This isn’t meant to be a “woe is me” post and it isn’t necessarily anything new but there have been 3 events in the last week that I think give us a window into the future of what gun owners can expect. This was a week of stunning, though likely temporary, legislative victories for gun owners. However, those who would prefer your rights be removed may not need legislation enfore their agenda. If you own a gun, you will be vilified or made out to be a second class citizen just for exercising a right so intrinsic to man that it is enumerated in The Bill of Rights.
First, an 8th grade student was suspended from school and arrested on two charges, obstruction and disturbing the education process. What was his crime? He wore an NRA t-shirt to school that depicted an AR-15. His First Amendment rights were violated out of distaste for his Second Amendment rights.
The T-shirt in question (WOWK screenshot)
Second, Lights Out Saga approached Indiegogo in advance of utilizing their crowd funding platform and was told “we could offer firearm and tactical accessories as gifts for donations without violating their no-weapons policy; as long as it did not consist of firearms, knives or accessories that were regulated by law.” However, after they started the campaign “Indiegogo changed their position and stated we could no longer offer items such as optics, firearm accessories or flashlights if they originated from tactical suppliers.” Make no mistake. It is Indiegogo’s right to run their business however they please, but this highlights the way certain items and groups can be treated even though they are perfectly legal to own.
The final incident lit Facebook on fire yesterday. 4 firearm related pages, including our friends at AR15News.com, were removed from Facebook without explanation. In the case of AR15News.com it meant the loss of several years worth of work to build a page to 50K followers. An article at an internet “news” site surfaced that called attention to the fact that these pages had run giveaways that included firearms. These giveaways (at least in the case of AR15News.com) were run within the terms and conditions set forth by Facebook but they must have offended someone’s delicate sensibilities. Again, it is certainly the right of Facebook to run their business however they please, but this too highlights the second class citizen status of gun owners.
So, what does this all mean to you? It means that the once esteemed gun culture in this country is eroding but it is not lost. It means that if you are not contacting your representatives to let them know that we are numerous and we are paying attention, then we are losing. It also means that if you are helping introduce new people to their birthright of responsible firearm ownership, we are losing. It means that if you aren’t respectfully engaging people in conversations about your 2nd Amendment rights, we are losing. Be calm. Be respectful. Be informed. Be ready. Don’t give up our birthright without a fight.
Note: AR15News.com has set up a new Facebook Page. Help them rebuild by giving them a “Like.”
