Front Sight, Press

I like Ron Paul. He’s a maverick, a free thinker and one of the best constitutional minds on the scene today. As I have said before, I am not optimistic about Rep. Paul’s chances of winning either the nomination or the election; nevertheless, his message is important and deserves to be heard.

 

Ron Paul on Gun Rights:

“…I have introduced legislation, the Second Amendment Restoration Act (HR 153), which repeals misguided federal gun control laws such as the Brady Bill and the assault weapons ban. I believe the Second amendment is one of the foundations of our constitutional liberties…” source

“Tortured interpretations of the Second amendment cannot change the fact that both the letter of the amendment itself and the legislative history conclusively show that the Founders intended ordinary citizens to be armed. The notion that the Second amendment confers rights only upon organized state-run militias is preposterous; the amendment is meaningless unless it protects the gun rights of individuals.” source

“…The UN claims to serve human freedom and dignity, but gun control often serves as a gateway to tyranny.  Tyrants from Hitler to Mao to Stalin have sought to disarm their own citizens, for the simple reason that unarmed people are easier to control.  Our Founders, having just expelled the British army, knew that the right to bear arms serves as the guardian of every other right.  This is the principle so often ignored by both sides in the gun control debate.  Only armed citizens can resist tyrannical government.” source

“…In the 1700s, militias were local groups made up of ordinary citizens. They were not under federal control! As a practical matter, many of them were barely under the control of colonial or state authorities. When the 2nd Amendment speaks of a “well-regulated militia,” it means local groups of individuals operating to protect their own families, homes, and communities. They regulated themselves because it was necessary and in their own interest to do so. The Founders themselves wrote in the Federalist papers about the need for individuals to be armed. In fact, James Madison argued in Federalist paper 46 that common citizens should be armed to guard against the threat posed by the newly proposed standing federal army.” source

“…Thomas Jefferson said “The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; …that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.” Jefferson, and all of the Founders, would be horrified by the proliferation of unconstitutional legislation that prevents law-abiding Americans from exercising their right and duty to keep and bear arms. I hope my colleagues will join me in upholding the Founders’ vision for a free society by cosponsoring the Second Amendment Restoration Act.” source

 

Some positions from Ron Paul:

Ease procedures on the purchase and registration of firearms

Indicate which principles you support concerning gun issues. Ease procedures on the purchase and registration of firearms: Repeal all bans and measures that restrict law-abiding citizens from owning legally-obtained firearms.

Source: Congressional 1996 National Political Awareness Test Nov 1, 1996

Allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms

Indicate which principles you support concerning gun issues. Allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms that are legally owned and registered: Repeal all bans and measures that restrict law-abiding citizens from owning legally-obtained firearms.

Source: Congressional 1996 National Political Awareness Test Nov 1, 1996

Votes:

Voted NO on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers.

A bill to prohibit civil liability actions from being brought or continued against manufacturers, distributors, dealers, or importers of firearms or ammunition for damages, injunctive or other relief resulting from the misuse of their products by others. A YES vote would:

• Prohibit individuals from filing a qualified civil liability action
• Exempt lawsuits brought against individuals who knowingly transfer a firearm that will be used to commit a violent or drug-trafficking crime
• Exempt lawsuits against actions that result in death, physical injury or property damage due solely to a product defect
• Dismiss of all civil liability actions pending on the date of enactment
• Prohibit the manufacture, import, sale or delivery of armor piercing ammunition

Reference: Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; Bill S 397 ; vote number 2005-534 on Oct 20, 2005

Voted NO on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse.

Vote to pass a bill that would prohibit liability lawsuits from being brought against gun manufacturers and dealers based on the criminal misuse of firearms. The bill would also block these actions from being brought up against gun trade organizations and against ammunition makers and sellers. The measure would apply immediately to any pending cases. Several specific exceptions to the ban exist. This includes civil suits would be allowed against a maker or dealer who “knowingly and willfully violated” state or federal laws in the selling or marketing of a weapon. Design and manufacturing defect lawsuits are also permitted when weapons are “used as intended.

Reference: Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; Bill HR 1036 ; vote number 2003-124 on Apr 9, 2003

Voted NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1.

Vote to pass a bill requiring anyone who purchases a gun at a gun show to go through an instant background check which must be completed within 24 hours [instead of 72 hours].

Reference: Bill introduced by McCollum, R-FL; Bill HR 2122 ; vote number 1999-244 on Jun 18, 1999

Support the Second Amendment.

Paul adopted the Republican Liberty Caucus Position Statement:

* As adopted by the General Membership of the Republican Liberty Caucus at its Biannual Meeting held December 8, 2000. WHEREAS libertarian Republicans believe in limited government, individual freedom and personal responsibility;

• WHEREAS we believe that government has no money nor power not derived from the consent of the people;
• WHEREAS we believe that people have the right to keep the fruits of their labor; and
• WHEREAS we believe in upholding the US Constitution as the supreme law of the land;

1. BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Liberty Caucus endorses the following [among its] principles: Every American has the right to keep and bear arms. We affirm our support for the second amendment of the US Constitution.

2. All people, regardless of position in the public or private sector, should be held equally accountable under the law.

3. The *only* litmus test for Supreme Court or other judges should be their determination to accurately interpret, not amend, the Constitution. Judges have *no* authority to make new law.

 

Ron Paul on the Second Amendment at Greenville, SC

More Ron Paul on the Second Amendment

 

See also:

Gun Rights vs. Centralization

The Worldwide Gun Control Movement

Congressman Ron Paul On Guns, Money, And The New World Order

Gun supporters split over Rep. Paul

Gun Control and the 2nd Amendment
The Ron Paul Library

Restore the Second Amendment

Congressman Ron Paul Archives
Past articles by Congressman Ron Paul on LewRockwell.com