Judge Andrew Napolitano: In defense of the right to keep and bear arms

The Ash Wednesday massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, seems to have broken more hearts than similar tragedies that preceded it. It was no more senseless than other American school shootings, but there is something about the innocence and bravery and eloquence of the youthful survivors that has touched the souls of Americans deeply.

Thomas Jefferson, who claimed to be neither theist nor atheist, wrote in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal and are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” Such rights cannot be separated from us, as they are integral to our humanity. Foremost among our unalienable rights is the right to life -- the right to be and to remain alive.

After burying their dead, the survivors have mobilized into a mighty political force that loosely seeks more laws to regulate the right to keep and bear arms. The young people, traumatized and terrified with memories of unspeakable horror that will not fade, hope that a person bent on murder will obey gun laws.

Every time I watch these beautiful young people, I realize it is nearly impossible to engage rationally with tears and pain, which is why we all need to take a step back from this tragedy before legally addressing its causes.

If you believe in an all-knowing, all-loving God as I do, then you accept the concept of natural rights. These are the claims and privileges that are attached to humanity as God’s gifts...

Actually what happened is that the Libs had their protest signs, their slogans already made up and were mad with glee that it happened, so that they can trot out some innocent, yet stupid 16 year olds and put them on display to move towards their communist agenda.

It was just a political opportunity disguised as a tragedy by them.

Unspoken tagline: “If you can.”

Have we done something to unleash this Social Justice War upon us with its unbalanced, even self-defeating means?

I beseech every consideration that we may have. By sufficiently forgetting the 2nd greatest Commandment. This begs some kind of grand plan to rush in to fill the love vacuum left.

With great respect to Judge Napolitano, he, like many other defenders of the Founders' ideas, casually tosses out an erroneous statement as part of his otherwise factual reference to Thomas Jefferson's defense of "Creator-endowed rights . . . ."

The Judge errs when he declares that, "Thomas Jefferson, who claimed to be neither theist nor atheist, wrote in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal and are 'endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.'”

Such a casual declaration about Jefferson's beliefs, or lack thereof, reinforces the Liberal/Progressive reimaging of Jefferson, and undermines the true nature and depth of his understanding of that Declaration's four distinct references to that Being from whom life, liberty, rights and laws derive and have their meaning--Creator, Divine Providence, Laws of Nature and of Nature's God, and Supreme Judge of the World.

There is no excuse for current generations to display such disregard for Jefferson's deeply-held beliefs, as recorded in his writings, and in his letters, even to referencing "Our Savior" in a letter closure.

With regard to this thread, this point may be not important, but it does signify how Jefferson has been erroneously portrayed, even if only incidentally, by some who, with a little research, could reinforce, rather than undermine, the degree to which Jefferson's faith and beliefs influenced his contributions to liberty for America and its citizens.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.