Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Gun Controllers: Ban Firearms for “Radicals” (and Designate Political Opposition Under that Category)

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Gun Controllers: Ban Firearms for “Radicals” (and Designate Political Opposition Under that Category)

On Aug. 24, New York’s Democrat governor Kathy Hochul gave a speech about how the Empire State is combatting what she repeatedly referred to as “gun violence.” Among other things, her remarks suggested that the state will begin using political and ideological litmus tests to determine who is a “suitable person” to own or carry a firearm.

There are two main methods gun control advocates use to advance their agenda, which ultimately would ban firearm ownership for anyone but those who protect the gun control advocates themselves or who prop up their regimes as police, soldiers, security guards, etc.

The first is to ban what they claim are unusually dangerous weapons.

The second is to ban the keeping and bearing of arms by those who they claim are unusually dangerous persons.

At first blush, neither seems like an inherently unreasonable proposition. Indeed, they almost seem like common sense.

But it doesn’t take connecting too many dots to understand that what is “too dangerous” in their minds includes America’s most popular types of firearms and magazines, and who is “too dangerous” includes any person who does not embrace their own politics and beliefs.

While describing recent changes to New York’s already draconian firearms laws, Hochul said (see video beginning at 11:30):

We also talked about, I mentioned, social media a number of times. I’ve called upon and working closely [sic] with our attorney general to identify what’s going on in social media. Those questions are now part of our background check, such as like in the old days you’d talk to someone’s neighbor. Now you can talk to their neighbors online and find out whether or not this person has been spouting, uh, you know, philosophies that indicate they have been radicalized, and that’s how we protect our citizens as well.

This plan, however, is problematic on its face, even before analyzing how it will be applied.

“[S]pouting philosophies,” even “radical” ones, is – of course – itself constitutionally protected conduct under the First Amendment. It cannot legitimately be suppressed by the government, nor can it legitimately be used by the government as a pretext to suppress other fundamental civil liberties like the right to keep and bear arms.

The Supreme Court has made clear that protected speech encompasses controversial expression. This includes such things as profanity, flag burning, nudity, criticism of U.S. military action during wartime, criticism of the government, and even advocacy of force or law violation, except where it is directed to inciting “imminent” lawless action and “is likely” to incite or produce such action.

Content on various social media platforms is already required to comply with the various platforms’ terms of service. As rules from private companies, these restrictions are not generally restrained by the First Amendment.

So when Kathy Hochul mentions scrutinizing social media posts to determine someone’s eligibility to exercise Second Amendment rights, she is referring to a subset of expression that is already curtailed and censored by the tech companies themselves.

Putting aside the fact that New York’s entire approach of using social media posts as the basis to deny fundamental rights is facially unconstitutional, what is left after private content moderation for these officials to consider radical?

Judging by the statements of Hochul’s fellow far-left politicians, it is likely to be common philosophies and ideas that don’t mirror their own.

As if on cue, Joe Biden himself provided a perfect example last week with a widely-criticized speech in which he broadly painted supporters of his chief political rival – himself a former president – as extremists and threats to democracy. The White House’s later attempt to contextualize Biden’s comments came off more as damage control than sincerity.

Yet leaders of Biden’s party had embraced his earlier comments, with Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) telling a television audience: “President Biden was right to sound the alarm this week about these continuing attacks on our constitutional order from the outside by Donald Trump and his movement.”

Meanwhile, Hoschul’s predecessor in the governor’s mansion was even more willing to marginalize political opponents on the issue of firearms specifically. During a 2014 radio interview, Democrat Andrew Cuomo said that “extreme conservatives” who are “pro-assault weapon” have “no place in the state of New York, because that's not who New Yorkers are.”

And, of course, the Democrat attorney general who Hochul is “is working closely with” on this new effort has herself referred to the NRA as a “terrorist organization.”

Meanwhile, the “updates” to New York’s firearms laws were themselves passed in open defiance of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that invalidated the state’s concealed carry licensing law, for – among other things – giving licensing officials too much discretion in administering the scheme.

