President Biden expressed his endorsement for a nationwide prohibition on “assault weapons” during his State of the Union Address, urging Congress to enact such a ban.
The Colorado State Shooting Association, which is the official state association of the NRA, is actively working to oppose a comparable statewide proposal called House Bill 24-1292. This bill is being sponsored by Reps. Elisabeth Epps and Tim Hernandez, who are known for their extreme anti-gun stance. We are dedicated to fighting against this legislation.
President Biden’s intention, as indicated by our home state’s proposal, seems to be the prohibition of the production, sale, and transfer of all semi-automatic centerfire shotguns, rifles, and handguns that are capable of accepting a magazine.
The policy would clearly violate the Second Amendment, which states that the people’s right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
The standard set by the Supreme Court’s Bruen ruling, which established that gun laws must align with the Second Amendment’s clear language and the country’s historical practice of regulating firearms, would not be met by this proposal.
Let’s not undermine your intelligence by reiterating the fact that prohibiting the most commonly used firearms for self-defense goes against the clear wording of the Second Amendment. Instead, let’s delve into the second aspect of the Bruen ruling’s criteria – our enduring history of firearm regulation.
In the past, there has been a temporary ban on “assault weapons,” but never before has there been a national ban on such a broad category of firearms as what politicians in Biden’s party are currently proposing. This new definition of “assault weapons” would encompass a majority of firearms that Americans have legally owned and used for many years.
It is not surprising that Joe Biden, an angry old tyrant, would advocate for such a blatant disregard of our rights. He has a history of using the authority of federal agencies to bypass constitutional procedures and is fond of governing through executive orders. Given his track record, it would be naive to expect him to adhere to the law. This is why it is crucial to take his words seriously, even though the law unequivocally supports our side.
As my colleague John Seville astutely pointed out in a recent article, if we were to ban the legal manufacture, sale, and transfer of firearms, it would inadvertently empower criminals to be the sole manufacturers, sellers, and distributors of these weapons.
If we were to consider the existence of gun-control policies (although the Second Amendment is quite explicit in its assertion of non-infringement), it would only be reasonable if these policies succeeded in allowing law-abiding citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights while preventing criminals from obtaining firearms. However, an “assault weapons” ban would have the opposite effect, as it would effectively grant a monopoly on these weapons to black-market arms dealers.
We must prevent a scenario where a multitude of armed criminals feel emboldened, knowing that their potential victims are ill-prepared to defend themselves. It is imperative that we take action in Colorado and throughout the country to thwart House Bill 24-1292 and safeguard against such a situation.
Defeating an “assault weapons” ban two years in a row in a state dominated by anti-gunners will compel the rest of the country and its political representatives to acknowledge the undeniable truth that these gun grabs are an unpopular and ineffective solution.
Politicians who are against guns will never change their perspectives. However, we can still influence their decisions by appealing to their self-interest. By making it clear that their political careers depend on voting against gun control, we can compel them to vote “no” on any proposed bans.
By repeating the same strategy that helped us defeat last year’s gun ban, we can make a substantial impact in making a national ban unappealing.
The Colorado State Shooting Association is determined to continue its efforts in opposing the Colorado “assault weapons” ban in the legislature. In the event that this ban is enacted into law, we will thoroughly explore all available legal options to overturn it.
We refuse to bow down to politicians such as Tim Hernandez, Elisabeth Epps, or Joe Biden, and we encourage you to do the same.
Garrett Flicker, formerly the chairman of the Denver Republican Party, currently holds the position of director of communications at the Colorado State Shooting Association (CSSA), which serves as the official state association for the National Rifle Association (NRA). For further information, please visit CSSA.ORG/CO.
