Pete Barrett, the founder of Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, has endorsed the new “Gun Owners for Trump” coalition organized by the Republican National Committee (RNC) and former President Donald Trump.
Read the full storyTag: 2A
Tennessee U.S. Rep. Mark Green Introduces Bill to Prohibit New Firearm Export Rule from Being Implemented
Tennessee U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07) introduced a bill this week that would prohibit federal funds from being used to finalize, implement, or enforce the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) interim final rule amending the Export Administration Regulations.
Read the full storyRepublicans Preemptively Shoot Down Mayes Red Flag Law Pitch
Attorney General Kris Mayes wants to propose red flag laws, but Republican lawmakers say it will not stand a chance in the Legislature.
The laws Mayes wants would be targeted toward those who would be determined to be a risk to the safety of schools, according to Arizona’s Family. The report said that Mayes would be proposing legislation that would also allow firearms belonging to adults could be targeted if there is evidence that a minor in their household poses a risk of misusing those weapons.
Read the full storyGulbransen Confronts the Rumor Mill About a ‘Backroom Deal’ to Pass Red Flag Gun Control Laws During Special Session
Sparks fly in Tuesday’s edition of Aaron’s Analysis on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy, as official guest host Aaron Gulbransen directly confronts swirling around the politics of Gov. Lee’s proposed “red flag” gun control law. In a rare moment, Gulbransen shares shocking details about his past and how that informs his insights into what he thinks which measures will and won’t pass during the upcoming special session. TRANSCRIPT Aaron Gulbransen: So, I wanna set this up: I absolutely despise talking about myself other than telling funny stories, but I feel I must point out a few things so the audience can understand where I’m coming from in general, and how I view things politically in special session. The audience knows me, of course, as the official guest host of this program and the executive director of The Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition. I am, long ago, a Blue State refugee. I got my start in politics as a volunteer for the Long Island Coalition for Life, the oldest pro-life organization in the country, folding and distributing their newsletter. My first paid campaign was in the year 2000 against Hillary Clinton. Years later, I moved to Virginia and…
Read the full storyMichael Patrick Leahy: Gov. Bill Lee’s 18 Separate Bills Are a Smoke Screen to Jam Through Red Flag Gun Control Laws During Special Session
The Tennessee Star Report host Michael Patrick Leahy took to the airwaves Monday morning to break down Governor Bill Lee’s call for an “extraordinary” special session.
By looking into the recent past, Leahy shows listeners how Lee’s “laundry list” of eighteen line items are little more than a smoke screen to hide the central purpose of the August 21 session, which is to pass legislation that will fundamentally alter the nature of gun ownership in Tennessee.
Read the full storyCommentary: Does the Legislature Have Constitutional Authority to Pass Governor Lee’s Call for a Red Flag Law?
On April 11, 2023, Governor Bill Lee called for the Tennessee Legislature to respond to the public’s emotional response to the Covenant School murders by enacting a law to make sure mentally ill people do not have access to firearms. He did not use the term “Red Flag” but that is the correct label for the kind of law that Governor Lee described as a “new protective order”.
Tennessee’s Legislature has a super majority of Republicans. Many of those Republicans have campaigned as strong Second Amendment supporters and continue to claim that they are. Many of them have told their constituents that they would never support a “Red Flag” law. Some may have answered candidate surveys or signed pledges assuring the voters that they would never support a “Red Flag” law in Tennessee. Now Republican Governor Lee calls on them to violate those promises and assurances and to pass a “Red Flag” law.
Read the full storyCommentary: Red Flag Laws Are Not Designed for Anything But Gun Control
Following practically every mass public shooting, the gun control advocates call for “reasonable” responses to “gun violence”. One of the present favorite alleged solutions of the those who seek to ban guns in society is the incrementalism that includes the opportunity to leverage a tragedy by calling for “Red Flag” laws.
A “Red Flag” law is nothing more than a gun confiscation order. That is its failure as a solution to violence. But, that is the very reason why gun abolitionists proffer it at every opportunity.
