If, on the other hand, the Supreme Court finds that the Second Amendment only grants states a collective right to arm National Guard units, then the consequences for the gun-rights movement could be disastrous. From that moment forward, Second Amendment rights for private citizens would be in serious jeopardy. Gun ownership could become a privilege, not a right (unless you live in a state where the state constitution contains a right to bear arms provision.)
Many millions of Americans, especially those in the middle of the political spectrum, tend to defer to the Supreme Court on constitutional questions. When the Supreme Court speaks on a matter, they tend to trust in its judgment and authority.
Right now, over 70 percent of Americans accept that the Second Amendment gives individual citizens the right to own private firearms. But if the Supreme Court were to say otherwise, you could expect that number to plummet. The next generation of lawyers, scholars, academics and even judges would all be taught as they were growing up that there is no constitutional right to own a gun. These people would shape public opinion and educate those coming after them, until eventually the percentage of Americans believing in the individual rights view might only be 20-30 percent of the population.Frankly, I think I would rather see Congress strike down the D.C. law, which would automatically negate Parker...either that or have one more card-carrying conservative Justice on the high court.
Maybe I'm worrying needlessly about teh Court, probably the consequences of living with a lawyer for a long time.
BTW, I've about half-way convinced myself to make a run for the NRA Board of Directors in the next election. You guys have any thoughts on that?
26 comments:
Mike, how about this:
SCOTUS declares 2A to be a collective right. You run for the BoD. The NRA membership balloons past 10 million, and the NRA goes on a "no quarter, bayonet the treasonous" campaign to change things. anyone who isn't with us is against us, and we show no mercy.
It might take another 20 years, but we get a new Congress and Senate, new SCOTUS, and set things right.
Or, SCOTUS declares the 2A a collective right, and the whole social/political structure falls apart as each State fends for itself.
Now is the time to take the Second Amendment up with the Supreme Court. With it likely that a socialist will be elected the next President, we don't have the luxury of waiting any more. Either it is or it isn't. I've heard this "oh, we might lose" mantra for 40 years. Well hell, WE MIGHT WIN! And NRA and GOA are scared of LOSING MONEY! Go for it. The average person doesn't have that much to lose. Keeping the status quo just benefits the NRA and SARAH BRADY!
Michael,
I think you should definately make a run for the NRA Board of Directors. You seem to understand that while hunting is fine, people are moving away from this and to shooting as a sport. You'd have my vote.
Joe
If I could predict the future; the Supremes will hear the Parker case. They will decide that there is an individual right to own firearms but subject to "reasonable" regulation.
Some states and cities would interpret that to mean you can own a handgun for self defense but only if it were a one-shot muzzleloader and fired the new and improved Nerf round.
On the other hand, if I could really tell the future I'd have won the lottery three times in a row, be living on my own island, and be owning a dozen Thompsons SMGs.
As for the Board of Directors, you got my vote--go for it.
RUN!
I'd join the NRA just to vote for you.
please run
FD in AL
MB, what would you change about the NRA? BTW, you'll need a new suit for campaigning.
It is important to note, the constitution does not GRANT us the right to keep and bear arms to defend ourselves, any more than it GRANTS us the right to practice our religion.
We have these rights inherently, as free men.
No law, or court ruling, or amendment can take away my right to defend myself, by force of arms if necessary; and I will actively resist the enforcement of such a law against me, with violence if necessary.
I am no second amendment absolutist. I recognize that violent felons, through their actions, have lost their right to bear arms. I recognize that people who are intoxicated or insane should not have access to arms. I believe that there should be limitations on the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction; and there should be storage and safety requirements for high explosives and poisons.
What I will not allow, ever, under any circumstances; is the government to disarm me without just cause; and no law arbitrarily disarming the populace could ever be just, under any circumstances.
There are 70-80 million gun owning household in this country; perhaps as many as 200 million people with guns in their homes. If only 1% of gun owners feel as I do thats at least 700,000 active resisters, perhaps as many as 2 million... and somehow I think it's more than 1%.
The entire United States armed forces, and every cop in America couldn't do it.
I'm no conspiracy nut, or separatist, or exilist or militia crazy etc... I'm a veteran, a husband, a father, a churchgoer and an upstanding member of my community.
I took an oath to defend my country, and my constitution, against all enemies foreign and domestic, and I intend to do so. Anyone who would pass or enforce such a law has become a domestic enemy of my country, and my constitution.
I WILL kill to defend my rights; and your rights; and everyone else's rights. I will kill cops, I will kill soldiers, I will kill politicians; I will kill anyone who attempts to abrogate our fundamental rights in such a way; and I have no reservations about dying in the process.
Some things are worth dying for.
I am no radical; I simply recognize that the first step to mass extermination is disarmament; it has been in all cases in recorded history, and will continue to be so. History did not magically disappear, and change human nature with it, when world war two ended. The only proof against mass slaughter, genocide, and democide is an armed and educated populace. It always has been, and always will be.
I am not advocating the violent overthrow of the united states or it's government; but I tell you right now, if the supreme court decides that we don't have the right to bear arms in our own defense, against any who threaten us; then the second American revolution will be a heartbeat away.
