By Dave Workman
A Republican Missouri congressman has just taken a hard swing at Democrats in an Op-Ed declaring that the Democrat agenda is to “strip law-abiding Americans of their right to defend themselves, one state at a time.”
The article, headlined “The Second Amendment is Not Up For Debate,” has been published in at least one Missouri newspaper, the Wayne County Journal Banner.
Congressman Jason Smith’s district covers several counties in southeast Missouri. He is a 7th generation Missourian and 4th generation owner of his family’s farm. A graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, he is a life member of the National Rifle Association.
In his 926-word essay, Smith is critical of Democrats across the board. He notes how Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger “just signed legislation making it illegal to sell, purchase, or manufacture certain types of firearms in her state — without question infringing on citizens’ constitutional rights.”
“If Democrats had their way,” Rep. Smith writes, “Missouri and the rest of the country would follow suit.”
A few lines later, the congressman takes on the liberal establishment.
“The radical Left wants you to believe that owning a firearm makes you a threat,” he says, “but we know that couldn’t be further from the truth. There is a reason our Founding Fathers enshrined this right in the Constitution. What Spanberger signed in Virginia is not a public safety measure. It’s government overreach that punishes law-abiding citizens while criminals and bad actors who already disregard the law remain armed.”
Later, he observes, “The difference between the two parties is more obvious now than ever. Democrats want to disarm you. Republicans believe in your right to be armed.”
“What happened in Virginia is a warning,” he says, “but I will continue to fight every single day in Washington to make sure it never becomes federal law.”
This year’s midterm elections could provide a watershed moment for American gun owners. If Democrats capture the House, they will almost certainly launch an impeachment effort against Trump. At the same time, they will start pushing more gun control laws.