Read the full storyBill Would Stop State Law Enforcement from Enforcing Federal Gun Laws
A bill that would stop Ohio law enforcement officers from enforcing federal gun regulations that are more restrictive than state law is drawing opposition from country prosecutors, chiefs of police and mayors.
State Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Loveland, called the proposed legislation a response to federal regulations she said infringes on Second Amendment rights.
Read the full storyTennessee Firearms Association Looking for Plaintiffs for Possible Lawsuit Against the State over Gun-Free Zones
The Tennessee Firearms Association (TFA) is looking for plaintiffs to take part in a possible lawsuit against the state of Tennessee pertaining to the state’s gun-free zones.
A lawsuit is being prepared for filing in state court against the State of Tennessee that will address gun-free zones and whether those zones violate the constitution, according to the TFA.
Read the full storyTFA’s John Harris Commentary: What the Congressional Speaker Selection Delay Means to Gun Owners in Tennessee
As of January 3, 2023, the Republicans were supposed to control the United States House of Representatives by a slim majority. On that date, many expected that the task of electing a new Speaker and moving forward with the business of “the people” in the House would start under Republican party control. But as of January 6, 2023, those elected to serve in the House have not selected a Speaker and so the House has not been organized nor undertaken regular operations. National news reports indicate that the presumptive Republican Speaker so far has fallen short in getting the required number of votes in part because approximately 20 Republicans who were elected in November have refused to vote for McCarty and no other individual has demonstrated enough votes to get the position.
One of the issues that is being discussed is whether any of those who have refused to support McCarthy in the 11 votes taken as of January 5th have broken a promise, perhaps a campaign promise, to do so. It is an active discussion over what was promised and whether there are any valid justifications for withholding support if a promise was made. Indeed, at least in Nashville, the talk radio shows are expending a great amount of time reviewing this issue because there is a Congressman-elect from Tennessee who is part of the story.
Read the full story2A Groups Caution Against Gun Control Measures in Virginia after Shootings
After three football players were killed in a shooting at the University of Virginia and six people were killed in a shooting at a Walmart in Chesapeake, gun groups are cautioning against efforts to impose stricter gun control measures.
On November 13, three UVA football players were killed after a man allegedly opened fire in a bus after returning to the university from a class trip. A little more than a week later, six people were killed in a Walmart in Chesapeake after a man allegedly opened fire because of grievances against some Walmart employees.
Read the full storyHundreds of Virginians Have Had Firearms Confiscated Through Red-Flag Laws
Hundreds of Virginians have had their guns confiscated from them through red-flag laws since those rules went into effect more than two years ago, according to data in the Virginia Firearms Transaction Center.
Red-flag laws allow police to seize firearms from a person if a judge deems him or her to be a threat to himself or others, even if that person has not been convicted of a crime, charged with a crime or even accused of a crime. The laws passed the General Assembly when Democrats had control of both chambers and were signed by former Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam. The legislation received staunch opposition from the Republican minority at the time.
Read the full storyTennessee Attorney General Leading Opposition to Major Credit Card Providers’ Lists of Gun Purchasers
After last week’s news that American Express, Mastercard and Visa, plan to keep lists of those who purchase weapons using their credit card services, Tennessee’s Attorney General is leading a coalition of 24 of his peers from various states in opposition of that plan.
“Giant financial companies must not use their combined market power to circumvent our
representative democracy,” said Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. “As Attorney
General, I protect the people of Tennessee from corporate collusion that threatens to undermine their constitutional rights. Working together with my colleagues from other states, we will marshal the full scope of our lawful authority to stop this abuse.”
Ohio Republican Senator Introduces Gun Control Legislation
An Ohio Republican state senator introduced gun-control legislation that would require a co-signer for 18- to 21-year-olds to buy any gun other than a single-round rifle or shotgun.
State Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, who lost a U.S. Senate primary earlier this year to J.D. Vance, said Senate Bill 357 protects both Second Amendment rights and the public.
Read the full storyBurt Jones Challenges Stacey Abrams on Music Midtown Cancellation
Burt Jones, Republican nominee for lieutenant governor of Georgia, took exception to the assertion by Stacey Abrams that Governor Kemp is more concerned with “protecting dangerous people” than the economy of the state by affirming the right for Peach State citizens to bear arms with the signing of the constitutional carry law.
“Music Midtown is the new All Star Game. It’s still illegal for criminals to carry guns, and Georgia continues to see record voter turnout. Notice a trend? Her name is Stacey Abrams–and she’s still being dishonest with Georgia voters,” Jones tweeted on Tuesday.
Read the full storyConnecticut’s AG Tong Among 20 State Attorneys General Supporting National Gun Control Rule
A coalition of 20 state attorneys general, all Democrats, are backing a federal gun rule in court.
The Final Rule, as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives named it, would enable law enforcement officials to trace any homemade guns used in crimes. In addition, the rule limits trafficking the weaponry.
Read the full storyNorthern Virginia Town Adopts Gun Buyback Ordinance
A town in northern Virginia has adopted a gun buyback ordinance, which will allow residents to receive compensation for giving unwanted firearms to the town.
The Dumfries Town Council approved the gun buyback program at a meeting this week. The ordinance the council adopted authorizes the town manager to contract an individual or entity to manage the firearm buyback program. The contract would be administered by the police department.
Read the full storyTennessee Firearms Association Releases Red Flag Candidate Pledge Form
The Tennessee Firearms Association released their Red Flag Candidate Pledge form on Tuesday.
The pledge, which is for candidates running for office in 2022 to fill out and pledge that they will never support red flag laws, can be found here.
Read the full storyNorth Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson Says ‘The American Dream Is Absolutely Not Dead’
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson told The Tennessee Star at the Faith and Freedom Road to Majority Conference on Friday that the “American Dream is absolutely not dead.”
“It’s like I said to a group today, they say that the American Dream is dead. People will tell me that to my face,” he said. “I’m living the American Dream. I’m literally the guy that’s from the wrong side of the tracks with all the so-called strikes against me. Here I am, making history in North Carolina, the first black Lt. Governor of North Carolina.”
Read the full storyTennessee Firearms Association Responds to ‘Unconstitutional’ Set of Gun Control Bills Passed in the House of Representatives
The Tennessee Firearms Association (TFA) responded Friday to a set of gun control bills that passed in the House of Representatives this week. The group also criticized Tennessee lawmakers for “putting Tennesseans’ lives at risk” with current state legislation in place.
Read the full storyRepresentative Steve Cohen Continues Anti-Second Amendment Tirade
Democrat U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) continued his anti-Second Amendment tirade late Thursday.
In his second set of comments on Thursday, Cohen said in part, “Regardless if we give the Republicans a long time to think about bills and lots of notice, or very little notice, they vote the same way. They vote no.”
Read the full storyAnother Tennessee Democrat Legislator Grandstands on Anti-Gun Legislation
Far-left Democrat State Representative Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) joined other Tennessee liberals demanding gun control in the state.
“Yes, I have every intention of bringing back my red flag bill, as well as my safe storage legislation in January,” she tweeted on Wednesday.
Read the full storyMarch for Our Lives to Host Nashville Anti-Second Amendment Protest on June 11
The organization March for Our Lives is scheduled to host a day of anti-Second Amendment protests in the wake of the Texas tragedy on June 11.
A protest is already scheduled to occur in Nashville from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Nashville Public Square Park.
Read the full storyDemocrat-Sponsored Legislation Creating Firearm Buyback Program Scheduled for Committee Hearings
Democrat-sponsored legislation which contains creation of firearm buyback program and refers to gun violence as a public health issue is scheduled for Tennessee General Assembly Committee consideration over the coming days.
The legislation requires the Tennessee Department of Safety to develop a firearm buyback program “in
collaboration with local community groups.”