Now, what I don't understand, is why this is thought of as a radical proposition. To my mind, we should all feel this way.
Michael, you're a natural for the NRA board. You'd have tremendous support.
Chris B, you forgot to include the MSM for aiding and abetting treason against the Constitution.
Run, Mike, Run!!! We need you on the Board of Directors. You have my vote. As for the Supreme Court, they have already outlawed the 1st Amendment with their upholding of the Campaign Finance Reform. I am sure they would have no qualms about making the 2nd unconstitutional!
SCOTUS would be collectively insane to attempt a definitive "Yeah, individual right; now, go do The Right Thing". It leaves way too many questions unanswered, such as explaining just WHY I can't own a Carl Gustav or an M60. (Sorry, flashback moment.)
You get thinking about "Okay, you can have it if you can pack it during a 12-mile forced march, and can complete it in 4 hours" as a filter. But then you get thinking about "Hey, this is just more Mickey Mouse restrictions". Still, you know that kind of weasel-thinking is going to be a part of their deliberations.
I don't think there's going to be any problems with asserting restrictions on convicted felons or insane people owning firearms, except that the guidelines for defining 'insane people' clearly needs work (ie: Virginia Tech).
We do indeed live in Interesting Times.
Oh, and about the NRA/BOD run? Why not? The Colonel is gone now, we need somebody with 'published stature' to take his place. Hey, that's an idea. It could be the "Colonel Jeff Cooper Chair".
What do you mean, I've spent too much time in Academia-Land?
If SCOTUS declares the 2nd amendment to be a collective right we're finished.
If a democrat wins the Whitehouse, the DC Gun Law will be spread to the entire country.
The backlash to that will be lead to the NRA being declared a terrorist organization by the government, or a Quisling one by the members. You aren't gonna want to be out fron on either.
Chris, I am with you Brother. We started this country as a bunch of radicals, and we might just end it that way too. Or get us back on track, which is what I am personally hoping for.
As for running for the NRA Board, it couldn't hurt, or could it? I know absolutely nothing about Neil Knox, other than I tended to agree with him and his boys. But something went on there, and he got seriously marginalized on the Board.
I would vote for you, though, MB if you ran.
Run for the NRA Board of Directors? Shouldn't be a question, do it! You'd have my support 100%. You're one of the few who understands what is actually going on and I think you could make a difference.
Seems like they are kind of in a hard spot if they want to claim a collective right view of it. If they do, some people are going to decide that it is time to just start killing policticians and the people who support them.
How many will do this? This is what makes it a hard decision for those that would subvert the Constitution. If even as much as 0.0014 percent of the gun owners of the u.S. decided to do this, that would be over 1000 people. Think about how much trouble the DC snipers caused -- and they weren't exactly the sharpest knifes in the drawer.
I think the number would be _much_ higher than 3 out of every 200,000 (0.0015%) gun owners. Just one more thing the statists have take into account in their calcuation of what they can get away with. Also why I think they will just try to avoid taking up the case.
If SCOTUS declares 2A as a collective right, other rights reserved "to the people" will go the same way and life here will be hell.
Run! Michael! Run!
Michael, you'd be a great asset on the NRA board, which can use a communicator like you. You come across as a regular guy, while unfortunately other high profile people like the late, great Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper and the Nuge may not present the best face possible for a lot of middle-of-the-road people who need to be convinced that the NRA is not an extremist organization (I love these guys personally, but that's a plain fact). At the same time, the NRA approach (like their websites) can best be described as "stodgy".
We need a new, lively, fun approach to make guns and shooting more appealing to the uninitiated, and your websites and programs show that you're one of the best guys imagineable to move the NRA in this direction.
You would have my full support and vote Michael.
While there's no such thing as a guaranteed result from the Supreme Court, the appellate court's opinion is so historically sound and so comprehensive that it is intellectually impossible to construct a rational LEGAL argument (as distinguished from an "I just don't like guns" argument) for a collective-right reading of the Second Amendment. So I say let's go for it - Parker is the best and cleanest shot we're likely to have in my lifetime to get a Supreme Court opinion on our side.
I am also becoming somewhat skeptical of the NRA's analysis of litigation strategy, given their attempt to hijack the Parker case itself in a way that certainly would have delayed, and may even have prevented, achieving the decision that was handed down. Their recent high-handed hijacking of a bill to expand concealed carry in Georgia adds to the feeling that they don't really want to get rid of gun controls, they just want to keep talking about it so they can keep raising money. So if the NRA says it's not a good time to appeal to the Supremes, I'd say it's the PERFECT time to do so.
Would you be willing to publicly stand up to Wayne LaPierre's stand on make-believe gun-free zones in schools?
Not to put too fine a point on it, but over the past fifty years the courts have consistantly denied us our Second Amendment rights... so if the Supremes do so again tomorrow, what will have changed? honestly, a 'collective rights' decision on Parker will have about as much impact on us as the Dred Scott decision did on the average slave.
Remember, it hasn't been the courts that have won us and kept us the RKBA we enjoy today; it's the massive voting and fundraising potentials of millions and millions of rabid single-issue voters: gun owners.
I'm a voting member, and I'll vote for you.
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