As both elections for Georgia’s seats in the U.S. Senate head towards runoff elections on January 5, it is important to note where the candidates stand on your rights. Both elections are crucial for the future of the Second Amendment in this country.
In this first of two installments, we’ll break down the race between Sen. David Perdue (R) and Jon Ossoff (D), who both purport to be in support of the Second Amendment, but, in reality, only one of them really is pro-freedom.
Ossoff, who previously lost a 2017 special election for the U.S. House of Representatives, has deceptively said that he will “defend our Second Amendment.” In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
His campaign website explicitly states that he supports a “ban on the sale of semi-automatic rifles (“assault weapons”) and high-capacity magazines to the general public.”
Ossoff’s mislabeling of these commonly owned rifles as “assault weapons” is atrocious, dishonest, and patently inaccurate. The term “assault weapon” is no more than a politically invented term used to demonize commonly owned rifles, and those who own such rifles. That he purports to be a proponent of the Second Amendment is an absolutely egregious claim.
We know that his proposed ban is also unconstitutional. With D.C. v. Heller (2008), the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that the Second Amendment protects ownership of firearms “in common use at the time” for “lawful purposes like self-defense.” Certainly, these rifles that Ossoff wants to ban meet that standard, but Ossoff says he wants to defend your right to keep and bear arms even as he bans these semi-automatic rifles.
As for the proposed ban on “high-capacity magazines,” this term is another subjective and ambiguous one that politicians like Ossoff use to appease those who oppose your rights. Never mind that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently found a ban on such magazines unconstitutional, Ossoff wants to ban them anyway.
Beyond this, Ossoff is campaigning in support of “universal” background checks, red-flag laws, and many other anti-freedom proposals. It’s clear that he has no honest intention of defending the Second Amendment. He has also been endorsed by Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, which is one of the many anti-gun projects bankrolled by Michael Bloomberg, a man who certainly detests your rights.
Ossoff’s opponent, Sen. Perdue, is an actual supporter of your right to keep and bear arms. His campaign website says that the “right to bear arms is a freedom enshrined in the Constitution.” Speaking at the 2017 NRA-ILA Leadership Forum, Perdue said, “We have to pass a concealed-carry reciprocity law,” which would allow people to carry their firearms for personal protection with them around this nation. Certainly, it’s clear where he stands.
Perdue also called out Ossoff’s blatant dishonesty regarding the Second Amendment. “This just proves he’ll do or say anything to hide his radical socialist agenda from the people of Georgia,” said Perdue, referring to Ossoff, earlier this year.
While Perdue leads Ossoff in the vote, neither candidate cleared the 50% hurdle required to win the election in Georgia, so a runoff election will be held January 5. Georgians who actually want to defend the Second Amendment, unlike Ossoff, need to make their voices heard at the ballot box.
In a soon-to-come story, America’s 1st Freedom will discuss where the candidates in Georgia’s other U.S. Senate election, between Kelly Loeffler (R) and Raphael Warnock (D), stand on your freedom.