Ohio Bill Calling Gun Sales Essential Gets First Hearing
A bill that declares some firearms businesses and services life-sustaining and essential during a public emergency got its first hearing Tuesday in front of the Ohio House Government Oversight Committee.
House Bill 325, introduced by Rep. Scott Wiggam, R-Wooster, would not allow the state to stop the sale of firearms during a state of emergency, similar to what happened when certain businesses were declared essential when Gov. Mike DeWine issued a stay-at-home order at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read the full storySenate Bill Would Make Concealed Weapon Permit in Ohio Optional
A bill in the Ohio House that would make a concealed weapons permit optional and end the responsibility to promptly notify police officers a person is carrying a concealed weapon now has companion legislation in the Ohio Senate.
Sen. Terry Johnson, R-Scioto County, filed the bill earlier this month that goes along with House Bill 89, which made it out of committee earlier this year but has not been passed by the House. The same legislation passed the House last year but did not receive a vote in the Senate.
Read the full story61 Percent of U.S. Counties now Second Amendment Sanctuaries: Analysis
The majority of all U.S. counties have been designated as Second Amendment sanctuaries, according to an analysis by SanctuaryCounties.com.
As of June 20, there are 1,930 counties “protected by Second Amendment Sanctuary legislation at either the state or county level,” representing 61% of 3,141 counties and county equivalents in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Texas was the 21st state to pass a constitutional carry bill, which Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law, and becomes effective Sept. 1. And while some state legislatures are not taking the same action, county officials have chosen to enact their own legislation. Roughly 1,137 counties “have taken it upon themselves to pass Second Amendment Sanctuary legislation and likely hundreds of cities, townships, boroughs, etc. have done so at their level as well,” the site states.
Read the full storyVirginia House Public Safety Firearms Subcommittee Kills Pro-Gun Bills
The House of Delegates continues passing restrictions on firearms in Virginia, including on Monday, with a bill banning guns on Capitol grounds and a bill prohibiting people convicted of assaulting a family member from possessing firearms. But the House has killed or stalled four pro-gun bills that would have walked back firearms restrictions.
Read the full storyCongresswoman-Elect Spearheads Effort to Keep Ability to Carry Guns in Capitol, Says DC Is Unsafe
Colorado Congresswoman-elect Lauren Boebert, alongside 83 other Representatives, have countered an effort by Democratic legislators to disallow politicians from carrying firearms in the Capitol.
Boebert, a vocal supporter of gun rights, rallied the group of lawmakers to oppose a measure by Democratic California Rep. Jared Huffman to prohibit gun carry throughout Capitol grounds. Huffman garnered support from 19 other House members and said the “current regulations,” which allow concealed firearms for politicians, “create needless risk” in a mid-December letter.
Read the full storyCommission Still Undecided on Capitol Building Gun Ban
Two motions aiming to restrict guns inside the state Capitol failed at the Michigan Capitol Commission meeting Monday.
But the group agreed to meet with leading lawmakers to further discuss the idea.
The Commission voted to schedule a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey of Clarklake and Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield of Levering, both Republicans, either this or next week.
Read the full storyCommentary: Thanks to Leftist Mob Violence, Gun Control is Dead
This summer has answered the question, “why would somebody ever need an AR-15 or a high-capacity magazine?” As the Left continues to advocate for ending private ownership of military-style rifles, Americans can also see that powerful rifles are turning up in the possession of violent rioters and looters. In this video, one can clearly see Raz Simone, then a noted leader within Seattle’s “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone”, handing out an expensive, tricked-out AR-15 to a complete stranger. Simone somehow went from an Airbnb host to a Tesla-driving, arsenal-distributing mogul in the space of a few weeks.
Read the full storySpike in Background Checks Suggest Increase in Michigan Gun Sales, Following National Trends
As consumers rushed to buy toilet paper in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, data suggests Michiganders also rushed to buy guns.
