The words of the Second Amendment in the US Constitution, part of our Bill of Rights, are truly simple and easy to comprehend. Those words state, “A well-regulated [trained] militia [us], being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

The lesson the founders were drawing upon came from April 19, 1775, when the British were marching inland toward Concord, Massachusetts. The British objective was to destroy a weapons and armaments factory that was supplying the Sons of Liberty in their insurgency against tyrannical British rule. On that day, there were those who answered the call, there was no Army, Navy, Marine Corps yet, as there was not yet an America. But, there was an understanding that resulted in the Second Amendment being part of our Bill of Rights that an armed individual is a citizen. A disarmed individual is relegated to being a subject.

With that memory, our founders wanted us all to realize that we have a responsibility, and are necessary, to the security of this free state, country. Those First Amendment rights are fundamental, but they are passive and can be easily confiscated by tyrannical rule, if the people did not have the means, the right, to keep and bear arms. And, that is a right which simply says, “shall not be infringed.” It does not say “should not,” “maybe should not,” or “could.”

“Shall not” is pretty confirming language.

So, what part of “shall not” does the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) not understand? Just last Friday the ATF sneakily decided to issue a new rule regarding what are described as semi-automatic pistols, different from semi-automatic handguns. Their rule states that any stabilizing brace added to a semi-automatic pistol, or any accessory, results in transforming the pistol into a semi-automatic short barrel rifle. Therefore, it must be submitted to ATF for registration and tax stamp approval. Refusal to do so will result in confiscation if the said weapon is not surrendered.

First of all, federal agencies do not rule over us, and their decrees, declarations, edicts, mandates, orders, or rules are unconstitutional. The Second Amendment is part of our rule of law, the US Constitution. No government agency has the enumerated power to undermine, infringe upon, a constitutional right. The Second Amendment has withstood judicial review by the US Supreme Court, as if it needed to, not once, but twice. The Heller v DC and McDonald v City of Chicago cases established the letter of the law and preeminence of the second amendment at the federal, state, and local levels.

Why is it that the progressive socialist leftists are so relentless in their pursuit of undermining the Second Amendment? History gives us the answer, not just our experience with the British in 1775, but also recent history. Every modern-day rise of leftist, socialist, statist, Marxist, and communist dictatorial regimes began with the elimination of private gun ownership. In Germany, under Hitler and Goering as Minister of the Interior, they started with gun registration. In the case of socialist dictator Hugo Chavez, he just simply outlawed private gun ownership as he rose to power. His reasoning, just as leftists here in America assert, is to reduce gun violence, crime.

Further examples of leftist undermining of our second amendment can be seen in States like California, Colorado, New Jersey, and most recently Illinois. The insidious move towards Red Flag Laws is just another means by which some States are looking to not only undermine 2A rights but also due process. The one real solution in these cases are strong, resolved constitutional Sheriffs. We are already seeing these types of real law enforcement leaders in Illinois stand up to the unconstitutional actions of Governor Pritzer and his leftist cronies, to include some Republicans, in the Illinois state legislature. If you want to learn more about constitutional law enforcement officers, visit the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association. It is imperative that we support and elect constitutional law enforcement leaders in these times.

The progressive socialist left in America is releasing violent criminals back onto the streets. They are allowing millions of potential terrorists, gang members, and criminals to pour across our porous southern border. They are undermining our law enforcement officers in the conduct of their duties. They want to undermine the ability of legal, law-abiding citizens to defend themselves.

This is why the Second Amendment states that We the People are necessary for the security of a free state, and therefore our right to defend ourselves, “shall not be infringed.” It is obvious that the leftists in America care little about your individual rights as opposed to their ideological agenda, which starts with the collective subjugation of the American people, with no resistance. Who would have ever thought you would hear an American president making a comment about liberty-loving American citizens not having F-15s.

Well, actually, no real American president would say such . . . but a progressive socialist usurper and charlatan would!

Steadfast and Loyal.