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AN AMERICAN WARNING
Because you should know!
September 2008 - Posts
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By now, I'm sure you've heard of the puff piece that FactCheck.org did on Barack Obama's Second Amendment position. If you haven't seen any of the stories that correct FactCheck's defense of the candidate, be sure to check out David Kopel's article, Jim Geraghty's critique, and NRA-ILA's response, including the undisclosed fact that FactCheck gets the bulk of its money from a foundation that also supports the Brady Campaign.
There's no doubt in my mind that Barack Obama's supporters would rather keep you in the dark about his Second Amendment record. Because it reveals how extreme and how out-of-touch he is with his fellow Americans.
This election- and your Right to Keep and Bear Arms- is too vital not to know the truth. Arm yourself with the facts, spread the word about Obama's stance on the Second Amendment, and keep reading for more information between now and Election Day.
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Barack Obama says he's not in favor of bringing back the "Fairness Doctrine," legislation that would silence talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, and could even threaten the hosts of NRANews.com. Barack Obama says he doesn't support it. Maybe that's because he doesn't need legislation to intimidate members of the press who disagree with him.
The Chicago Tribune reports that Obama has set up a rapid response network designed to strong-arm radio and television stations that dare to run programming that may be critical of "The One." The campaign even provides "talking points" for followers of Obama to use when they protest the coverage of their candidate.
At best, this bullying of the media is an affront to the spirit of the First Amendment. But do we really believe that if Obama were president, he'd suddenly give up this tactic?
Obama has as much (or maybe as little) respect for the First Amendment as he does for the Second Amendment. For a guy who claims to be a constitutional scholar, he doesn't seem to have a beginner's grasp on the Bill of Rights.
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Barack Obama says he doesn't believe in Right-to-Carry. In fact, he says he thinks it can make this world a more dangerous place.
Barack Obama needs to read the papers. He might learn a thing or two, like the fact that armed citizens recently stopped a terrorist attack in Jerusalem. According to Israel Radio, a man in a car plowed into a crowd, injuring more than a dozen before he was shot and killed by armed citizens.
Imagine a world where all of us are reduced to prey for predatory criminals and lethal terrorists. It's a vision Barack Obama endorses, and that would make us all less safe.
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Barack Obama's out with a new radio ad designed to deceive hunters, sportsmen and gun owners. The ad claims that gun owners have nothing to worry about, that as president Obama would not affect their Second Amendment rights.
Of course, the ad doesn't mention that Obama supports things like a ban on handguns, an extension of the Clinton Gun Ban, a 500 percent increase in taxes on firearms and ammunition, a ban on the most common hunting ammunition, a ban on gun stores located within five miles of a school or a park, and prosecuting people who use a gun for self-defense in their home.
The ad also doesn't mention the millions of dollars Obama steered towards gun-control groups when he was a member of the Joyce Foundation's board of directors, or his lack of support for increased penalties for those convicted of shooting near a public school.
That's Obama's real record, and that's why he can't tell America’s sportsmen and gun owners the truth.
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I've been discussing the GOP's platform plank on the Second Amendment, and there's one other portion I want to highlight:
"We condemn frivolous lawsuits against firearms manufacturers, which are transparent attempts to deprive citizens of their rights. We oppose federal licensing of law-abiding gun owners and national gun registration as violations of the Second Amendment."
Politicians like Barack Obama and Joe Biden don't believe in protecting our firearms industry from lawsuits. In fact, they've both made it clear that they would target our nation's firearms manufacturers. Biden voted against the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, and Obama praised the junk lawsuits filed by anti-gun mayors on behalf of the Brady Campaign. Obama went even further, calling for a 500 percent increase in taxes on firearms and ammunition, which would kill off the firearms industry in this country.
We know that the anti-gunners have no problems turning to the courts when they can't get their way legislatively. They've tried it before, and if possible, they'll try it again. That's why it's so important to make sure the legislative protections against these junk lawsuits remain in place. If they go away, our nation's firearms manufacturers will soon disappear as well.
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Yesterday, I told you about the GOP platform plank on the Second Amendment, in which the party talks about the fact that our Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a right that pre-dates the Constitution. The platform also states:
"Gun ownership is responsible citizenship, enabling Americans to defend their homes and communities against violent individuals and the drug culture. We call for education in constitutional rights in schools, and we support the option of firearms training in federal programs serving senior citizens and women. We urge immediate action to review the automatic denial of gun ownership to returning members of the Armed Forces who have suffered trauma during service to their country."