That’s according to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported the number of firearm background checks completed this year in Michigan more than doubled from February to March from 47,557 to 107,492.
Read the full storySumner County Rallies for Second Amendment Sanctuary Resolution
A rally in support of a Second Amendment Sanctuary County Resolution is planned for Monday, February 24 at 6 p.m. in front of the Sumner County Administration Building.
Read the full storySumner County Commissioners Reject Citizens’ Request for a 2A Sanctuary County Resolution
GALLATIN, Tennessee – At the Monday meeting of the Sumner County Commission Legislative Committee, citizens were denied their request for a Second Amendment (SA) Sanctuary County resolution.
Read the full story2A Ground Zero: ‘It’s Not a Virginia Thing; It’s an America Thing’
RICHMOND, Virginia – Thousands of 2nd Amendment supporters gathered peacefully in Virginia Monday, demonstrating that the commitment to defend the God-given, constitutionally-protected right to keep and bear arms extends far beyond the Commonwealth’s borders.
Read the full storyOhio Considering Plan to Eliminate Concealed Weapons Licenses
by Todd DeFeo State lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow Ohioans to carry firearms without the need to obtain a concealed weapons license. House Bill 178 would extend to Ohio residents who are at least 21 years old and federal law does not prohibit them from having a firearm. It does not apply to any so-called “restricted deadly weapon,” which includes various military-style arms. The House Federalism Committee voted 7-4 in favor of the bill following a debate that was “very contentious” at times, state Rep. John Becker, the committee’s chairman, acknowledged before the vote. However, he noted, there was some consensus from the two sides. “One of which is the second amendment. … I didn’t hear anybody come in here and say nobody has the right to carry a gun,” Becker, R-Union Township, said. “The other point that I think everybody is in agreement on is gun safety. “Everybody wants to be safe. Nobody wants bad guys to have guns. That’s something we all agree on,” he added. “Obviously we have some very stark disagreements on how to achieve public safety.” The bill pits two vocal opponents against one another. While gun proponents applauded the plan,…
Read the full storyTrump’s ATF Pick Chuck Canterbury: ‘I Take a Back Seat to No One in My Reverence for the 2nd Amendment’
by Whitney Tipton President Donald Trump announced Friday plans to nominate Fraternal Order of Police President Chuck Canterbury to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Canterbury has been Fraternity Order of Police (FOP) president for 16 years, having previously spent 26 years in the Horry County, South Carolina, Police Department’s patrol, criminal and training divisions, according to the White House statement. “Chuck is one of the most honorable people I’ve ever worked with and if he is selected, I can’t think of a finer person to take the position,” said Jonathan Thompson, executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association. Thompson made the remarks to POLITICO in Nov. 2018, when Canterbury’s name was first floated for the position. Fraternal Order of Police President, Chuck Canterbury, demands off-duty cops be allowed carry guns at NFL gameshttps://t.co/pwOHP7ZaNu — FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) December 2, 2015 Trump worked closely with Canterbury on sentencing reform legislation passed Nov. 2018. The measure, which granted leniency on minimum sentencing rules for some drug offenses and expanded rehabilitation programs, enjoyed rare bipartisan support and was backed by the ACLU, according to Politico. Canterbury has been vocal in his Second Amendment support, testifying July 2009 before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support…
Read the full storyCommentary: America’s Gun Culture Cultivates Civic Virtue
by Aaron Tao Many people are often surprised to learn that I am a gun owner and firm defender of the Second Amendment. After all, I, a first-generation Chinese-American immigrant, do not fit the stereotype of the typical American gun owner. Of all of America’s cherished freedoms, the natural and unalienable right of self-defense, recognized and protected (not granted) by the Second Amendment, took me the longest to fully embrace. But as an open-minded rationalist, the lessons of history and statistical research proved overwhelming (not to mention the sheer fun of learning the basic operations and mechanics of firearms) and eventually helped me understand why tens of millions of my fellow Americans treasure their right to keep and bear arms. Cultivating Civic Virtue From the colonists winning independence from Great Britain to African-Americans vindicating their civil rights, the role of the gun is inseparable from American identity. The gun is the ultimate multipurpose tool that empowers its user with the means to put food on the table, as well as preserve one’s life, whether against common street criminals or government tyranny. The philosophical underpinnings and lived experiences that shaped American gun culture all matter (and reinforce each other), but I want to focus on one aspect in particular: the cultivation of civic virtue. Owning and shooting a gun…
