Here’s everyone who BamaCarry has endorsed in the 2018 election cycle
BamaCarry, a Second Amendment gun rights group who prides itself on being “Alabama’s only ‘No Compromise’ gun rights group” has endorsed five candidates in the 2018 election cycle. The groups believes gun rights should be protected and preserved in the way that the founding fathers stated, and that “that Every Citizen has the right to bear arms in defense of self and state.” The goal of the organization is to return to those principles and they are currently working to bring Constitutional carry forward in the State of Alabama. Below are their endorsements: Governor: Scott Dawson BamaCarry, INC is proud to endorse Scott Dawson for Governor of the Great State of Alabama. We believe that Scott has the conviction to champion our Second Amendment rights, the courage to stand against liberal elites who constantly seek to chip away at those rights, and the character—built over a lifetime—to follow through on his promises. Every year in Montgomery, BamaCarry has to combat establishment politicians who infringe upon our freedoms—one small compromise at a time. We believe that Montgomery’s systemic problems can’t be corrected by electing yet another career politician who wants to establish another worthless task force. Alabama needs an outsider who has the passion and the vision to lead this state towards a more bold and conservative future. Scott Dawson is the only candidate in the race who fits this bill. Therefore, BamaCarry urges all Alabamians who care about respecting our constitutional liberties—and especially preserving our sacred “right to keep and bear arms”—to elect Scott Dawson as the next Governor of Alabama. Lt. Governor: Will Ainsworth “Throughout his time in the Alabama Legislature and in every vote he has cast, Will Ainsworth has proven to be a staunch defender of the Second Amendment and a strong supporter of gun rights for citizens across the state,” said BamaCarry organizer Bruce Wade. “Will Ainsworth understands that gun free zones put law-abiding citizens in danger, and his plan allowing teachers to voluntarily carry firearms is the only proposal that will defend our classrooms and protect our children.” Attorney General: Alice Martin “Alice Martin is the only Attorney General candidate for those who care about protecting their second amendment rights here in Alabama,” said BamaCarry President Eddie Fulmer. “She is a fighter who will not bow down to the pressures from liberals in and outside of Alabama. She has removed more corrupt elected officials than any other AG! We believe she will do all that’s possible to “clean up” our Statehouse. She is also a firm believer in the Constitution. BamaCarry, INC is proud to endorse her in this race, and our full support is behind her.” State Auditor: Jim Zeigler Jim Zeigler is a man with convictions who cares about protecting our Second Amendment rights in Alabama! He has fought against gun-free zones and no-gun signs on public property and supports Constitutional carry. Jim believes we should have NO conditions on Constitutional rights. Jim has been a member of BamaCarry since we first formed and has participated in every one of our BamaCarry Firearm Freedom Conferences. We believe Jim Ziegler is a fighter who will not end to pressure from liberals in and outside of Alabama. Fighting corruption, He filed the initial ethics complaint against former governor Robert Bentley and has worked to clean up our state government. BamaCarry Inc. is proud to endorse Jim Zeigler in the race for State Auditor, and our full support is behind him. Court of Criminal Appeals: Chris McCool Chris currently serves as District Attorney for the 25th Judicial Circuit of Alabama (Fayette, Lamar, and Pickens Counties), and has been a trial court prosecutor for more than two decades. He has a proven record of 25 years of trial-level experience that is needed on the Court of Criminal Appeals. He has a history of vigorously prosecuting violent crimes, property crimes, sexual assaults, and public corruption case in his circuit. Chris is a farmer who grew up working hard and understands our Alabama values when it comes to gun ownership and gun rights. He is a husband, a father of four, and a pastor, who approaches decisions from the basis of common sense and fairness. We believe he will take his practical courtroom experience and common sense to the appellate courts of this State, and will seek to do justice and to apply the rule of law as a judge. Chris is also a firm believer in the Constitution. BamaCarry, INC is proud to endorse Chris McCool for Place 2, Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, and our full support is behind him.
