Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

August 2012 Standing Guard: "People's Rights Amendment" Threatens Free Speech

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

By Wayne LaPierre, NRA Executive Vice President

Remember when President Barack Obama, in his first State of the Union speech, had the gall to publicly attack the U.S. Supreme Court for upholding freedom of speech in its decision on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission?

Now Obama’s allies on Capitol Hill want to deny the right to political free speech to you, me and groups like the NRA completely and forever—even if they have to amend the U.S. Constitution.

For months I’ve warned you of the grave consequences our freedoms will face if Obama, his administration and its Capitol Hill enablers are re-elected on Nov. 6. If you ever needed proof that they oppose your freedoms and endanger all of the rights you cherish as an American, here’s yet more evidence:

On Capitol Hill, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., joined by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and dozens of other Democrats, has introduced House Joint Resolution 88, proposing a “People’s Rights Amendment” to the U.S. Constitution.

But the name “People’s Rights Amendment” is false advertising at its most frightening. It would effectively revoke your First Amendment right to freedom of speech when you exercise your freedom of association through organizations like the NRA.

Under the amendment, the rights enshrined in our Constitution would be guaranteed only to so-called “natural persons.” In other words, you’d have rights as an individual. But as soon as you associate with other individuals and pool resources to exercise your rights collectively—as you do through the NRA—you no longer would have those rights.

As the amendment’s text dictates, “People, person, or persons as used in this Constitution does not include corporations, limited liability companies or other corporate entities. ...” And as its author Rep. McGovern explained, “ ... all corporate entities—for-profit and non-profit alike—are not people with constitutional rights.”

Under the “People’s Rights Amendment,” anyone who tried to exercise his or her constitutional rights collectively with other people would be “subject to such regulation” as Congress deems “reasonable.”

If that sounds to you like a blank check for government censorship, that’s because it is.

In practical terms, the “People’s Rights Amendment” would shut groups like the NRA out of the political process by denying our right to freedom of speech. We wouldn’t be allowed to speak out on your behalf regarding legislation, elections or any other political issue.

You could stand on a street corner giving speeches or distributing leaflets, but if you pool efforts with like-minded people—your rights would cease to exist. You and I know that’s just the opposite of what our nation’s founders intended. As Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the Citizens United case, “The First Amendment protects more than just the individual on a soapbox and the lonely pamphleteer.”

Apparently, the politicians pushing this madness either don’t understand the danger or are willing to accept it for purely partisan political gain. What they ignore at their peril is that the “People’s Rights Amendment” could be used by government to censor or silence anyone—even those promoting the scheme. As they say, “What goes around comes around”—and everyone pays the price.

The New York Times, MSNBC and Time-Warner are all corporations. Would Obama and his allies try to silence them? Or only groups like the NRA that try to stop his anti-gun, anti-freedom agenda? Make no mistake: This is a sinister and profoundly dangerous proposal.

Before you dismiss it as some radical, leftist pipe dream that would never be adopted—or be overturned by the courts if it were—consider this:

At least four states—Hawaii, New Mexico, Vermont and Rhode Island—have already passed resolutions calling for this amendment. At this writing, Massachusetts is poised to become the fifth state to endorse it.

That’s why it is critical that you and everyone you know who cares about American freedom go “ALL IN” on Election Day, Nov. 6.

If we don’t stop them by defeating them at the polls, Obama and his freedom-hating allies could, with this dangerous constitutional amendment, destroy the vital checks and balances that keep Americans free and our democracy stable and strong.

As Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the Citizens United decision, “Speech is an essential mechanism of democracy, for it is the means to hold officials accountable to the people. … The right of citizens to inquire, to hear, to speak, and to use information to reach consensus, is a precondition to enlightened self-government and a necessary means to protect it.”

IN THIS ARTICLE
Elections Election 2012
TRENDING NOW
Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes General Assembly and Semi-Auto Ban Temporarily Removed from Calendar

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes General Assembly and Semi-Auto Ban Temporarily Removed from Calendar

In a temporary reprieve for Colorado gun owners, the semi-auto ban HB24-1292 has been removed from the calendar. But we cannot let our guard down as gun control advocates can bring it up for a vote at ...

The U.S. Supreme Court Looks at Government “Blacklists”

News  

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court Looks at Government “Blacklists”

Much of the attention this past week in the United States Supreme Court was the oral arguments in National Rifle Association of America v. Vullo, No. 22-842, a First Amendment case on whether government officials ...

25 years and one PLCAA Later, Chicago is Still Harassing Gunmakers

News  

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

25 years and one PLCAA Later, Chicago is Still Harassing Gunmakers

On March 19, the city of Chicago filed suit against handgun manufacturer Glock. Seeking to shift responsibility for the city’s woeful governance, Chicago’s lawsuit blames the popular firearm manufacturer for the third-party criminal misuse of ...

Washington: Governor Signs Anti-Gun Legislation

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Washington: Governor Signs Anti-Gun Legislation

Today, Governor Inslee signed five anti-gun bills into law that were recently passed by the Washington State Legislature. The bills include:

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Passes Committee and Sensitive Places Bill Hearing Rescheduled for Today!

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Passes Committee and Sensitive Places Bill Hearing Rescheduled for Today!

Yesterday the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on House Bill 24-1292, the semi-auto ban, that lasted over 12 hours where hundreds of patriotic Coloradans overloaded the committee with opposition testimony. The hearing concluded with an ...

NRA Files Amicus Brief Asking Supreme Court to Hear Antonyuk v. James

News  

Second Amendment  

Monday, March 25, 2024

NRA Files Amicus Brief Asking Supreme Court to Hear Antonyuk v. James

In response to the NRA’s victory in Bruen, which secured every American’s right to carry arms, NY passed the “Concealed Carry Improvement Act,” severely restricting carry throughout the state. The 2nd Circuit upheld many of ...

Pennsylvania: Senate Committee Passes Full Inclusion Sunday Hunting

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Pennsylvania: Senate Committee Passes Full Inclusion Sunday Hunting

On Wednesday, the Senate Game & Fisheries Committee voted 7-4 to pass Senate Bill 67 to the Senate floor for a vote. 

California: DOJ Proposes Emergency Rule that Reauthorizes NRA Instructors

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

California: DOJ Proposes Emergency Rule that Reauthorizes NRA Instructors

On Monday, March 25th, the California Department of Justice published an emergency rulemaking package proposing to amend the Carry Concealed Weapons DOJ Certified Instructors regulations. Under the proposed rulemaking, NRA Certified Instructors would once again ...

Grassroots Spotlight: Michigan Grassroots

Take Action  

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Grassroots Spotlight: Michigan Grassroots

It's been a busy start to the year in the Wolverine State, as the Michigan NRA-ILA Grassroots Team has been out alerting and educating members and supporters on the critical changes in gun laws and working to stop ...

Kentucky: Credit Card Data Privacy Bill Passed Into Law

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Kentucky: Credit Card Data Privacy Bill Passed Into Law

Today, Governor Andy Beshear let HB 357, the Merchant Category Code ban legislation pass into law without his signature. Your NRA would like to thank Representatives Derek Lewis (R, H-90), Michael Meredith (R, H-19), and Senator ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.