Read the full storyNew York Man Gets State Stun Gun Ban Overturned Based on His Second Amendment Rights
by Evie Fordham Banning the personal ownership of stun guns in New York state is unconstitutional because it violates individuals’ Second Amendment right to bear arms, a federal judge ruled Friday. “New York’s sweeping prohibition on the possession and use of tasers and stun guns by all citizens for all purposes, even for self-defense in one’s own home, must be declared unconstitutional,” U.S. District Judge David Hurd wrote in his decision according to The Associated Press. Hurd also wrote that people trading firearms for stun guns could result in less weapons deaths. Matthew Avitabile of Schoharie County, New York, had brought the suit against the state police superintendent, since that agency enforces the state’s weapons laws. Avitabile wanted to buy a stun gun to defend himself in his home in rural upstate New York, reported The AP. Avitabile is also the mayor of Middleburgh, New York, and said that although his town is as safe “as Mayberry,” he wants New Yorkers to be able to protect themselves, reported The New York Post. Forty-seven states allow tasers and stun guns with varying levels of regulation, according to The New York Post. Now the stricter states are starting to reverse course. For instance,…
Read the full storyNew Cases of Armed Citizens Stopping Criminals in February
by Amy Swearer Last month, we documented some extraordinary examples from January of armed citizens relying on their Second Amendment rights to protect themselves and others. We pointed out that these were average, everyday Americans who were just going about their lives. They did not go looking for evil but were nonetheless prepared to deal with the evil that found them. February has produced even more evidence that the fundamental right to keep and bear arms is not an anachronism that no longer deserves constitutional protection, but a vital tool safeguarding individual liberty. Studies routinely indicate that every year, Americans use their firearms in defense of themselves or others between 500,000 and 2 million times. Very few of these defensive gun uses receive national publicity – if they receive publicity at all. [ The liberal Left continue to push their radical agenda against American values. The good news is there is a solution. Find out more ] Below, we’ve highlighted just a handful of the many times during the month of February that law-abiding Americans demonstrated the importance of the Second Amendment. Feb. 2: A restaurant owner in Akron, Ohio, scared off a masked man who attempted to rob him with a knife. The man fled, and…
Read the full storyCommentary: What The Fake History Of Guns Can Teach Us
by Chris Calton In 2000, Emory University history professor Michael Bellesiles published the book Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture. The central argument of the book was that the culture of American gun ownership does not date back to the colonial era and, instead, emerged in the middle of the nineteenth century when technological advances made firearms more affordable. Among the academic left, the book was wildly popular. Scholars gave glowing reviews of the book, and Columbia University awarded Billesiles one of the most coveted prizes in the history profession: The Bancroft. Enhancing his newfound academic fame were the enemies he made, namely the National Rifle Association. Charlton Heston, to the glee of anti-gun academics, vocally criticized the book. Bellesile reveled in the attention, telling Heston that he should earn his PhD before criticizing anybody who has one. Leftist scholars were thrilled to have an academic book that appeared to thoroughly demolish the notion, so cherished by American gun owners, that the country was founded on a culture of widespread gun ownership. They even admitted as much, with the publisher saying that it was “ecstatic” about publishing it “because the book knocked the gun lobby.”[1] But even amidst…
Read the full storyCalifornia’s Background Check Law Had No Impact on Gun Deaths, Johns Hopkins Study Finds
