Celebrating the 2nd Amendment of the
United States Constitution and the
States that abide by the Law of the Land​.
Arms.
They were so important for the protection of life, liberty & property that many Founders refused to ratify the freshly inked Constitution without specifically recognizing ten fundamental God-given rights, the Second of which clearly limited the government’s ability to interfere with an individual’s right to self-defense.
Some States have upheld the Law of the Land. Others, once again grasping the importance of gun ownership for both individual Liberty and the protection of the State and its citizenry, have courageously enacted legislation to once again allow Americans to exercise the right to Keep & Bear Arms, openly and un-infringed.
The Constitutional Open Carry Series celebrates these States and the advocates who bravely fight to protect our unalienable rights.
Constitutional Open Carry Series - Available Now!
Ohio
Texas
Washington
Where it all began...
Much like the erosion of other constitutionally protected rights, egregious gun control didn’t happen overnight. Most would be surprised, however, to learn that Texas – the state that conjures up images of cowboys, cattle & gunslingers – was the first in the nation to ban the carrying of guns outside the home in 1871:
“If any person in this state shall carry on or about his person, saddle or in his saddle-bags, any pistol … he shall be punished by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $100.”
On a federal level, FDR can be thanked for the National Firearms Act of 1934, the first of its kind aimed at curtailing gangland crime. It imposed a heavy tax on manufacturing, selling & transporting a specific list of weapons. It was modified several times due to constitutional flaws, but ultimately set the stage for more restrictive rules related to who can not just carry a gun, but also who can own one and what sellers need to do & records retained on private sales.
Shall Not Be Infringed...
In modern times, the question of gun control is a political hot button, often as polarizing as other tribe-defining issues like abortion, immigration, gay marriage & the death penalty. Advocates for each side of the gun debate put forth compelling arguments, facts & figures, in an effort to win hearts & minds.At the core of the issue, however, is a very different problem that should leave all Americans concerned.
Exactly what does “shall not be infringed” mean?
The Constitution and its amendments are the law of the land. Contrary to popular opinion, it is not an agreement between the citizens and the federal government, but instead, it’s an agreement between the federal government and the many States. Simply stated, no state is allowed to enact legislation that violates the Law of the Land.
The Bill of Rights – the first ten Amendments to the US Constitution – codifies monumental rights that form the very bedrock of our American way of life, including the Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom of the Press and so much more. And although each of us may rank the order of importance of these rights differently, we can all agree that it IS these Constitutionally-protected rights that set America apart from the rest of the world. Before America, no other country recognized or even generally permitted these Liberties.
If our government can arbitrarily take away one of them, whether we like it or not, what’s stopping them from taking away ALL of our Constitutionally-protected rights?
All Americans should be deeply troubled when the government starts talking about restricting rights, be it the right to say what we mean, think as we like, worship as we desire, marry whomever we love, travel privately amongst the many States freely and unencumbered, or do anything else we want, so long as it does not infringe on the rights of others. We hold these truths to be self-evident, among them, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. . . remember?
It’s quite possible that someday us Americans will need the Second Amendment to protect the rest.
Amendment II
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”