Rep Sheila Jackson Lee was attempting to use her word-salad skills to suggest a universal background check, proposed in HR 8, would not violate an individuals Second Amendment right. Professor of Constitutional Law and the Second Amendment, Joyce Malcolm, was not having any of Lee’s games first making it clear such a requirement would be useless against criminals because they don’t buy weapons for crimes from the local corner gun shop. When Lee called the professor out to directly respond over how background checks would be a 2A violation, Malcolm explained some jurisdictions are already requiring fees and testing requirements that some people will not be able to afford to exercise their 2A rights.
Lee denied this claiming there is no data but it is true. States with strict gun control laws charge additional fees, and require people to take classes or hold licenses/ certificates before purchasing a weapon. California for example requires anyone looking to purchase a weapon to be tested to hold safety certificate for approximately $25. CA is also on track to charge individuals for background checks to buy ammunition, every time they buy ammunition! Is $25 going to break them? No, but it is an example of how states can make it difficult to own a weapon especially if you are poor. A Connecticut lawmaker is seeking to impose a 50% tax on ammunition, which will make it quite difficult for middle to low-income people to afford.
“Shall not be infringed” was written in the simplest of terms and as clear as possible. But leave it to democrats to twist and attempt to redefine the entire Amendment’s meaning based on today’s use of language.
Congress needs to stop looking for ways to restrict our rights but in fact protect them. They’re slowly chipping away on 2A where before you know it Americans will end up like Venezuelans – defenseless against an oppressive regime. The more they push gun control the you need to buy guns and ammo!