At The Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC, think of it as a conservative version of AARP), veteran and Second Amendment advocate Rob Maness cautions Republicans against creating a “two-tiered Second Amendment.” He’s referring to a new bill introduced by Congressman Pat Harrigan to allow “serving and veteran special operations forces whose firearms training and marksmanship standards match or exceed those of retired law enforcement officers” to have federal concealed carry protections.
Obviously, there’s no one better trained and no one more dedicated to protecting America than America’s special forces, and it seems obvious that they should be allowed to carry concealed anywhere in the country. But Maness worries about creating a system where some people have more rights than others, when everyone should have the right to defend themselves. He writes:
In short, the bill would override state-level restrictions and allow covered individuals to carry nationwide. A DoD/VA photo ID card would serve as a nationwide permit. Congressman Harrigan argues that the bill “fixes” an inconsistency because these warriors have “mastered firearms under the most demanding conditions in the world.”
Mr. Harrigan’s heart is no doubt in the right place. Veterans should indeed have the right to carry a firearm throughout the country – but so should everybody else. Carving out a special class of citizens who are supposedly more qualified or entitled to exercise their Second Amendment freedoms implies that there are other classes of citizens who are somehow less entitled to the same rights.
I say this as an American who has been formally qualified to bear arms. I am an expert marksman through various combat programs in the military, and I currently hold a lifetime concealed carry permit. I’ve trained with some of the finest warriors this nation has ever produced, including special operations forces whose courage and skill I respect without reservation.
But respect for our elite veterans does not mean I will stand silent while Congress carves out special privileges that treat the Second Amendment as a government favor instead of what it is: an unalienable right belonging to We the People. Anything less is fundamentally at odds with the Constitution I swore to defend.
Action Line: Every American should have the right to defend themselves and their families wherever they are. Get your gun and your training now. And click here to subscribe to my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter.
WAIT: Before you go, click here to understand just how deceptive the anti-Second Amendment crowd can be. Rhode Island legislators banned assault weapons with the caveat that they wouldn’t take away guns that Rhode Islanders had already purchased legally. Now they’re going back on that promise. You won’t believe what else they have in store for Rhode Island gun owners.
