GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA 06/23/2020

Submitted by: Ruth Hammons

Granting Statehood to D.C. is a Threat to our Constitutional Republic and the 2A

Dear Patriots,

You would think it would be enough that the anti-gun leader of a gun ban organization is running for the U.S. Senate from Arizona. 

Now, the U.S. House is preparing to vote on permanently adding two anti-gunners to represent the District of Columbia in the Senate. 

Washington Mayor, Muriel Bowser

But you may be wondering why a Second Amendment organization is bringing this to your attention.

It’s because D.C.’s statehood could have massive impacts on your right to keep and bear arms. 

If this were to happen, there is a strong chance that the Senate would become permanently anti-gun by adding two guaranteed, gun control-supporting Senators. 

This would allow the Senate to restructure its rules so that near-total gun bans could be passed with ease.  It would result in the courts being packed with anti-gun zealots.  It would end-run the Electoral College so that anti-gunners could have a permanent hold on the White House.  In short, there would be no recognition of the Second Amendment.  

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's proposal for statehood, H.R. 51, would create a small federal district but give two Senate votes to the few hundred thousand anti-gunners who live in the District. Notably, D.C. would remain a district insofar as American taxpayer would have to plow billions of dollars annually in order to save it from bankruptcy. 

The Founding Fathers seriously considered and explicitly denied the District statehood in Article 1, Section 8 Clause 17 of the Constitution. James Madison even wrote that denying statehood to the District was an “indispensable necessity of complete authority at the seat of government.”

In Federalist 43, Madison noted that if D.C. were made a state, then your elected representatives might become unduly influenced and even coerced by the District’s government. Of course, that is exactly what anti-gun Democrats want. 

Instead, the Founding Fathers decided that Congress “exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever” over the District. 

D.C. statehood is expected to come up on the floor of the House this Friday, so we need you to urge your representative to vote against D.C. statehood immediately. 

For the same reasons, don’t forget the November elections.  If Biden takes the White House and Democrats take the Senate, it is hard to see how our Second Amendment-protected rights will survive. 

In liberty,

Michael Hammond
Legislative Counsel
Gun Owners of America

P.S. Please distribute this alert to your pro-gun family and friends and urge them to take action. To renew your GOA membership or to join for the first time, please click here.