National Ammo Day

In recognition of National Ammo Day (yes, you heard me right) I have decided to repost a blog entry from earlier this year. Don't get me wrong, I have no argument with hunters or other responsible gun owners, but I do think it is a legitimate social argument to impose certain safety measures on the ownership of guns (i.e. closing the gun show loop holes and child safety locks). When the constitution was adopted by the 13 states, people used front load muskets. Now we have semi-automatic assault rifles.


I constantly hear the NRA saying that the 2nd amendment is more important than the first amendment because the 2nd amendment protects the 1st amendment. I find this assertion absurdly flawed for two reasons.

First, if the 2nd amendment was necessary to protect the 1st amendment, the Washington Post headquarters would have an arsenal and every priest would be packing heat. Wolf Blitzer and Judy Woodruff would be expert marksmen.

The second reason why I find this reasoning so flawed is because of the obscene suppression of our 1st amendment rights we have seen during this election cycle. Where were the gun toting NRA members when Sue Niederer was arrested for protesting her sons death at a pro-Bush rally. Where was Charlton Hesston when Nichole and Jeff Rank were arrested for wearing anti-Bush T-shirts. What about Alexander Pincus who was arrested in New York when he wasn't even protesting. People all across this country have been arrested for peacefully protesting Bush and the NRA has never been there to back them up, never said a word.

If I were the NRA, I would be changing my mantra. It is the 1st amendment that has allowed them to pour millions of dollars into campaigns under the auspice of "freedom of speech." with out the 1st amendment, the NRA would not have nearly the clout it does nor the ability to change the outcome of elections or get assault weapons put back on our streets. The NRA does not care about our freedoms other then when it appies to their right to buy elections. It is, in fact, the 1st amendment that protects the 2nd amendment. Not vice-versa.