by John Miltimore A new academic study has found that, once again, gun laws are not having their desired effect. A joint study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of California at Davis Violence Prevention Research Program found that California’s much-touted mandated background checks had no impact on gun deaths, and researchers are puzzled as to why. California Gun Laws Are a Failure In 1991, California simultaneously imposed comprehensive background checks for firearm sales and prohibited gun sales (and gun possession) to people convicted of misdemeanor violent crimes. The legislation mandated that all gun sales, including private transactions, would have to go through a California-licensed Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealer. Shotguns and rifles, like handguns, became subject to a 15-day waiting period to make certain all gun purchasers had undergone a thorough background check. It was the most expansive state gun control legislation in America, affecting an estimated one million gun buyers in the first year alone. Though costly and cumbersome, politicians and law enforcement agreed the law was worth it. The legislation would “keep more guns out of the hands of the people who shouldn’t have them,” said then-Republican…
Read the full storyMike Lee Commentary: Why I Objected to a Bill That Would Ban 3D Gun Designs
by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) Last Tuesday, President Donald Trump tweeted, “I am looking into 3-D Plastic Guns being sold to the public. Already spoke to NRA, doesn’t seem to make much sense!” The White House has not offered any clarification on what exactly Trump’s tweet meant, but if he is worried about plastic guns being sold to the public, he shouldn’t be. The Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 already makes the sale, and even the mere possession, of plastic guns illegal. Following Trump’s tweet, however, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., went to the Senate floor and tried to pass a bill by unanimous consent (meaning there would be no roll call vote, the bill would just pass the Senate immediately without any debate) that would have banned the mere publication of any designs for a plastic gun that could be produced by a 3D printer. I objected. Anytime legislation begins with words “It shall be unlawful for any person to intentionally publish … ” I will force the Senate to take a long look at that legislation. The federal government already believes it has the power to ban the publication of 3D plastic gun designs under the Arms Export…
Read the full storyMore People Use a Gun in Self-Defense Each Year Than Die in Car Accidents
by Mark W. Smith This is an excerpt from “#Duped: How the Anti-gun Lobby Exploits the Parkland School Shooting-and How Gun Owners Can Fight Back”. How is it that so many kids raised on “Harry Potter”, “The Hunger Games”, “Star Wars”, and all the Marvel action figure movies manage to miss a critical point of the stories? The lesson being: If you want to prevail over evil villains, you must have the proper tools to fight back. Millions of people protect themselves and their families with guns every day in the United States. They choose guns as a means of self-defense for the same reason the Secret Service uses them to protect the president: guns stop bad people from doing bad things to good people. It’s absurd to speak about the right of self-defense in theory but then deny people the tools they need to exercise that right. [ The liberal Left continue to push their radical agenda against American values. The good news is there is a solution. Find out more ] Without a gun, most Americans are defenseless at the hands of a violent criminal. How many of us have training in hand-to-hand fighting, the physical strength, and the mental resilience…
Read the full storyCorrecting the Media Misinformation About Arming Teachers
by James D. Agresti Misinformation can be deadly, especially when it comes to issues like school shootings. This is because it can build support for policies that increase fatalities and generate opposition to reforms that can save lives. Despite these high stakes, a wide array of media outlets have spread fictions about violence, firearms, and armed security in the wake of the armed rampage that killed 17 students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Value of Deterrence Shortly after the Parkland massacre, President Trump said: “A ‘gun free’ school is a magnet for bad people.” “Highly trained, gun adept, teachers/coaches” would be a “great deterrent” to school shootings. “If a potential ‘sicko shooter’ knows that a school has a large number of very talented teachers (and others) who will be instantly shooting, the sicko will NEVER attack that school.” After reporting the last of these statements, the Washington Post countered, “Some criminologists have questioned that reasoning, pointing out that some people who plan to commit mass shootings are prepared to die in the process.” Likewise, the New York Timeseditorial board wrote that “many deranged mass murderers expect to die themselves during their killing sprees. It’s almost laughable to believe that the president’s…