Alabama named top state for gun industry
A new analysis of the 50 states ranked Alabama the top spot in country for the gun industry. According to Zippia, a website that tracks career and industry data, southern states are the friendliest to the gun industry. “A general rule of thumb emerged from the data — head south if you are looking to get one of as many as 141,500 jobs generated by companies that make, distribute, and sell guns,” explained Chris Kolmar at Zippia. “Not to mention the the 159,623 jobs in ancillary industries.” Top ten states for the gun industry: Alabama Arkansas Georgia Idaho Arizona Florida Indiana Alaska Missouri Louisiana How the states were ranked Gun jobs. A composite of the raw number of gun jobs and per capita gun jobs from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, added to the number of licensed manufacturers from the ATF. State friendliness to manufacturers. The index took into consideration the number of states laws concerning gun manufacturers and dealers and each state’s percentage of federal excise taxes from the manufacture and sale of guns. States’ gun cultures. The percentage of homes with guns in each state, the total number of guns in each state, and guns per capita. We factored in the number of regulations on buying guns as well. Other factors. Factors such as whether a state mandated that manufacturers give employees breaks, if states are right-to-work, and average wages for employees. National look at gun friendly rankings
Gun rights groups BamaCarry backs Will Ainsworth for Lieutenant Governor
Alabama’s only “no compromise” gun rights group — who believe in gun rights “the way the founders of our country and the original authors of our State constitution intended” and are working working towards Constitutional carry in the State of Alabama— BamaCarry, on Wednesday endorsed Guntersville-Republican State Rep. Will Ainsworth for Lieutenant Governor. “Throughout his time in the Alabama Legislature and in every vote he has cast, Will Ainsworth has proven to be a staunch defender of the Second Amendment and a strong supporter of gun rights for citizens across the state,” said BamaCarry organizer Bruce Wade. “Will Ainsworth understands that gun free zones put law-abiding citizens in danger, and his plan allowing teachers to voluntarily carry firearms is the only proposal that will defend our classrooms and protect our children.” In February, Ainsworth introduced legislation in the State House that would allow some public school teachers and administrators to undergo firearms training and arm themselves during school hours, in order to help prevent school shoots like the one that occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. “Our children are sitting ducks in gun-free schools. As the parent of three public school students, I believe we must act now in order to prevent another tragedy,” Ainsworth posted on Facebook. Ainsworth will face Public Service Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh and State Senator Rusty Glover in the June 5 Republican primary. The winner of the GOP primary will advance to the general election again Democratic hopeful Dr. Will Boyd.
Jim Zeigler endorsed by BamaCarry
BamaCarry, a Second Amendment gun rights group endorsed Jim Zeigler for State Auditor on Friday. “Jim Zeigler is a man with convictions who cares about protecting our Second Amendment rights in Alabama! He has fought against gun-free zones and no-gun signs on public property and supports Constitutional carry. Jim believes we should have no conditions on Constitutional rights.” BamaCarry prides itself on being “Alabama’s only ‘No Compromise’ gun rights group.” They believe gun rights should be protected and preserved in the way that the founding fathers stated, and that “that Every Citizen has the right to bear arms in defense of self and state.” The goal of the organization is to return to those principles and they are currently working to bring Constitutional carry forward in the State of Alabama. Zeigler is a longtime member of BamaCarry and also believes the second amendment should not be tampered with. “BamaCarry Inc. is proud to endorse Jim Zeigler in the race for State Auditor, and our full support is behind him.” Zeigler is seeking his second term as State Auditor, and faces off against Stan Cooke and Elliott Lipinsky in the June 5 Republican primary. Read the full text of the endorsement below: Jim Zeigler is a man with convictions who cares about protecting our Second Amendment rights in Alabama! He has fought against gun-free zones and no-gun signs on public property and supports Constitutional carry. Jim believes we should have NO conditions on Constitutional rights. Jim has been a member of BamaCarry since we first formed and has participated in every one of our BamaCarry Firearm Freedom Conferences. We believe Jim Ziegler is a fighter who will not end to pressure from liberals in and outside of Alabama. Fighting corruption, He filed the initial ethics complaint against former governor Robert Bentley and has worked to clean up our state government. “BamaCarry Inc. is proud to endorse Jim Zeigler in the race for State Auditor, and our full support is behind him.”
