The Need for Principles in Idaho Politics
Idaho has a problem. Our representatives lack principles. Let's look at some current evidence. Recently, voters passed Proposition 2, which seeks to expand Medicaid in our state. The problem? Like all socialist schemes, it forcibly takes money from all taxpayers, and redistributes it to those the state deems worthy. Yesterday, "The House Health & Welfare Committee… voted 7-5 to reject a proposed bill… to repeal" it. I don't have the right to force you to spend your money on my own pet projects, nor should you be allowed to force me to spend my money on yours. That's a pretty straightforward principle. Some proponents of Medicaid claim that they aren't for "redistributing wealth," they're just for "helping those in need," i.e., charity. Well, chalk another one up for principles! It isn't charity if you are forced to do it! There may even be some Idahoans who need their money even more than Medicare recipients, and who may not be deemed "qualified," and yet the state will still mercilessly rob them at gunpoint. How's that for charity? Another example: A few days ago, "Marsy's Law" (2018-HJR 8) passed the Idaho Senate, and is now being considered by the House. The problem? This same law has already been passed in other states and has been used to take guns away from citizens who were merely accused of something. You read that right, accused. No crimes were committed, and the guns were taken away without warning, before there was any sort of hearing, and without any crime having been committed! We are a nation that was founded on the principle of "innocent until proven guilty." A straightforward and true principle, for obvious reasons. Plus, Article 1, Section 11, of the Idaho Constitution, closes with the following line: "Nor shall any law permit the confiscation of firearms, except those actually used in the commission of a felony." No one should have their Second Amendment rights taken away unless they have been found guilty of committing a felony. That's already the law, and it is another straightforward principle! Yet, dozens of Idaho lawmakers failed to see the hypocrisy and voted to approve HJR-8. Along with many other Idaho citizens, I sent a request to my representatives that they sign a pledge never to sign a so-called "Red Flag Law", such as Marsy's Law. Because this is based on a very straightforward principle, I didn't see why anyone should have a problem signing such a pledge. However, I received a response from Representative Rod Furniss stating that he felt it was his duty to consider every law that came across his desk. Really? Is there nothing on which we can take a stand based merely on principle? He later shared his opposition to signing this pledge on his Facebook page, and said that he was open to "facts and logic" that might change his mind. I provided the requested facts and logic but received no response. For the record, even Idaho's branch of the ACLU is against this law. The reasons for opposing these laws are very clear me, and I hope to you, as well. So, why don't our representatives get it? Sources: 1. 'House Health & Welfare rejects 2 bills to overturn voters, repeal Medicaid expansion,' idahopress.com, Betsy Russell, Feb 21, 2019. https://www.idahopress.com/eyeonboise/house-health-welfare-rejects-bills-to-overturn-voters-repeal-medicaid/article_1420f9cc-ae9b-59b8-98b7-295ba7e00daf.html?fbclid=IwAR0aG44AxNZwd41F-6mItn-gxdhqjfa1SiNX6HuJRp3wDDGtm6XoVFKeBhI 2. 'Marsy's Law passes Idaho Senate, heads to House,' idahonews.com, Scott Logan, undated, posted Feb 18, 2019. https://idahonews.com/news/local/marsys-law-passes-idaho-senate-heads-to-house 3. Article 1, Section 11, Idaho State Constitution. https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idconst/arti/sect11/ 4. '2018- HJR 8 MARSY'S LAW', www.acluidaho.org. https://www.acluidaho.org/en/legislation/2018-hjr-8-marsys-law
Mass Shootings Are Why PRINCIPLES Should Always Come First
Some members of our organization came here from a certain political party because we'd been told they were "on our side," and then we were betrayed. Well, it has happened again. Need To Know News highlights the treasonous act with the title, "GOP Congressmen Lindsey Graham and Dan Crenshaw Join Democrats in Call for Gun Control, Sell Out Their Conservative Base Following Mass Shootings." These kinds of "kneejerk reactions" are never actually as impulsive as we are led to believe. This is how the Hegelian Dialectic works. They have a preplanned action they wish to take. They cause an action or look for a convenient one, and then propose their original plan as the solution. Problem, Reaction, Solution. It's a handy little all-in-one tool of the conspiracy. People who stand on principles, however, don't abandon those principles at the first sign of trouble, or even the tenth. Why? Because principles are eternal! They are truths that do not fail to be true, no matter what happens! Do we protest against gravity when a kid falls out of a tree? No. But what if they die! How tragic! Now we really hate gravity! It has to go! Down with gravity! But alas, it is a principle that is always true, and therefore we are free, and accidents can happen. The right to bear arms stems from the Natural Law that all living creatures have the inherent right to defend themselves. Even the scriptures support this law: “And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed. (Alma 43:47)” Can it be abused? Of course! As long as men are free to choose their own actions, all laws will be abused by some. But there is the simple point: we must remain free! Those who wish to remove our rights and usurp leadership of our country and the world, at large, understand this. They know what they are doing. They only get away with it to the extent that we, the people, do not. “"This may be considered as the true palladium of liberty.... The right of self defense is the first law of nature: in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction." - St. George Tucker, Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England, 1803 (Source: https://www.buckeyefirearms.org/gun-quotations-founding-fathers)” This ordeal is also a great example of why Ezra Taft Benson warned us that, although the Constitution will be saved, "it will not be saved in Washington"! We have the Second Amendment for a reason, and it ain't hunting!
