I have served as an officer of the NRA for five years; I was first vice-president for two years and president for three years. In some ways, it seems like 2019 was just yesterday, yet, at other times, it seems like a lifetime ago. Regardless of perception, one thing is certain—your NRA has been at war fighting for its very existence against weaponized governmental agencies for over half a decade. Our defensive battle phase should close out in only a few weeks, and we should walk away with yet another victory. Then it will be our turn to go on the offensive.
I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to you, the NRA Members, for electing and reelecting me to the NRA Board of Directors so that I could serve you, the NRA and the Second Amendment. I am also grateful to my fellow NRA Board Members for electing me first vice-president and then president. While the governmental attempt to silence your NRA was a travesty of justice, it has been my honor to serve as president and help wage this fight.
The highest and best use of firearms is the preservation of innocent life … and the preservation of American freedom.
I wish I had been able to dedicate more of my tenure as president to the outreach that is so important not only to the NRA, but also to people who are victimized by criminals, as well as state and local governments that shirk their duty to keep them safe. However, it wasn’t to be. I’m a trial lawyer, and fighting is what I have done for decades. It’s no secret that I am a follower of Christ Jesus. So, it should not be surprising that I truly believe that God puts the right people in the right positions at the right time for His purpose. As a man of faith, it’s my duty to follow His course and not my own. Perhaps when this battle is but a memory, I will be able to launch an outreach program that will make a difference in the lives of countless people.
Make no mistake about it; this has been a fight not only for the NRA and the Second Amendment, but also for freedom and the American way of life. Your NRA has persevered throughout this unprecedented political attack by governmental actors and agencies because of the loyalty and dedication of our members and supporters. Thank you! Without you, the NRA would not have survived these past five years—a feat the enemies of freedom never thought possible.
The Windshield; Looking Forward
Enough of the history lesson; now let’s take a quick glimpse into the future of your NRA. With the New York attorney general lawsuit over in July, we will be able to go on the offensive on several fronts. We will be working diligently on the 2024 elections, the result of which will determine if we will ever again see the America we had prior to the decay generated by the left.
I firmly believe that we will see a growth in membership like the NRA has never before enjoyed, all because you stayed the course during the darkest of times. One can only imagine the impact that a 10-million-member NRA could have on preservation of the most basic of civil rights—the Second Amendment. This is not a wishful number. It is a very real goal that can and will be achieved if we work together.
Our offense against those in power who weaponized governmental agencies will soon be in full swing, and our damage model will be measured in hundreds of millions of dollars. It’s obvious that the disdain New York officials have for the Second Amendment applies equally to the First Amendment. They need to pay a price so high it sends a clear message to others who would abuse their positions to attack a constitutional right—any constitutional right.
In closing, let me again express my appreciation to all who have labored with us during this five-year battle for the right to raise our collective voices in support of the right to keep and bear arms. Notwithstanding the numerous legitimate sporting uses for firearms, I have said it countless times, “The highest and best use of firearms is the preservation of innocent life.” Let me now expand that statement by adding, “… and the preservation of American freedom.”
It has been an honor to serve you. May God bless you, the NRA and the United States of America.
