National Coalition Responds to Obama’s Assault on the Second Amendment

USA – -(Ammoland.com)- To Congress and the American people:

The federal gun control measures President Barack Obama, Senator Dianne Feinstein and others now propose represents nothing less than an attack on American freedom. Included in that attack is a proposal to dramatically expand federal police powers by using the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) to register millions of law-abiding gun owners. As history has repeatedly demonstrated, registration is the necessary prelude to confiscation.

Using the Sandy Hook tragedy as a pretext to advance a gun control agenda set in the 1980s, gun ban advocates now seek universal registration and licensing, bans on firearms only cosmetically different from common hunting guns, and limits on magazine capacities which will restrict self-defense handguns used by millions of Americans to protect themselves and their families.

‘National Coalition to Stop the Gun Ban’ opposes all measures

In response, the National Coalition to Stop the Gun Ban – comprising thirty-six (36) participating state and national organizations and still growing – has unified to defeat federal gun control legislation including, but not limited to, current proposals.

The Coalition is not “the gun lobby.” We do not represent gun manufacturers, nor are we controlled by the NRA. Most Coalition leaders don’t even earn incomes from the organizations they direct. Instead, the Coalition represents what politicians should fear most: An organized grass roots movement to defend the Second Amendment and unseat those who would undermine American freedom.

Presidential ‘usurpation of power’

“usurpation: …the unlawful or violent seizure of a throne, power, etc.” – Webster’s Dictionary

Both Attorney General Eric Holder and Vice President Joe Biden have said the administration is weighing “executive action” to implement gun registration and licensing beyond even the ban on semi-automatic firearms proposed by Senator Dianne Feinstein and others. Today, Barack Obama issued twenty-three (23) executive orders, apparently to begin that process.

When the National Firearms Act passed in 1934, Congress still understood that it didn’t have the power under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution to regulate Title II weapons, so it imposed a tax – an exorbitant tax, perhaps, but still a tax. Since then, however, overbroad interpretations of its power to regulate “interstate commerce” have become the norm, and Congress now feels free to legislate on firearms.

Apparently, however, even congressional usurpation of power is no longer sufficient: What Obama threatens clearly violates Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution, which says:

“All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.”

If executive orders are used to circumvent Congress and force gun control on the American people, Coalition members will not only fight those unconstitutional laws in our courts, but will actively advocate the impeachment of any president who would so blatantly abuse his power.

Rather than issuing executive orders with which law-abiding Americans will refuse to comply, this President should acknowledge the thousands of people whose deaths resulted from implementation of the federal Gun Free” School Zones Act of 1996 – after which school killings increased by fivefold.

The Coalition will not ‘compromise’ on this issue

As gun ban advocates define it, “compromise” is a process in which the American people lose slightly less freedom than under their original proposal. Consequently, Coalition members will not accept “compromise,” and will not settle for “the best we can get.” Nothing less than the demise of current proposals will suffice.

Politicians will find no quarter

Any politician who supports such measures will be targeted for defeat via coordinated action by Coalition members. They will be subject to picketing, leaflet drops at events in their districts, phone and mail campaigns, and political action committee opposition. Neither party affiliation nor NRA ratings and endorsements will have any impact on Coalition actions.

Right now, Coalition leaders are contacting their members, directing emails and phone calls to Congressional delegations and galvanizing supporters. In this most egregious attack on American freedom, we will prevail.

National Organizations:

The Firearms Coalition
Jeff Knox, Managing Director
Chris Knox, Director of Communications

Gun Owners of America
Larry D. Pratt, Executive Director

Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership
Charles Heller, President

Rights Watch International
F. Paul Valone, Executive Director

Second Amendment Sisters
Marinelle Thompson, President
Lee Ann Tarducci, Director of Operations

USRKBA.org
Dave Yates, Co-founder
Dave Van, Co-Founder

State-level organizations:

Arizona Citizens Defense League
Dave Kopp, President

Arkansas Carry
Steve Jones, Chairman

BamaCarry
Eddie Fulmer, Spokesman

Connecticut Citizens Defense League, Inc
Scott Wilson, Sr., President

Damas de la Segunda Enmienda
(Ladies of the Second Amendment, Puerto Rico)
Sandra R Barreras, Executive Vice President

Firearms Owners Against Crime
Kim Stolfer, Chairman

Florida Carry, Inc.
Sean Caranna, Executive Director
Richard Nascak, Executive Director

Grass Roots North Carolina
F. Paul Valone, President

Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance, Minnesota
Joe Olson, President

Gun Owners of California
Sam Paredes, Executive Director

Gun Owners of Maine
Shane Belanger, Executive Director

Gun Owners of Utah
Charles Hardy, Public Policy Director

Gun Owners of Vermont
Gary Cutler, Legislative Director

ICarry.org
Shaun Kranish, Founder

Iowa Gun Owners
Aaron Dorr, Executive Director

Michigan Gun Owners
Jeff LaFave, President

Michigan Open Carry, Inc.
Phillip Hofmeister, President

Montana Shooting Sports Association
Gary Marbut, President

Nebraska Firearms Owners Association
Wesley Dickinson, President

New Hampshire Firearms Coalition
Jonathan R. Evans, Esq, President

New Jersey 2nd Amendment Society
Frank Flamingo, President

Oregon Firearms Federation
Kevin Starrett, Executive Director

Peaceable Texans for Firearms Rights
Paul Velte, President

Pennsylvania, ACSL
Kim Stolfer, Legislative Committee Chairman

Shooters Committee on Political Education, NY
Stephen Aldstadt, President

Utah shooting Sports Council
Clark Aposhian, Chairman

Virginia Citizens Defense League
Philip Van Cleave, President

West Virginia Citizens Defense League
Keith Morgan, President

Western Missouri Shooters Alliance
Kevin Jamison, Press Officer

Wisconsin Carry, Inc.
Nik Clark, Chairman/President