GUN CONTROL SUGGESTED READING for All US Citizens Thanks to the Founding Fathers and the framers of the US Constitution and The Bill of Rights, the 1st Amendment entitles all US Citizens the Right of Free Speech, the Right to Assemble, and the Right to Petition the Government for redress of grievances. The recent NRA ad has caused a storm of controversy, for amog other things, calling the President of the United States an elitist hypocrite. If one thinks it through, one realizes that label applies accurately to several US Presidents. Let us not lose the Forest in the camouflage of the Trees. The most important part of this debate lies with The Will of the People, and the 2nd Amendment- which provides US Citizens the Right to (the) people to Keep and Bear Arms The Founding Fathers stated in the 2nd Amendment that keeping and bearing arms was necessary for the security of a Free State. I am an Independent, and disagree strongly with both Democrats and Republicans on certain issues, and agree with both Parties on certain issues. But the one thing that I insist upon from a government "Of the people, By the People, For the People" is that our elected officials "uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America." In fact that phrase is from the Oath of Office that all Presidents take when they are sworn into office. They Swear to Uphold and Defend the Constitution. Abraham Lincoln made the point during the Gettysburg Address that the US Government is "Of the people, By the People, For the People." We all need to realize that in this day and age that when something bad happens all too often people are quick to say "There Ought to Be a NEW Law" to keep that from happening again. The purpose of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is to keep laws made in emotional, heat of the moment political climates from violating what the Founding Fathers referred to as the Natural Rights of All Men. The Constitution is the US version of our Natural, legal Rights as Citizens. Creating more laws and more government is not the right solution. Certainly Attacking the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights or the 2nd Amendment is NOT a good solution, either. Our government is growing and growing- making more laws, and more rules and collecting more taxes. This applies not only to the Federal Government, but State, County, City, Municipal & Local Government as well. Meanwhile, in direct proportion to larger government, Our Government Spending and National Debt are growing and growing. And all this exerts more and more financial pressure on US Citizens, which causes our free market economy to shrink further. Thats right folks, if you deduct out all that Government spending of Our Tax Dollars, the Private portion of our economy continues to get smaller, not larger. Its also known as a Recession. Please read carefully. Understand the Purpose of Our 2nd Amendment Rights. Please give serious thought to the direction of our country before you submit to the gutting of our 2nd Amendment Rights. The 2nd Amendment was created so that "We, The People" would not find ourselves without protection and at the mercy of overpowering, out of control Government. Thomas Paine said Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary Evil, in its worst state an intolerable one. Paine was the Author of Common Sense, a pamphlet which put the grievances of Colonial America into words in January 1776. Paine helped spur the Founding Fathers to action in the face of what many Americans at the time viewed as a tyrannical, intolerable government. Out of this movement was born The United States of America, the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. No Matter which side of this debate you find yourself on, I present to you a simple, humble request. Take the Time- TODAY - to read the following Documents: The Bill of Rights The US Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, The Gettysburg Address, Common Sense The 14th Amendment Here are some of the KEY parts of the documents on this SUGESSTED READING list for all Americans - The Second Amendment- "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." The First Amendment- "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment (The) Due Process Clause prohibits state and local governments from depriving persons of life, liberty, or property without certain steps being taken to ensure fairness. This clause has been used to make most of the Bill of Rights applicable to the states, as well as to recognize substantive and procedural rights. The Fourth Amendment The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
