Posted on 07/31/2012 9:18:02 PM PDT by neverdem
The Conference on the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (U.N. ATT) has broken down and will not report a draft treaty to the member nations.
This is a big victory for American gun owners, and the NRA is being widely credited for killing the U.N. ATT.
For nearly 20 years, the NRA has worked tirelessly to warn American gun owners about the United Nations’ efforts to undermine the constitutional rights of law-abiding American gun owners by putting in place international controls on small arms.
NRA became a recognized Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and has monitored all U.N. activities that could impact on our Second Amendment rights. As a result, NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre testified before the U.N. (2012 remarks, 2011 remarks) making it clear that the NRA would fight any international treaty that included civilian arms.
NRA worked with our allies in the U.S. Congress and successfully assembled strong bipartisan opposition to any treaty that adversely impacts the Second Amendment. On two occasions NRA was successful in convincing a majority of the U.S. Senate to sign letters to President Obama that made it clear that any treaty that included civilian arms was not going to be ratified by the U.S. Senate.
Yesterday (July 26), Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) gathered the signatures of 51 Senators on a letter to President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton opposing any treaty that infringes on our rights. The letter stated "As the treaty process continues, we strongly encourage your administration not only to uphold our country's constitutional protections of civilian firearms ownership, but to ensure--if necessary, by breaking consensus at the July conference--that the treaty will explicitly recognize the legitimacy of lawful activities associated with firearms, including but not limited to the right of self-defense. As members of the United States Senate, we will oppose the ratification of any Arms Trade Treaty that falls short of this standard."
NRA members made their voices heard on this issue as well, calling their elected representatives and urging their opposition to the treaty. As a result, 130 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have voiced strong opposition to the treaty.
During the past week, it became increasingly possible that the Conference would fail to come to an agreement on draft language. On Thursday, the Conference President produced yet another draft of the ATT in an effort to salvage the process. The new draft, like previous ones, was wholly incompatible with the Second Amendment rights protected by our Constitution.
The proponents of the treaty have goals that are clearly at odds with the American Constitution. Their refusal to remove civilian arms from the treaty was one major issue that led to the breakdown in negotiations. The U.S. delegation made it clear that they could not move forward with the language as it had been drafted.
While this conference has failed to complete a treaty, the proponents will not give up. It is likely that a new conference will be held in the future and NRA will continue to fight to protect the rights of American gun owners.
NRA maintains its steadfast opposition to any treaty that includes civilian arms in any way. NRA will continue to work with our allies, particularly in the U.S. Senate, to insure that the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is not threatened by this or any future international treaty.
This is by far not the first time I've heard this meme, and as far as I'm concerned it is dangerous. What the hell are "civilian arms"? What would the specifications be?
It is very disturbing to hear those kinds of terms from multiple quarters. It makes it look like the fix is in.
In some way, I am absolutely giddy that the likes of Schumer, Feinstein, McCarthy, Leutenburg and their ilk have been denied once again by that document and its Bill of Rights...
I hope they have long, sleepless nights, heartburn, headaches and other annoyances that make being a liberal/progressive/socialist elected official so special.../sarc
And to those that vote for them, who do not understand how important maintaining this right is, I hope the very same...
Keep your powder dry and secure. This will come up in the lame duck session after November 6, 2012.
Tenche Coxe, The Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788.
/johnny
Precisely. When, not if, they become available, I don't want to be hearing about "phaser control."
Watch Eddie the Eagle become the new Joe Camel.
Good news.
Not being one to take chances, I finally added an AR-15 to my modest collection last week.
I think the NRA ‘s influence is over estimated. I believe the US scuttled the treaty talks b/c of the upcoming election. It’ll be taken up again when the new president has some ‘flexibility’. Both Barry and Romney are in agreement on the subject of ‘gun control’.
Zero will have all the flexibility to slip something through after the election, regardless who wins, with a lame duck Senate ready to do the dirty deed.
Both Barry and Romney are in agreement on the subject of ‘gun control’.
Agreed, yet if the pubbies take the Senate, one wonders how far McConnell would go. Moreover, a whole generation is learning that 'gun control' per se simply does not work and that life is safer since CCW laws started to be more common. It will be a very long time before people have time to get complacent. The Slave Party knows all of that, which is why I think the current situation is so dangerous.
Civilian OWNED weapons. In other words, if you own a Vickers water-cooled HMG, it is still a civilian weapon...
Now if we could just get the 1968 gun control act repealed so that we can buy modern arms...
I think that this is a deliberate ambiguity, and that your conclusion is what they want you to think it means, so that you can go back to sleep like a good boy. That's why I make a point of it every time I see it. The problem is that this point has been raised more than once while the meme repeats from so many directions. I have reasoned concern that it means the fix is in. It wouldn't be the first time the NRA went along with a bad law.
Now if we could just get the 1968 gun control act repealed so that we can buy modern arms...
I'm totally with you there.
“Not being one to take chances, I finally added an AR-15 to my modest collection last week.”
I hope you got one designed to use NATO 5.56mm ammo, instead of just .223 REM. Many military knock-offs are only designed to handle the civilian .223 REM and will not work with military grade 5.56mm NATO ammunition the military uses.
The real question is whether Hillary is simply a loyal SECSTATE doing Obama’s bidding, or whether she’s an evil tyrant who wants to ban firearms ownership.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say "Yes".
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