Donald Trump says Second Amendment won’t be repealed
President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday that the Second Amendment “WILL NEVER BE REPEALED” and called on voters to elect more Republicans in this fall’s congressional elections because the GOP “must ALWAYS hold the Supreme Court.” Trump’s statements came a day after retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens wrote in an essay in The New York Times that repealing the amendment would make it easier for Congress to enact gun control legislation. Last month’s shootings that killed 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida, have galvanized young people, liberals and Democrats for a renewed push to curb firearms. That has included demonstrations that have drawn hundreds of thousands of marchers in cities across the country. “THE SECOND AMENDMENT WILL NEVER BE REPEALED!” Trump tweeted early Wednesday. “As much as Democrats would like to see this happen, and despite the words yesterday of former Supreme Court Justice Stevens, NO WAY. We need more Republicans in 2018 and must ALWAYS hold the Supreme Court!” As with many issues, Trump’s stated position on guns has been inconsistent. In a televised meeting after the Parkland massacre with shooting survivors, lawmakers and others, he suggested letting authorities confiscate guns from people considered dangerous even without court permission and expanding required background checks to also cover private gun sales. He’s since abandoned those views. There is no current, major push to repeal the Second Amendment. Any effort to do so would be unlikely to succeed in today’s divisive political climate. Under the most common way to amend the Constitution, the House and Senate would both need to approve the proposal by two-thirds majorities. It would then need to be ratified by three-fourths of the states. Political parties do not technically “hold” the Supreme Court like they control Congress. Justices are nominated by presidents and must be confirmed by the Senate. It is true justices often reflect the political views of presidents who select them, but that is not always the case. Of the current nine justices, the four considered to comprise the court’s conservative wing were appointed by GOP presidents and the four more liberal judges were selected by Democratic presidents. The ninth, often considered the crucial swing vote, is Anthony Kennedy, who was nominated by Republican President Ronald Reagan. Trump would have an easier time filling the next Supreme Court vacancy if Republicans can expand their current 51-49 Senate majority in November’s elections. The Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that the Second Amendment lets people own guns for self-defense. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Doug Jones uses first floor speech to urge colleagues to take on gun violence
Alabama Sen. Doug Jones took to the Senate floor on Wednesday to give his first floor speech since being sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January. During the speech, Jones called on his colleagues to take up the issue of gun violence. “Today, I gave my first floor speech on an issue that has divided so many Americans, and is a complicated one for me, too. But as leaders, we have to reject the “us versus them” mentality. At the end of the day, we’re all Americans who are united by a bond of shared values and love of country. Let’s work together to find common ground where it exists, and begin to make our country a safer place,” Jones posted on Facebook. Watch Jones’ speech below:
Donald Trump backs off push for raising assault rifle purchase age
The White House unveiled a new plan to prevent school shootings that backs off President Donald Trump’s support for increasing the minimum age for purchasing assault weapons to 21. Instead, a new federal commission on school safety will examine the age issue as part of a package the White House announced Sunday in response to the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, last month that left 17 dead. The administration also pledged to help states pay for firearms training for teachers and reiterated its call to improve the background check and mental health systems. In a call with reporters Sunday evening, administration officials described the plan as a fulfillment of Trump’s call for action in the wake of the Parkland shooting. “Today we are announcing meaningful actions, steps that can be taken right away to help protect students,” said Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who will chair the commission. DeVos said that “far too often, the focus” after such tragedies “has been only on the most contentious fights, the things that have divided people and sent them into their entrenched corners.” She described the plan as “pragmatic.” The plan was immediately panned by gun control advocates, including the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. “Americans expecting real leadership to prevent gun violence will be disappointed and troubled by President Trump’s dangerous retreat from his promise,” said Avery Gardiner, the group’s co-president. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York described it as “tiny baby steps designed not to upset the NRA, when the gun violence epidemic in this country demands that giant steps be taken.” Trump was deeply moved by the February shooting and convened a series of listening sessions in the weeks after the massacre. In televised meetings with lawmakers, survivors of recent school shootings and the families of victims, Trump made a strong case for arming teachers, but also increasing the age for purchasing long guns. “I mean, so they buy a revolver — a handgun — they buy at the age of 21. And yet, these other weapons that we talk about … they’re allowed to buy them at 18. So how does that make sense?” he told school officials last month. “We’re going to work on getting the age up to 21 instead of 18.” But Trump has also spoken repeatedly in recent weeks with the heads of the powerful National Rifle Association, which considers increasing the age of purchase to be an assault on the Second Amendment. The NRA on Friday sued Florida over a new gun law signed by Republican Gov. Rick Scott that bans the purchase of firearms by anyone under the age of 21. Instead, the issue will be one of a list of topics to be studied by the DeVos commission, which will then provide recommendations to the president. Administration officials said they had not set a deadline for the commission’s recommendations, but expected they’d made in under a year. During the meetings, Trump also advocated arming certain teachers and school staffers, arguing that gun-free schools are “like an invitation for these very sick people” to commit murder. As part plan, the White House has directed the Justice Department to help states partner with local law enforcement to provide “rigorous firearms training to specifically qualified volunteer school personnel,” said Andrew Bremberg, director of the president’s Domestic Policy Council. The White House did not immediately say how much money would be made available. Trump also called on states to pass temporary, court-issued Risk Protection Orders, which allow law enforcement to confiscate guns from individuals who pose risks to themselves and others, and temporarily prevent them from buying firearms. And he called for the reform and expansion of mental health programs, as well as a full audit and review of the FBI tip line. The bureau has been criticized for not following up on warnings about the suspect in the Parkland school shooting. The White House is also calling on Congress to two pieces of legislation. One would improve the National Instant Criminal Background Check system by penalizing federal agencies that don’t properly report required records and reward states that comply by providing them with federal grant preferences. The other would create a federal grant program to train students, teachers and school officials how to identify signs of potential violence and intervene early. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
State Rep. Mary Moore proposes ban on semiautomatic gun sales
One Alabama lawmaker has introduced a bill banning semiautomatic firearms sales in the wake of the Feb. 14 shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla. Birmingham-Democrat state Rep. Mary Moore introduced HB472 on Thursday which would prohibit the possession, sale, or transfer of assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition within the state. This bill defines assault weapons as “any selective-fire firearm capable of fully automatic, semiautomatic, or burst fire at the option of the user or any of the following specified semiautomatic firearms. Included in her ban are: All AK series, including, but not limited to, the following: AK, AKM, AKS, AK-47, AK-74, ARM, MAK90, MISR, NHM90, NHM91, SA 85, SA 93, VEPR, WASR-10, WUM, Rock River Arms LAR-47, and Vector Arms AK-47. All AR series, including, but not limited to, the following: AR-10, AR-15, Bushmaster XM15, Armalite AR-180 and M15, Olympic Arms, AR70, DPMS Tactical Rifles, Smith and Wesson M and P15 Rifles, Colt AR-15, Rock River Arms LAR-15, and DoubleStar AR rifles. Algimec AGM1. Barrett 82A1 and REC7. Beretta AR-70 and Beretta Storm. Bushmaster Auto Rifle. Calico Liberty series. Chartered Industries of Singapore SR-88. Colt Sporter. Daewoo K-1, K-2, Max-1, and Max FAMAS MAS 223. Federal XC-900 and SC-450. Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, or FNC. FNH PS90, SCAR, and FS2000. Goncz High Tech Carbine. Hi-Point Carbine. HK-91, HK-93, HK-94, SP-89, or HK-PSG-1. Kel-Tec Sub-2000, SU series, RFB. M1 Carbine. SAR-8, SAR-4800, SR9. SIG 57 AMT and 500 Series. Sig Sauer MCX Rifle. SKS capable of accepting a detachable magazine. SLG 95. SLR 95 or 96. Spectre Auto Carbine. Springfield Armory BM59, SAR-48, and G-3. Sterling MK-6 and MK-7. Steyr AUG. Sturm Ruger Mini-14 with folding stock. TNW M230, M2HB. Thompson types, including Thompson T5. UZI, Galil and UZI Sporter, Galil Sporter, Galil Sniper Rifle (Galatz), or Vector Arms UZI. Weaver Arms Nighthawk. A full list of additional guns listed on the ban can be found here. Moore said her bill would allow those Alabamians who already own semi-automatic weapons to keep them.
