Thoughts On The NRA And Undermining The 2nd Amendment

For about 3 years, the NRA was my client. I had the opportunity to visit with the leadership at their headquarters, and had numerous meetings/conversations during that time as I sought to understand their business. They are the most effective group in DC, NOT because they buy politicians - as many lobbyists do. They are effective because they believe in their cause, it is a righteous cause, and they are truly a grassroots organization, full of people who share their love of the Constitution, and especially the 2nd Amendment. When necessary they can mobilize their

membership to flood DC with phone calls and letters, not AstroTurf agitation like most Soros-funded groups, but actual constituents passionately telling their Congress critters what they want. And its very effective.

The media attempting to demonize the NRA is foolish. Because like Soylent Green, the NRA is PEOPLE. It is doctors, housewives, teachers, lawyers, Conservatives, Libertarians, Republicans, and yes, even a few Democrats.  And unlike the Broward County deputies who hid behind cars outside the school as the school shooter killed 17, the average NRA member would have at least attempted to stop the shooter, rather than standing down.

Economic boycotts are even more foolish. Who do you think is more likely to follow through with an economic threat - 5 million + people who are politically engaged, and vigilant about their rights? Or, a Soros-funded group with paid lackeys sending the same email and stuffing envelopes with form letters? You are either with the NRA on the side of the Constitution, or you stand with the marxists who want to fundamentally transform the US, depriving citizens of their inalienable rights. I would think very carefully before I succumbed to the pressure of political hate groups. The NRA may only have around 5 million members, but there are 100 million citizens who own guns in this country. And there are millions more like myself who will stand against any move to restrict civil liberties. 

The left is all giddy that a few companies - Allied Van Lines, Alamo Car Rental, Avis Car Rental , Delta Air Lines, First National Bank of Omaha, United Air Lines - to name a few, are ending their discounts for NRA members. I doubt many joined the NRA for this benefit. And I bet when it comes to banking, moving, flying, or car rental, NRA members, Conservatives, Patriots, and Gun Owners might be a bit more discerning when purchasing these services. I know I will. 

It seems after every alleged mass shooting, there are already in place groups soliciting money on behalf of the victims, and organizations demanding that the 2nd Amendment be eradicated. The media is quite prepared to gleefully broadcast their demands even before a single fact is confirmed from the event. In the case of Parkland, a school with over 3,000 students, seemingly only 4 students are interviewed by every major media outlet - all with very carefully thought out talking points. Some interviews may have even taken place before the shooting! Those who had differing views, or pro gun or 2nd Amendment leanings, were ignored and kept out the gun confiscation rally held by CNN, with carefully scripted questions, and a stacked audience.

The left continues to believe that if they can trot out enough victims, real or imagined, they will get the emotional response they seek, especially if there are children involved. Their status shields them from honest debate, and any tough questions are deflected by the accusation that you are attacking the victim. The reality is whether its moms or students demanding action, I really don't care. I know the left is willing to do ANYTHING to further their agenda, even arm Mexican gang members in an effort to undermine the 2nd Amendment. But none of this moves me. My NATURAL RIGHTS come from my Creator, not politicians or the government. And no politician or even mob will take them away from me.

The Right to Bear Arms is an INALIENABLE RIGHT, or a NATURAL RIGHT. Which means it cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws. The left has gotten very good at incrementally undermining rights. In the case of the 1st Amendment, Google, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, have all made it far more difficult to share beliefs that are contrary to the prevailing opinion of the far left, which is also the dominate ideology among the gatekeepers of entertainment, journalism, and education. The militant among the alternative lifestyle crowd, along with their allies in the media and the judiciary, have assaulted Christian businesses, and sought to silence those who dare to preach God's Word. The PC culture has stifled debate on college campuses, at one time the very best place to freely exchange ideas and debate their merit.

The 1st Amendment is under assault, and is relatively defenseless in its battle for survival. Which is one of the reasons why the Founders made the right to bear arms the 2nd Amendment. The ability to freely speak your mind, to protest, to assemble, or worship as you wish, can be easily trampled by the mob, or government tyranny. The only check is an armed population who would stop this from happening. The Founders were well aware from history what happens when a tyrannical power is unleashed on an unarmed population. Or when a powerful religion is permitted by the state to hunt heretics for fun and profit. The best defense is for every citizen to have the means necessary to defend themselves from any force that would seek to deprive him of his life, liberty, or property.

I give props to Bret in the above video, at least he is honest about the misguided goal of the radical left, that is the complete repeal of the 2nd amendment. He is not alone in this. Far too many people have been brainwashed into thinking that guns are bad, and rights are anything from free health care, to on demand, government-funded infanticide. The very schools that are being targeted in these shootings are not teaching their students and teachers that the founders gave them the Constitutional means to protect themselves. The Gun Free Zone signs certainly aren't doing the trick, and law enforcement seems to continually drop the ball when it comes to the prevention of mass violence.

It has demanded us to deliver up our arms, which are essential to our defence, the rightful property of freemen, and formidable only to tyrannical governments. Texas Declaration Of Independence - March 2, 1836

During one of my visits to the NRA headquarters, I sat in a conference room with a few people waiting for a meeting to start. On the wall they had mounted a massive flag, a replica of the the Battle of Gonzales flag pictured above. Being a native Texan, I was well aware of the history and significance of the flag and the event. After I commented, it became apparent that nobody in the room knew the story. Admittedly, these were mostly young staffers, but everyone present had graduated high school, college, and in some cases even graduate school, knowing nothing of the war for Texas Independence. If we can't learn from our history, we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes of the past.

So what was the meaning of the flag? Mexico had given the residents of Gonzales a cannon to help the local militia (the city residents, not a standing army) as a defense against Indian raids. Under Santa Anna, Mexico transformed into a dictatorship, and rumbles of rebellion could be heard all over the country. A small detachment, about 100 Mexican Calvary, was dispatched to seize the cannon from Gonzales. About 150 militia met them and a short skirmish followed. Although strategically the engagement was of little value. To the people living in Texas, it became obvious that the time of talking was over. The message from Gonzales should be the same for every tyrant who would seek to disarm law abiding citizens: Come And Take It!

Our Founding documents, especially the Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States, are some of the best works on Liberty ever produced by man. Only Paul's letters to the Body of Christ found in the New Testament exceed them. And Paul had much assistance from the Holy Spirit in crafting and explaining to Believers the Liberty they have in Christ, expanding it way beyond the limits of this temporal world. 

Instead of looking for ways to undermine our inalienable rights, we should be working to make sure that EVERYONE on the planet gets to enjoy the freedom our Founders imagined for the United States. Instead of robbing people of their Constitutional Rights, leaving them unprotected and easy targets for criminals and tyranny, why not empower them to protect themselves and their families? America's political elite seem to have no problem arming Mexican drug gangs, ISIS terrorists, and all types of unsavory folks all over the world, giving them automatic weapons, mortars, and the equipment to wage war, but somehow find it distressing that an American would dare own a semi-automatic weapon that simply LOOKS like a military weapon. How stupid is that?