article THE BIBLE, GUNS AND THE SECOND AMENDMENT Erich Pratt Published: 08 August 2022 A God-Given Right or Not? “Self-defense is a primary law of nature, which no subsequent law of society can abolish; this primeval principle, the immediate gift of the Creator, obliges everyone … to resist the first approaches of tyranny.” –Elbridge Gerry, Delegate to the Constitutional Convention It was a theological dispute, but the debate was taking place in the Arizona House of Representatives in 2015. The topic involved two pro-gun bills, and the burning question was: “Is the right to keep and bear arms a God-given right or not?”[1] Lest someRead More →

GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA Gun Owners of America (GOA) is a non-profit lobbying organization formed in 1976 to preserve and defend the Second Amendment rights of gun owners. GOA sees firearms ownership as a freedom issue.Read More →

pdf below excerpt ABSTRACT Understanding the deep meaning of the Second Amendment is critical to understanding American gun culture. The centrality of the Second Amendment in American culture can be better understood through the intersection of American nationalism with Protestant Christianity. This paper argues that the National Rifle Association (NRA) has capitalized on the religious nationalism that arose in the late 1970s alongside the Moral Majority and has increasingly used religious language to shape the discourse surrounding the Second Amendment. Understanding the transformation of the Second Amendment from an important Constitutional amendment to an article of faith in religious nationalism provides new insight about theRead More →

Right to Privacy vs. Gun Purchase Background Checks Introduction The right to privacy and gun purchase background checks are two seemingly conflicting concepts that have been at the center of much debate in the United States. The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms, while the right to privacy is protected by several amendments, most notably the Fourth Amendment. As the U.S. grapples with gun violence, background checks have been touted as a potential solution to reduce the number of firearms that end up in the hands of dangerous individuals. However, this has raised concerns about the potential infringement onRead More →

Article: Gun Owners’ Privacy Introduction Most often debates concerning firearms center around who has the right to acquire a firearm. However, more recently, the debate has focused on the right of legal gun purchasers to maintain their anonymity. Some gun-control lobbyists argue that if records of gun owners were made available, then this increased regulation of weapons would decrease potentially violent crimes. Taking the opposite view, other advocates believe it is their legal right to own and use a firearm, and that anonymity is critically linked this ownership. They assert that the disclosure of gun ownership records could provide a potential road map for criminalsRead More →

National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research Despite more than 38,000 firearm deaths and more than 115,000 injuries from firearms per year in the United States, the public and policymakers lack basic information on the causes of gun violence and how it can be prevented. The National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research will support carefully selected, rigorous research designed to broaden agreement on the facts associated with gun policy, and support development of fair and effective policies. Research priorities will be selected by the Research Advisory Committee, based on a review of existing science and the recommendation of gun policy researchers and stakeholders. Broadly, the collaborativeRead More →

Amnesty International – Gun Violence Excerpt: OVERVIEW Gun violence is a contemporary global human rights issue. Gun-related violence threatens our most fundamental human right, the right to life. Gun violence is a daily tragedy affecting the lives of individuals around the world. More than 500 people die every day because of violence committed with firearms. Anyone can be affected by firearm violence but in certain situations gun violence disproportionately impacts communities of colour, women and other marginalized groups in society. Sometimes, the mere presence of firearms can make people feel threatened and fearful for their lives with severe and long-term psychological effects on individuals andRead More →

SEN. CRUZ STATEMENT ON GUN LEGISLATION VOTE WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) made the following statement about his vote against the Democrats’ gun control bill: “There are two different approaches to try to stop criminals and mass murders. One is to target and prosecute felons and criminals trying to illegally buy guns and who use guns in the commission of a crime, while simultaneously securing our schools and hiring more police officers who are trained to prevent school violence. My legislation with Senators John Barrasso, Chuck Grassley, Tim Scott, Cynthia Lummis and Mike Crapo would have done that. Like Grassley-Cruz in 2013,Read More →