New York’s new law gives them even more discretion, and – as the governor herself indicates – it will be used not just to suppress Second Amendment rights but to punish and chill political speech on the Internet as well.

Thanks to Kathy Hochul, Joe Biden, and their fellow travelers, gun owners have all the information they need to make sound choices at the ballot box this November.

TRENDING NOW
Federal Legislation Introduced to Ban “Gas Operated Semiautomatic” Firearms

Friday, December 1, 2023

Federal Legislation Introduced to Ban “Gas Operated Semiautomatic” Firearms

Joe Biden has long insisted he would ban what he calls “assault weapons” and has enlisted a motley succession of extreme anti-gun legislators to aid in that effort. Now, Senators Angus King (IND-ME) and Martin ...

NBC Poll: Majority of Voter Households Own Firearms

News  

Monday, December 4, 2023

NBC Poll: Majority of Voter Households Own Firearms

The last few weeks haven’t been kind to gun grabbers - and we’re not just talking about President Joe Biden’s woeful poll numbers. Black Friday is typically the largest day of the year for gun sales. This year, gun buyers set ...

Crime in “America’s largest outdoor shooting range” – Lies, damned lies, and statistics

News  

Monday, December 4, 2023

Crime in “America’s largest outdoor shooting range” – Lies, damned lies, and statistics

In a press conference late last month, Chicago’s progressive new mayor, Brandon Johnson, shifted the blame for the crime epidemic and migrant crisis plaguing his city on his predecessor, Lori Lightfoot (another Democrat), and on “right-wing extremism.”

Virginia: Omnibus Gun Control Bills Filed Ahead of the 2024 Legislative Session

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Virginia: Omnibus Gun Control Bills Filed Ahead of the 2024 Legislative Session

In Virginia, the pre-filing of legislation has begun for the 2024 session and anti-gun legislators are wasting no time in aggressively laying out their agenda. 

Following Terrorist Attack, Israel Relaxes Gun Laws and Arms Civilians

News  

Monday, October 16, 2023

Following Terrorist Attack, Israel Relaxes Gun Laws and Arms Civilians

Following an unprecedented terrorist attack on civilians that indiscriminately targeted even the elderly, women, and children, Israel has loosened its gun laws and is distributing firearms to civilians. As of press time, the number of victims killed in ...

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Strikes Maryland’s Handgun Qualification License Requirement in NRA-Backed Case.

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Strikes Maryland’s Handgun Qualification License Requirement in NRA-Backed Case.

On Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals ruled that Maryland’s Handgun Qualification License (“HQL”) requirement is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. 

Nebraska: Kearney City Council Rescinds Gun-Free Zone Ordinance

Take Action  

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Nebraska: Kearney City Council Rescinds Gun-Free Zone Ordinance

On Tuesday, November 28th, the Kearney City Council voted 3-2 to rescind the recent gun-free zone ordinance Resolution 2023-149. 

Massachusetts: Anti-Gun Bill Passes House

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Massachusetts: Anti-Gun Bill Passes House

This evening, anti-gun politicians in the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed H. 4135, “an act modernizing firearm laws” by a vote of 120-38. This bill, formerly known as HD 4420 and HD 4607, now heads ...

Canadians on Canada’s Gun Control Measures: Expensive, Ineffective, Political Posturing

News  

Wednesday, September 6, 2023

Canadians on Canada’s Gun Control Measures: Expensive, Ineffective, Political Posturing

More than three years have passed since Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a ban and mandatory confiscation (“buyback”) of what he called “military grade assault weapons,” which was followed by a national handgun “freeze” ...

The NRA Youth Education Summit (YES) will make its return July 16th-21st, 2024!

News  

Second Amendment  

Take Action  

Monday, December 4, 2023

The NRA Youth Education Summit (YES) will make its return July 16th-21st, 2024!

The NRA Youth Education Summit is a six-day, all-expense paid leadership and scholarship experience for rising high school juniors and seniors in the Washington, DC area. Each summer, 30-40 high school students are selected from ...

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.