Auburn University’s Active Shooter Response Program trains thousands in best practices
By: Preston Sparks | Auburn University’s Office of Communications and Marketing How should you respond in the midst of an active shooter incident? It’s a question once again in the forefront as our nation grieves another mass school shooting. Since its inception nine years ago, Auburn University’s Active Shooter Response Program has provided the answer to thousands, helping lead the way in training among many agencies and schools throughout the nation and world. “Our goal is to provide those in need of such life-saving information the tools by which to act with best practices,” said Chance Corbett, interim executive director for Auburn University’s Department of Campus Safety and Security, noting the following safety tips to remember in an active shooter incident: when possible, flee the area from danger; if unable to flee, find a safe place and barricade the door; if an intruder enters your room or safe space, be prepared to run and, if necessary, throw objects at the intruder’s head while leaving; and as a last resort be prepared to fight back. Corbett said his department’s Active Shooter Response Program has been embraced by multiple state agencies and schools throughout the state, nation and even as far away as schools in Australia. “What we did really rubbed off on a lot of agencies,” said Corbett, who also has been a state instructor for the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training, ALERT, program. Since beginning the active shooter program, Corbett said his department has held hundreds of classes for thousands of workers from Auburn University, the Alabama Senate and House of Representatives, Alabama Judges’ Association, cities of Tuskegee and Phenix City, several churches and civic organizations, the federal courthouse in Columbus, Georgia, and various local and regional K-12 school districts. In addition, Corbett’s department distributed a training video on YouTube a few years ago that has received more than 700,000 views and has been implemented in training exercises by an extensive list of organizations. Most recently, Corbett’s department offered its active shooter training class for Auburn employees this past Thursday. Seven more such classes are scheduled on campus now through May. The training classes are offered once monthly for Auburn University employees and three times per semester for Auburn students. Corbett said that when it comes to community requests for assistance from his department, he first recommends the public reach out to local law enforcement to see what is available. From there, he said his office is always more than willing to help provide any assistance it can and at no cost. “Auburn University is more than willing to help,” he said. “We do it as an outreach of the university.” Republished with permission from Auburn University.
Alabama’s Congressional Democrats ready for gun control action, Republicans mum
Americans across the country are once again calling on Congress to take action on gun control following last week’s massacre in Parkland, Fla. that left 17 people dead at a high school. While Congress has yet to take action, President Donald Trump helped move the conversation forward on Monday when he offered support for a limited strengthening of federal background checks on gun purchases. “While discussions are ongoing and revisions are being considered, the president is supportive of efforts to improve the federal background check system,” confirmed White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Trump’s is referring to the Fix NICS Act. Introduced last year by Texas-Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, the bill is aimed to “fix” the way in which existing background checks can prevent firearm purchases by those who present possible red flags to state and local authorities. The legislation would ensure that federal and state authorities comply with existing law and accurately report relevant criminal history records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The bill also penalizes federal agencies that fail to properly report relevant records and incentivizes states to improve their overall reporting and directs more federal funding to the accurate reporting of domestic violence records. Within the Alabama delegation, Democrats U.S. Sen. Doug Jones and 7th District U.S. Rep. Terri A. Sewell are glad to see Trump’s support for policy change and are ready to see Congress take action. “I absolutely support strengthening our background check system, and I’m glad the President agrees,” said Jones. “We need better data reported to the database, we need to close the gun show loophole, and we need to look at ways we can improve school safety. These won’t fix the problem overnight, but they are common sense first steps that we can take immediately.” Sewell agrees the Fix NICS Act is a step in the right direction. “I strongly agree that the Congress must take bipartisan action to strengthen background checks and address the epidemic of gun violence that has claimed so many lives,” remarked Sewell. “The Fix NICS Act is a step in the right direction, but alone, it is not enough to address the tragic reality of gun violence in America that has struck communities from Parkland to Las Vegas to Newtown.” But Sewell doesn’t believe the bill, which is backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, goes far enough on its own. “This bill does not close the gun show loophole or prevent the reckless sale of bump stocks, both of which deserve legislative solutions,” Sewell added. “I believe the President’s support for Sen. Cornyn’s bill is proof of the growing public demand for action among both Republicans and Democrats. I have always been a strong proponent of the Second Amendment, but Congress can no longer settle for symbolic gestures when gun violence kills more Americans every day.” Meanwhile Republicans have remained mostly mum offering only their thoughts and prayers to the victims’ families. 