We’re now a month away from what could be the most critical election for your Second Amendment freedom in a generation or more. If you ever needed proof that your vote matters and elections have consequences, today’s headlines should convince you.
This summer’s U.S. Supreme Court victory for the Second Amendment in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen—which ruled that states cannot, without a good reason, deny your right to carry a firearm for protection outside your home—was a direct result of your pro-gun votes over the years, and the pro-freedom justices nominated and confirmed by the leaders you elected.
We now face a coordinated anti-gun legislative attack unlike anything we’ve seen in decades.
Here’s the other side of that same coin: In June, Congress passed, and President Biden signed, the first new federal gun-control legislation enacted in decades. Less than a month later, the Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee passed a ban on an entire class of semi-automatic modern sporting rifles, as well as pistol versions of the same firearms.
They’ve also introduced a bill to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act that NRA fought for more than a decade to pass. If this reform is reversed, America’s firearm industry could again face potential bankruptcy—even as they prevail in court—from the costs of defending themselves from endless frivolous litigation. Leftist big-city mayors are also joining this effort.
While I don’t have enough room here to give you a rundown of every proposed anti-gun bill, restriction and legal gambit that’s now in the pipeline in Congress and statehouses across the country, suffice it to say that we now face a coordinated anti-gun legislative attack unlike anything we’ve seen in decades.
Their strategy is as simple as it is cynical. Leftists want to blame you and your right to defend yourself for their own refusal to control violent crime in our communities. To appeal to their extreme base, President Biden and his anti-gun allies have pushed soft-on-crime policies across America. From abolishing bail, to releasing prison inmates while locking down lawful citizens through COVID emergency decrees, to leaving our southern border open to drug cartels or anyone else who wants to invade our country, to “decriminalizing” many offenses, to installing Soros-backed leftist prosecutors who refuse to lock up dangerous predators, to pushing “defund the police” schemes, these politicians are sending a clear message to violent, vicious offenders.
It’s certainly no surprise that violent crime is now skyrocketing. According to the FBI, murders nationwide increased by nearly 30% from 2019 to 2020. In 2021, the U.S. murder rate was higher than it’s been in 25 years. In 2022, that trend continues, with six cities reporting major increases in violent crime. Sadly, police are paying the price. In 2021, murders of police officers spiked by nearly 60%, according to the FBI, with more officers murdered than any year in the preceding two decades. And in the first half of 2022, police officers shot in the line of duty increased by 19% from 2021.
To see what’s really happening, just look at Chicago. In recent years, Chicago police have bragged about seizing 10,000 “illegal guns” per year from criminals. Every one of those armed drug dealers, gang members and violent criminals could have been sent to prison for at least five years under current federal laws. But do you know how many were actually federally prosecuted? In 2020, just 262—less than three percent! In fact, last year, Chicago police made arrests for just 12% of the crimes reported—the lowest arrest rate they’ve had since those records were first made public in 2001!
This all amounts to a double-edged sword. Not only do these leftists refuse to enforce existing laws to protect you from dangerous criminals, but also, they want to pass new laws that take away your ability to protect yourself and your loved ones. They’d rather turn millions of lawful gun owners like you into overnight criminals through gun bans than enforce existing laws against those who violate every law known to God or man.
Election Day is your chance to stop them. So, if you’re not already, get registered to vote today. With few exceptions, more than half the states in the U.S. require voters to be registered to vote at least three weeks before Election Day. Don’t get locked out of this fight. We need every NRA member and gun owner engaged and involved. Register to vote today.
