I had planned to write a totally different article this month, but recent events have put that one on the shelf for now. As I write this article, I’m still steaming about the traitorous “leak” of a potential United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) draft opinion that will/may impact Roe v. Wade. Leak, my foot! This was part of a coordinated effort to threaten and intimidate Supreme Court Justices to achieve a leftist goal. Look at the speed with which protests were organized, Justices’ home addresses were published and calls to “pack the Court” were revived. As of the time I’m writing this article, I have not heard or read of a single Democrat in office condemning the “leak.” Rather, they condemn what they believe will be the final opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. That silence on the issue of the “leak” itself speaks volumes, and freedom-loving Americans better note well that silence.
I’m not going to write about abortion, as that is not part of the NRA mission, but about my view of the “State of the Union.” Since the 2016 presidential election that saw Donald Trump elected with NRA’s help, we have watched our cities, our streets and our neighborhoods become battlegrounds with violent domestic terrorists. Leftist-run cities and towns reined in their police departments and let the carnage and destruction go essentially unabated.
During that same period, “progressive” prosecutors and judges essentially turned a blind eye to victims. They either refused to prosecute violent criminals or released them on absurdly low bonds. It has certainly been no surprise that those released were appreciative of the opportunity to repeat their crimes and create more victims. Even when this pattern became impossible to ignore, nothing changed.
I could go on and on about the rising crime rate caused by an AWOL judicial system in many states and cities. But there is an even more important issue at hand. It’s an issue that threatens the very core of our constitutional government—threats against SCOTUS. I’m an attorney, and I’m old enough to have seen many SCOTUS decisions I either didn’t like, didn’t agree with or both. But the simple fact is, as a country, a people, we will have a final arbiter with the ultimate authority to settle disagreements. That arbiter will either be the SCOTUS or a mob. Thankfully, that choice is ours.
You may be wondering what all this has to do with the Second Amendment, your firearms and your freedom to use them for sporting purposes or in defense of innocent life and property. Folks, it has everything to do with all three. Today’s headlines drive home the importance of getting involved in electing people at all levels of government who will stop this madness! Register to vote and encourage your family and friends to do so. Look to the NRA-ILA for information on candidates’ positions on the Second Amendment and your ability to use firearms for all lawful purposes.
It’s July, and this is the time of year when people participate in shooting sports in so many ways. This includes recreational shooting, introducing kids to shooting, getting ready for the fall hunting seasons and so much more. This makes it an ideal time to activate our like-minded friends. It has been estimated that we have added about 6 million new gun owners this year alone! If we’re going to keep this freedom, every one of us needs to do his or her part to defend it in this year’s elections. When reaching out to friends and family, pay particular attention to the new gun owners in your community. Get your local shooting range, rod and gun club, etc., to host events this summer. By doing so, NRA members can help bring those new gun owners into the community of freedom and help ensure that those new shooters will be safe shooters. Now is a great time to educate and activate those folks for the upcoming elections. In a nutshell, what’s good for your club is what’s also good for our freedom.
I pray—literally not figuratively—that civility does return to our land and that the “Rule of Law” will again be the way we live in America. That won’t happen in a vacuum, and it won’t happen if our people sit on the sidelines as political spectators. We must make our voices heard at the ballot box. Let us and our way of life not go quietly into the night.
