I strongly oppose any gun control laws that restrict or infringe upon the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. I am a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) because I believe that law-abiding citizens of this country have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms in the protection of themselves, their families and their liberty.
Americans face growing threats from criminal gangs, the criminally insane and radical Islamic terrorists such as ISIS - all of whom lack basic humanity and have no regard for the rule of law. Now more than ever, we must defend the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
According to the FBI, 60 percent of active shooter attacks are over before law enforcement arrives. Most active shooters kill their victims in 10 minutes or less, while the best police response times in the nation are 5 to 7 minutes.
Gun laws aimed at preventing criminals and terrorists from obtaining firearms are simply ignored by those who wish to do us harm.
As your next U.S. senator in the fight to protect Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners, I will:
▪ Oppose United States involvement in the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty
▪ Oppose any executive order implementing gun control policies without legislative and judicial review
▪ Oppose the expansion of background checks that seek to limit access to firearms and ammunition for law-abiding citizens
▪ Oppose the expansion of gun free zones
▪ Support inter-state reciprocity, making concealed-carry permits valid from state to state
▪ Expanding the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act to include honorably discharged veterans and incorporate currently prohibited gun free zones
▪ Oppose any federal attempts to ban any sporting rifles and standard capacity magazines
▪ Work to expand opportunities for sportsmen on federal lands
▪ Oppose the Department of Justice’s “Operation Choke Point” and similar restrictions on law-abiding gun dealers and manufacturers
▪ Support reinstating the fundamental Second Amendment rights of D.C. residents
▪ Enforce current gun control laws that deny gun ownership to convicted felons and fully prosecute illegal sales activities
At the heart of the gun control debate is the interpretation of the wording of the Second Amendment. We must defend its original premise which articulates the rights of the individual, not the militia. I believe, as did the founding fathers, that because a well-regulated militia is necessary to the security of the state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. This interpretation is supported by the preamble of the Declaration of Independence. The Second Amendment guarantees every American the right to keep and bear arms to allow us, the people, the ability to protect ourselves and our liberty.
President Obama’s threats to unilaterally implement expanded gun control by executive order once again defy the will of the people, circumvent the legislative process and violate the Constitution. The idea that disarming law-abiding citizens will make us a safer nation is a lie that liberals continue to tell, and I refuse to accept that we must give up freedom and liberty in exchange for security.
Businessman and combat veteran Todd Wilcox is running for Republican nomination in the 2016 U.S. Senate race.