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne being the only exception. When Alabama Today asked all members of the Alabama delegation whether or not they supported improving the federal background check system, Byrne’s was the only Republican office to respond. “Congressman Byrne is open to evaluating any proposal from the Trump Administration regarding potential changes to the background check system. He will wait to review the proposals before weighing in,” said Byrne spokesperson Seth Morrow.
Stop vilifying gun owners and NRA members every shooting
Yesterday’s tragedy in Florida reminds us (again) that life is precious and evil exists. Shootings, as with other acts of violence and terrorism, have always struck me to the core. Innocent lives lost locally, across the nation or even across the globe are a tragedy that no one should endure. I thought I understood loss and fear — then I became a mother. As a mother, it makes me want to hold on to my children close and never let them out of my sight, though these days even that wouldn’t guarantee their safety. My children are my heart. I can’t begin to fathom the agony that the parents must feel losing theirs. When we have situations like the one in South Florida or Las Vegas, or any other gun tragedy, the question that come to mind first is how could this have been prevented? Yet very quickly, it stops being about actual prevention. And it becomes nothing more than a politically polarizing fight of us vs. them. Gun owners vs. gun critics. Facts and fiction get twisted. We saw this with the exaggeration of how many school shootings there had been, a Bloomberg group cited 18. That number includes more than violent acts it in schools during school settings. A Washington Post article sorts through the fact vs. fiction of that including the fact that number included an adult suicide in the parking lot of a school that had not been in use in seven months. It also included the discharge of a firearm after school hours and a few accidental discharges. But facts didn’t stop countless news outlets across the country from repeating the Bloomberg propaganda, and the facts certainly won’t stop the bad information from being spread throughout the internet. This brings me to the emotional arguments of gun control that follow shootings. There are those who believe that if you support gun rights you don’t have compassion for the lives lost, that you don’t value life, or that in some way you are responsible for this level of violence that we see. That’s simply not true. It’s disgusting to dehumanize someone based on their position on gun control. Just as it is wrong for conservatives to dehumanize pro-choice supporters. We are all human and I don’t know a single person who’s not rocked to the core by these senseless acts of violence and terror. I worked for the NRA-ILA for two campaign seasons. While I in no way speak for the organization, I can tell you about my personal experience. I went to both gun shops and gun shows and talked to gun owners. There’s such a strong sense of community and family among those who own firearms, and they absolutely want to protect their Second Amendment rights. But they also love life and those around them. Second Amendment supporters are opposed to and appalled, shocked and disgusted by gun crime. Those two things are not mutually exclusive. You don’t have to have a dead heart to be a member of the NRA or support Second Amendment rights. Opposing limitations on the lawful ownership and use of firearms and/or belonging to a group that is not the same as supporting crime and certainly is not an indictment on one’s character as gun opponents would have you believe. So what does “I am the NRA” mean to me? It means that I am member of an organization, a group of people who support fundamental, American rights. You may not understand someone’s need or want for a specific type of gun, but that does not mean that gun should be banned. You may not understand the need of, or desire, for someone to recreationally shoot firearms, but your opinion doesn’t trump their rights. I don’t like some profane words — I recently wrote a blog about the n-word. I don’t understand why people choose to use it. But it’s their right. I don’t understand lyrics to songs that incite violence, dehumanize women and negate the value of law enforcement, but I understand that they stem from someone’s right to express themselves and they exist for those who do enjoy them. Don’t tell me words don’t kill people the