Kerry Signs Global Gun Control Accord in Wake of Obama's Renewed Calls for "Transformation"

Shortly before he was reelected, President Obama proclaimed to the rapturous cheers and applause of his supporters, "We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America."

Many at the time wondered exactly what sort of "fundamental transformation" was needed in what was already the most prosperous, peaceful, just, egalitarian, and powerful nation the world has ever known. A simple return to first principles, some would argue, is the better prescription to preserve the country's preeminence in the future.

Nevertheless, taking his cues directly from the anti-gunner's playbook we reported on recently, President Obama last Sunday turned a memorial service for victims of a heinous crime into a platform to call for yet another "transformation," this one in the federal gun laws under which the nation's violent crime rate has fallen to a 42-year low. In a breathtaking display of opportunism and self-centeredness, an event meant to display a nation's mourning and remembrance degenerated into an expression of the president's personal agenda and his vision of a "transformed" America.

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UN American Arms Trade Treaty

Senate.gov Invents Second Amendment Controversy

Perhaps we were too harsh on textbook publishers last week for botching the proper interpretation of the Second Amendment, as even those in charge of the official website of a body sworn to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States" apparently can't be expected to get it right. The official website of the United States Senate features a "Virtual Reference Desk" section on the Constitution which offers an explanation of the Second Amendment that reads, "Whether this provision protects the individual's right to own firearms or whether it deals only with the collective right of the people to arm and maintain a militia has long been debated." The passage downplays the individual right to keep and bear arms guaranteed by the Second Amendment and gives undue credence to an interpretation of the amendment long-held in disrepute and rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2008 and 2010.

Not a Peep from Obama: Violent Crime Now at a 42-Year Low

Last week, the FBI released its national crime report for 2012. By a slight margin, the nation's violent crime rate decreased in 2012--relative to 2011--making it the lowest it has been since 1970. Compared to 1991, when it hit an all-time high, violent crime is down by 49 percent. The nation's murder rate was unchanged in 2012; still lower than any time since 1963 and at nearly an all-time low.

Between 2011 and 2012, 24 states and the District of Columbia experienced decreases in their murder rates. There was no correlation of these trends with the severity of the states' or the District's gun control laws. Troubled Detroit, under Michigan's law requiring a permit to purchase a handgun, had the highest murder rate among large cities, followed by Baltimore, under Maryland's law imposing a seven-day waiting period on handgun purchases.

NICS Will Continue to Operate if There Is a Government Shutdown

NRA-ILA has received a number of questions on the status of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) in the case of a government shutdown.

Law enforcement activities are designated as essential services and do not shut down even if the Congress and President fail to agree on funding legislation. The NICS system will continue to operate.

2013 Firearms Law & The Second Amendment Symposium

The 2013 NRA "Firearms Law & The Second Amendment Symposium" will be held on Saturday, October 12th, at The University of Denver.

Focusing on recent developments in our nation's courts and legislatures regarding the Second Amendment, speakers will discuss and debate current Second Amendment developments and related issues.