Read the full storyOn the 10th Anniversary of the Heller Decision, Many States Refuse to Recognize the Second Amendment
By Natalia Castro Ten years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that every American has a basic right to defend themselves. D.C. v. Heller affirmed the constitutional right granted in the Second Amendment to keep and bear arms not just for the purpose of creating a militia but also for basic protection for every individual. The case was viewed as monumental for the defense of the Second Amendment, but states have chosen to continually ignore the ruling and make gun ownership a nearly impossible task. As we celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the Court’s ruling, we must accept how far we have come and how far we still must go. Before Heller, Washington, D.C. essentially banned handguns by making it a crime to carry an unregistered firearm and prohibiting the registration of handguns. D.C. also required residents to keep lawfully owned firearms unloaded and disassembled or bound by a trigger lock at all times. Heller, a D.C. special policeman who applied to register a handgun and was denied, filed a suit and the Supreme Court ruled in his favor. The late Justice Antonin Scalia delivered the opinion of the Court in which he explained, “The handgun ban amounts to a prohibition of an…
Read the full storyParkland Student Plans Conservative Livestream on Columbine Anniversary
by Ginny Montalbano Conservative Parkland student Kyle Kashuv is organizing a pro-Second Amendment Facebook Live show on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting. I am working on having 4 prominent speakers, one every 15 minutes, go live on Facebook at 10:00 AM-11:00 AM on Friday, to discuss ways to save lives without infringing on 2A and the importance of mental health and not bullying. Stay tuned! #WalkUpNotOut #WalkUp https://t.co/gVuBikLgrU — Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) April 15, 2018 Kashuv, 16, tweeted that the goal is to “discuss ways to save lives without infringing on [the Second Amendment] and the importance of mental health and not bullying.” Confirmed speakers for the livestream so far include Sebastian Gorka, former deputy assistant to President Donald Trump; Charlie Kirk, founder and executive director of Turning Point USA; Anthony Scaramucci, former White House communications director; and Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union. Apparently, according to people at my school, Fridays school walkouts were approved by the school board – the same school board that blocked @charliekirk11 from coming and said they're not letting MSD get political on campus. 🤔 — Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) April 16, 2018 Originally, Kashuv planned to bring Kirk…
Read the full storyStudent Says He Was ‘Demoted’ for Expressing Pro-Second Amendment Views
Quade Lancaster, a military veteran and student at a Texas community college, told Campus Reform that he was demoted from president to vice president of the school’s Student Government Association (SGA) as a result of expressing pro-Second Amendment sentiments during a private conversation. It’s a curious case.
Read the full storyJudge Rules Lawsuit Filed Against Massachusetts Attorney General Can Move Forward
Amid an 18-month-long court fight, a federal judge recently ruled that a lawsuit accusing Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey of improperly tightening the state’s strict assault-style weapons ban on her own can move forward.
Read the full storyMedia Darling David Hogg Ducks Debate With Gun Rights Backer Kyle Kashuv
by Ginny Montalbano Kyle Kashuv, a junior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, emerged as the most prominent pro-Second Amendment voice among students there after the shooting at the school that left 17 dead. Kashuv, 16, who has been embraced by many conservatives, hopes to debate David Hogg, 17, a Stoneman Douglas senior. Hogg is one of the most visible liberal voices among the Parkland students in the media spotlight. The son of an FBI agent, he has been lionized by the left as he advocates more gun control. By contrast, Kashuv does not get nearly as much media exposure as Hogg or other liberal-leaning Parkland students. His appearances typically are limited to Fox News Channel among the larger media outlets. The liberal Left continue to push their radical agenda against American values. The good news is there is a solution. Find out more >> Charlie Kirk, founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, argues that Kashuv is a worthy opponent for Hogg and other young liberals. In an email to The Daily Signal, Kirk said: Kyle is absolutely brilliant and deserves a chance to debate David Hogg in an open forum. David has insulted us gun owners enough,…
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