Now, more than ever, is the time to demand Pro-Gun laws

by Brandon Pruitt

Gun owners across America breathed a collective sigh of relief this week when pro-gun Republicans took control of the House, the Senate, and the Oval Office, ending the aspirations of one of the most outspoken opponents of Gun Rights in modern times, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

But!  Now is not the time to relax.  Now is the time to kick it into a higher gear and demand actual results from the men and women that we put into these positions of power.  The 2nd Amendment train is still full of steam and ready to burst into over drive – it's time to pass some national pro-gun laws.  It's time to put some real safeguards in place to protect the 2nd Amendment from future Statists who would aim to rob us of the Constitutional protections put into place that look out for not only our God given Right to self-defense, but that same Right for all future generations.  But what sorts of things should we be demanding?

Replace Scalia and, God willing, other SCOTUS positions

For his 30 years of service, Justice Antonin Scalia authored surprisingly few majority opinions for the Court in Constitutional cases.  The one major exception is District of Columbia v. Heller; The landmark decision that breathed some much-needed life into the 2nd Amendment movement.

But, with Scalia's untimely death, a worrisome void was created on the Supreme Court.  One that, if filled by the wrong person, could tilt the Court in opposition of the notion that the 2nd Amendment means what it says:  The Right of the PEOPLE to Keep & Bear Arms.  Given the fact that Heller was a deeply divided case (5-4 decision in our favor), it seems to me that this is the most crucial, time-sensitive action that needs to take place.

5-4 decisions, history has shown, can be very vulnerable.  Consider 1989's South Carolina v. Gathers, a 5-4 decision authored by Justice William Brennan, in which the court limited the use of victim impact evidence in criminal sentencing.  Within the next year, Justice Brennan stepped down and one year after that, Gathers was overturned by Payne v. Tennessee.  Justice Scalia, who dissented in Gathers, was in the majority in Payne.

Outside of this seat being filled, two other positions, held by Justice Breyer and Justice Ginsburg, are thought to be up for retirement as well.  Installing three pro-2nd Amendment opinions on the highest Court in the land would secure our Rights for another generation.  

Repeal the National Firearms Act

While most are simply calling for a passing of the Hearing Protection Act, I prefer to step it up a notch and demand more.  We will have the votes to do it – but do we have the stones?

As for the reasons “Why”, a user named uncommon_sense at thetruthaboutguns.com summed it up perfectly:

Aside from the fact that the (National Firearms Act) is unconstitutional, consider the supposed rationale for banning “regulating” these items and the failure of the rationale:

Suppressors — supposedly embolden criminals to attack victims because no one will hear their gunshots. Problem: suppressors still result in VERY LOUD (rather than deafening) gunshots and taking away suppressors has no effect on the noise generated with alternate weapons like knives, swords, clubs, and fire. Additionally, criminals can create improvised suppressors with nothing more than steel wool and a tube made of plastic or metal.

Short barreled rifles and shotguns — supposedly stop criminals from creating and using improvised handguns. Problem: criminals have no trouble whatsoever acquiring actual handguns and use them for almost all crimes where they use a firearm for their weapon. Furthermore, a criminal needs nothing more than a hacksaw and three minutes to saw the barrel off of a long gun to shorten it.

Fully automatic firearms — supposedly limit criminals’ ability to shoot a lot of people in a short amount of time. Problem: criminals have no trouble acquiring semi-automatic firearms and can fire nearly as many shots in the same amount of time as a fully automatic firearm. Alternately, criminals can fire large caliber firearms and kill anywhere from 2 to 10 people with each round of ammunition (depending the age/size of the victims). Of course criminals can simply purchase full-auto firearms on the black market or simply modify any number of semi-automatic firearms to fire full auto.

National Reciprocity / Constitutional Carry

Simply put, it’s absolutely insane that a law abiding gun owner in Pennsylvania can cross into the State of New Jersey and immediately become a felon, facing 5 years in prison for doing nothing more than crossing an imaginary line. 

While that woman was ultimately pardoned  for this ridiculous crime, the fact that it happened in the first place is just one of far-too-many examples that show a need for National Reciprocity.  But beyond that, every State should be mandated to recognize Constitutional Carry.  American Citizens should not be barred from exercising their Rights because they cannot afford the fee.

Illinois, for example, charges $150 – but for what?  Other than lining the pockets of crooked Chicago Democrats, where does that money go?  That $150 doesn’t include training, a firearm to carry, or ammunition.  This is simply a way for the Government to restrict poor people from being able to protect themselves.  I’m not required to pay the Government a fee to exercise my 1^st Amendment, I damn sure shouldn’t be required to pay a fee to exercise my 2^nd.

Start challenging anti-gun State laws

After a pro-gun Justice is appointed to fill the seat of Scalia, The Federal Government needs to begin suing States that have passed anti-gun laws.  States such as California with laws restricting magazines, ammunition, and the “scary black rifles” they love to call “Assault Weapons”.

But where do we start?

If these last 4 years have proven anything, it’s that Gun Owners are a sleeping giant.  Poke us for too long, and we roar.  It’s time to use that roar with our newly elected officials, and hold them accountable to get what we demanded when we put them into office.

Once these new representatives take office, contact them!  Demand them to support & create the laws we need, and order them to repeal the Anti-Gun laws in every State across this great nation.  Be specific about what you want.  Don’t generalize!  Reference laws by name.  Reference ideas in depth.  Demand a response, and hold them accountable!

And in conclusion…

Get others involved.  We all know that fever.  We understand the passion, but many who don’t are also the same who oppose gun rights.  Rhetoric and debate do little to change warped minds:  But taking an anti-gun friend or co-worker to the range with you this weekend sure can.

We simply cannot rest easy.  Victory is not yet ours.  Laws are not signed/repealed.  While the up-hill battle seems to be over and we have spent these last 4 years constantly anxious, seemingly on edge every single day (thanks in large part to a corrupt, bastard media) we cannot now allow ourselves to take a break.  We cannot slip into apathy thinking that our newly appointed leaders will decide to get the job done on their own.

We have weathered the storm, but the clouds still loom.  Our future looks brighter than it has in a long time… and victory can be achieved, if we have what it takes to see this the rest of the way through.