need for regulations.  Contained within the Syllabus of the Heller opinion, the majority writes, “The [2A] right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose [¹]: For example, concealed weapons prohibitions have been upheld under the [2A] or state analogues. The Court’s opinion should not be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms. Miller’s holding that the sorts of weapons protected are those “in common use at the time” finds support in the historical tradition of prohibiting the carrying of dangerous and unusual weapons.”

Because the NRA has thwarted meaningful regulations to prevent actions such as a mentally challenged individual from obtaining guns similar to the shooter at the Waffle House in Nashville two weeks ago² the US Government has dictated to the NRA that it must ban all weapons of any kind - at its own conference this coming weekend to protect our elected officials.  If NRA believed in what it promoted then it should have told the Secret Service come as you are or do not come at all.  Is not banning guns at their own private event at the request of some government official tantamount to a government acting as an overlord? Does not acquiescing to such dictum run counter to the 2A and set precedent for similar actions in the future?

As such, I stand by my assertion that the NRA is the threat to our 2A, not its protector, which I stated in my post entitled, “Should We Not Help Republicans Regain Their 1st Amendment Right?”.  The NRA has run amok and acted carelessly due to its willful ignorance.

The majority of the Supreme Court believed in the need for regulations. I think it is about time the NRA believes the same.

Freedom and responsibility require each; we cannot have one without the other. We have enough guns.  We need to demonstrate more responsibility with those guns.

If the NRA truly believes in protecting then 2A then they should:

1. Embrace and advocate funding for mental health and 
2. Seek to keep guns out the hands of those with mental health issues.

While at it, the NRA should disinvite the VP of the United States to demonstrate that it drinks its own kool-aid and eats its own dog food. Else, the NRA tacitly admits by its actions (as actions speak louder than words) that more regulation is needed to ensure responsible gun ownership.



Note:1.  Just like the Commerce Clause in Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution, this 'clause' leaves a lot (let me repeat, a lot) of maneuverability room to craft reasonable legislation.

2. The system, as it is currently designed, worked.  The system took the guns away; however, the family gave the guns back to the killer.  Obviously, the system failed; therefore, maybe the confiscation of guns should extend to immediate family since the apple does not fall far from the tree.  Please let me know and more importantly, your elected representatives know if you have a better idea.  Status quo, do nothing, claiming no law out would prevent a crime such as the one in Nashville is a cop out.  That attitude will lead to a complete ban on guns like it did at the NRA conference.