same way as guns because I’d argue they can, and do. Words can incite violence, and hatred, and disrespect, and that they’re immeasurably powerful. This is why we rallied as a nation when the Charlottesville protest happened to shout out the voices of hate. The idea that “common sense regulations” will stop violence is simply not the case. What we really need to get to is the heart of the matter. Everyone is looking for answers, as they do after each shooting. Even more than that, they’re looking for something that will give them a sense of control. It is during these initial days, full of grief and rage, that gun control advocates and Second Amendment supporters inevitably find themselves inundated with opinions from the other side. The shouting drowns out the solutions we could agree on. The solutions we do agree on which there are many. It also drowns out the questions that go beyond gun control that suck the air out of the room: Knowing that studies have shown early exposure to violent forms of entertainment are predictors of later aggressive behavior why aren’t we doing more to limit access to this source of influence? The Texas shooting showed a breakdown in reporting that allowed someone who was ineligible to purchase a firearm to do so. In the case of Florida would an involuntary mental health hold on the young man who committed the atrocious acts have put him in the system so that he would not have been able to purchase his firearm? Teachers and former classmates say while he was a student, he had an angry disposition that led to him being expelled and flagged as a danger on school grounds. Last year, he had reportedly commented on a YouTube post that he would be a “professional
Bradley Byrne: Standing up for the Second Amendment
The Second Amendment is clear: “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Despite what some may try to argue, the Second Amendment makes clear that the federal government cannot prevent individuals from owning firearms. The vast majority of gun owners point out that their top reason for owning a firearm is self-defense. Studies have shown that violent crime has decreased as gun ownership has increased. Individuals should be trained and prepared to defend themselves should they find themselves in a dangerous situation Since being elected to Congress, I have continually stood up for the gun-owners and fought to prevent any attempt to restrict an individual’s Second Amendment right. Under the leadership of President Donald Trump, gun owners now have an advocate in the White House who respects the Second Amendment as well. Just this past week, the House of Representatives passed a major pro-Second Amendment bill. H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, passed the House with my support by a vote of 231 to 198. Simply put, the bill makes clear that a citizen’s Second Amendment right doesn’t end when they cross state lines. The bill would allow a person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm permit to carry a concealed firearm in any other state that also issues concealed firearm permits. The bill would also apply for states that allow non-prohibited persons to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. Notably, the bill does not create a national licensing program, but would require states to recognize other states’ valid concealed carry permits. The legislation is strongly supported by Second Amendment advocates, including the NRA. Some have gone so far as it say it is the most “far-reaching expansion of self-defense rights in modern American history.” According to the NRA, the legislation “seeks to shift the law to the side of those who obey the rules so they – and not just the criminals – can exercise what the U.S. Supreme Court called ‘the right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation’ in any state where their travels may take them.” To be clear, the bill does not change who is and isn’t eligible to own or possess a firearm. If someone is a criminal who is prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm, nothing in this bill would allow that person to purchase a firearm or carry one in a concealed fashion. Concealed carry permits have been shown to help deter crime. For example, there is the story of a sheriff’s deputy in Florida who was being violently attacked after car chase when a bystander, who had a concealed-carry permit, was able to intervene and subdue the suspect. The Lee County Sheriff has proclaimed the gentleman a hero for his efforts. The bill is also important because it helps end confusion caused by the current patchwork of state laws. I recently heard the story of a wounded warrior on the way back from receiving medical care for his injury being arrested in our nation’s capital for simply possessing a concealed handgun, lawfully permitted from his home state. This is unacceptable. By helping provide clarity, the American people will be able to conceal carry a firearm across state lines without being subject to potential criminal or civil risk. For me, I will continue doing everything I can to stand up for the Second Amendment. This is about protecting the rights of law-abiding Americans and working to make our country a safer place. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