It's no coincidence that this portion of the platform starts out discussing the defense of ourselves, and ends by calling for protecting the rights of those who have defended this country. As Americans, we believe in our inalienable right to life. We believe in preserving our inalienable right to live as free men, in a free country. Those ideals are at the heart of not just the Second Amendment, but also our nation. Contrast that message with Obama's platform:
"We believe that the right to own firearms is subject to reasonable regulation, but we know that what works in Chicago may not work in Cheyenne. We can work together to enact and enforce common-sense laws and improvements, like closing the gun-show loophole, improving our background check system and reinstating the assault weapons ban ..."
The difference couldn't be more clear. One platform speaks of strengthening our Second Amendment rights; the other speaks of destroying it. If I were a gun-owning Democrat, I'd be asking my party leaders why they have so little respect for me.
Tomorrow I'll have more of the GOP platform plank on the Second Amendment.
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I recently told you about the problems with the Obama platform plank on the Second Amendment, which did nothing but pay lip service to our Right to Keep and Bear Arms, while calling for more gun-control laws. Well, I'm pleased to see Republicans have stated their views on the Second Amendment in much stronger language.
Here's the first part of the GOP platform plank on the Second Amendment:
"We uphold the right of individual Americans to own firearms, a right which antedated the
Constitution and was solemnly confirmed by the Second Amendment. We applaud federal court rulings affirming that right, particularly the Supreme Court's Heller decision, and we assert the individual responsibility to safely use and store firearms. We call on the next president to appoint judges who will similarly respect the Constitution."
Antedated the Constitution. That means the Republicans understand that our Right to Keep and Bear Arms wasn't granted by our Founding Fathers. It's not a right given to us by our government, able to be taken away on a whim. It was a pre-existing right protected by the Constitution. It's a distinction that anti-gunners don't get. They'd gladly strip you of your human right of self-defense, because they can't bear to see you bear arms.
Check back tomorrow for more of the GOP platform plank on the Second Amendment.
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Seven years ago, our country watched in horror as we were attacked on our soil. Today, let us pay tribute to the men and women who braved the smoke and flames of the World Trade Center in order to rescue those in harm's way, the soldiers who battled the fires at the Pentagon, and the folks like you and me who fought back in the Pennsylvania skies. Folks like Walter Weaver, one of the thousands of Americans who embodied courage, honor, and duty on that dark day.
Officer Weaver was a member of the New York Police Department, and an NRA member as well. Just 30 years old, he died in the World Trade Center while trying to rescue the victims trapped in the rubble. His family, keeping his memory alive, donated his service pistol to the NRA, and we have enshrined it in our museum as a tribute to his courage and the courage of his fellow first responders.
The World War I fighter pilot and Medal of Honor winner Eddie Rickenbacker once said, "Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared."
The heroes of 9/11 undoubtedly were afraid. But they rose above their fear and reached the height of bravery in defense and support of their fellow Americans. The greatest tribute we can give to those who lost their lives seven years ago is to strive for that kind of courage in our lives.
On this day, we remember Walter Weaver and all the brave Americans and NRA members who lost their lives. God bless those men and womem, God keep their families in His heart, and God bless the U.S.A.
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Did you know that more than 120 college presidents have signed on to an initiative that would lower the drinking age to 18? As David Harsanyi of the Denver Post reports, the presidents and chancellors are a part of the "Amethyst Initiative." The website for the organization states that the 21-year-old drinking age is not working, and, specifically, that it has created a culture of dangerous binge drinking on their campuses.
These college administrators believe that adults should be treated like adults, which is refreshing to hear considering so many college administrators are determined that students and faculty be treated like children when it comes to Right-to-Carry.
Just as the heads of these colleges believe that "moderation and responsibility" should be the standard for college students when it comes to drinking, I believe that responsibility also applies to those Right-to-Carry holders who happen to be college students, professors or employees of a university.
I'd like to think the administrators that want to encourage responsible behavior would get on board with extending Right-to-Carry onto college campuses, but I'm not holding my breath. Still, if these education professionals are wanting to change the law to lower the drinking age, why on earth would they not extend an existing law to cover responsible gun owners who have reason to be on their campus?
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Can you believe New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin is being rewarded for his courage and leadership in the wake of Hurricane Katrina? What a slap in the face to the hundreds of gun owners who were forcibly disarmed by Nagin's order after Hurricane Katrina swept ashore.
Well, the "Excellence in Recovery" committee may be giving Nagin an award, but the National Rifle Association is hopefully giving the mayor a headache. The NRA's lawsuit against the mayor continues, and until those firearms are returned, we're going to continue to demand accountability and responsibility from the man in charge of New Orleans.
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