There are those in this country who would like to see the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America repealed, as the 21st Amendment did to the 18th Amendment. Which is their right. They also have the right to publicly condemn it and actively pursue the process of repeal.
But the enemies of American’s right to bear arms have not and will not seek to directly repeal it. Their chosen path is to pick it apart piece by piece and destroy its protectors. Even if it means battling the American Civil Liberties Union, standard bearer for many causes supported by the Democrat Party and its most left leaning fringe elements. The editorial piece in the Richmond Times Dispatch below says it all.
“Joining Forces”
“First Amendment”
“One of the oldest axioms in the messy business of governing is that politics makes strange bedfellows. One of the oddest alliances to form of late is between the right leaning National Rifle Association and the left leaning American Civil Liberties Union. The civil liberties group is defending the guns-rights group against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s attempts to use the power of the state to put the NRA out of business.”
“Last year, New York’s Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) launched an investigation of Lockport, an insurance company that handled the NRA’s personal liability insurance. The state fined the company $7 million, claiming the policies violated state laws. Lockport quickly cut off all business with the NRA, as did insurers Chubb & Lloyd’s.”
“In April, NYDFS sent letters to every bank, financial company, and insurer licensed to do business in New York, urging them all to review any arrangements they might have with the NRA and ‘to take prompt actions to manage (sic) these risks and promote public health and safety.’ After receiving the thinly veiled threats, most institutions and companies stopped doing business altogether with the NRA.”
The NRA responded by filing a lawsuit against Cuomo and the financial regulatory bureau contenting that the intimidation and abuse of regulatory actions constituted a blacklisting campaign. The gun rights group argued it has been deprived of basic insurance and may be ‘unable to exist as a not-for-profit or pursue its advocacy mission.’”
“On Saturday, the ACLU filed an amicus brief on behalf of the NRA. The civil liberties group believe Cuomo’s targeting of a non-profit advocacy group and attempts to deny it financial services are ‘a blatant violation of the First Amendment.’”
“The ACLU also notes that threatening the rights of one advocacy group threatens the rights of all. It contends that ‘although public officials are free to express their opinions and may condemn viewpoints or groups they view as inimical to public welfare, they cannot abuse their regulatory authority to retaliate against disfavored advocacy organizations and to impose burdens on those organizations’ ability to conduct lawful business.’”
“Regardless of how popular Cuomo’s campaign against the NRA may be with anti-gun groups, the precedent it sets is dangerous. Should he be successful, what’s to stop other governors with other political motives from threatening banks and financial institutions into doing their bidding? Substitute Planned Parenthood for the NRA, and the danger quickly becomes obvious.”
“The ACLU has made it clear it does not agree wit the NRA on Second Amendment issues, which makes its staunch support for the organization’s First Amendment rights all the more admirable.”
As profound a parable as you can possibly come across on the dangers of so much officially-imbued power in the hands of those who would abuse it to serve those with whom they are politically aligned at the expense of many, many of their citizens who would vehemently oppose these actions and, more notably, the American Constitution itself. It is reminiscent of the abuses conducted by the IRS under the Obama Administration against similarly aligned, legally certified non-profit organizations that the Obama Administration saw as antithetical to their political ambitions. More Chicago bare-knuckle style, yet sinisterly quiet, attempts to “assassinate” political foes so common to the statesmen-like (on the surface) Obama. At least Trump hangs it all out there, much to his continual detriment.
Final thought, NRA members are not those who should be feared. These are law-abiding citizens who pose no threat to the public. In fact, for those with a concealed carry license and trained in gun safety, they may come to your rescue one day when those who have no business being in possession of deadly weapons attempt to deprive you of your civil rights to peace, breathing and the pursuit of happiness. The problem is ensuring those who should not have access to weapons never obtain them. I enthusiastically support what should be a bipartisan effort, with give & take on both sides, to increase public safety.
The Willow 