An Open Letter From Idaho On The Second Amendment
There was a shooting at Rigby Middle School today. This is close to home for Defending Idaho, as our headquarters are located in Rexburg, just a few miles away. We have friends and relatives in Rigby. While we are as saddened by these events as anyone else, we cannot and do not support any efforts to violate, eradicate, or change the Second Amendment. Although it was suggested by President Biden last week that "no amendment to the Constitution is absolute," he–and many Americans–must be reminded that the Second Amendment is not the federal government granting us a right. On the contrary, it puts the federal government on notice that they have no authority over whether or not the people can bear arms. Period. Even if the President were to completely abolish the Second Amendment, as some voices are clamoring for, it would make no difference. The right of the people to defend themselves, up to and including the use of deadly force, is a natural right, granted us by God Himself, and it cannot be removed. Further, we retain unto ourselves the right to defend ourselves against tyrannical government. The book, The Bill of Rights and Beyond, published by the National Archives, contains the following quote on its opening page: “"An ancient fear of being disarmed and helpless before standing professional armies lies behind the Second and Third amendments. Aristotle said that decisions of a leader "backed by a standing army" would be different from those made by a leader "awed by the fear of an armed people." "” Where Idaho is concerned, it is one of the safest places to live, despite–or because of–the fact that it has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the country. Was a crime committed today? Yes, and we regret that people sometimes make poor decisions. It is necessary, however, that we accept risks if we are to remain free.
What Is The Second Amendment?
What is the Second Amendment all about? Why do we have it? Did the federal government grant us gun rights that they can take away from us? What is a militia, and why does it matter today?
Tyrannical Governments Taking Guns From Citizens!
In 1996, the government of Australia passed the National Firearms Agreement, which "banned semi-automatic and pump-action rifles and shotguns, bought back more than 650,000 of these weapons from existing owners, and tightened requirements for licensing, registration, and safe storage of firearms." [1] This law allowed the government to remove and destroy millions of guns from Australian homes, including collectibles and heirlooms. While the government expectedly claimed the buyback was a success, the people themselves posted videos to popular online platforms claiming otherwise. “For Australia, a difficulty with determining the effect of the law was that gun deaths were falling in the early 1990s. No study has explained why gun deaths were falling, or why they might be expected to continue to fall. Yet most studies generally assumed that they would have continued to drop without the NFA. [1]” This aligns with the history of vaccines, where historical data shows many decades of falling deaths from "childhood illnesses," with vaccines being introduced when they were already almost eradicated, and vaccines subsequently taking all of the credit. In any case, since the onset of the fake COVID pandemic, Australians are certainly lamenting the fact that they allowed the so-called National Firearms Agreement to happen. It was an irreversible tragedy that has already cost them their complete freedom. Unfortunately, it looks like it is soon to be Canada's turn. “In her 2021 Speech from the Throne on November 23, Governor General of Canada Mary Simon, the Queen’s representative, restated the Liberal Party’s plan to confiscate so-called “assault-style” weapons from law-abiding citizens through a mandatory buyback program, as well as aiding provincial and territorial governments in their efforts to revoke the ownership of handguns… The Government will now put forward measures like a mandatory buyback of banned assault-style weapons and move forward with any province or territory that wants to ban handguns. [2]” The excuse, as always, is that the move is to "save lives," but that is never the truth: “…gun crimes [represent] less than one percent of all reported crimes in Canada [2]” America's Founding Fathers knew that only a tyrannical government would want an unarmed populace, and they said so multiple times, while also stressing that one main reason to be armed is to protect oneself from a tyrannical government. The Canadian Prime Minister also made the following statement: “These weapons were designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time. [2]” We agree, because that is the only way an ordinary citizen would be able to defend themselves against their government. With the governments around the world clinging to the continuously unraveling tale of COVID, they are increasingly implementing an Orwellian control grid, which they cannot enforce on an unarmed public. We urge the American public to wake up! Look to other countries and see what is happening! Please understand that this is also what is happening to you, albeit we are a small pace behind. When the world leaders got together for Event 201, they planned their responses to the soon-to-be "pandemic." What is happening in one country is happening in another. Our own President has recently suggested that the government can take away our Second Amendment rights. This is a falsehood for several reasons: 1. The Constitution only restricts the Federal government, not the public! 2. The Second Amendment only tells the Feds that they cannot infringe our right to self-defense, including the use of firearms! 3. The above are true because our actual right of self-defense comes to us from God. Remember: Your right to defend yourself, your family, and others, does NOT come from the Second Amendment, and no one can take it away from you. Even if the Puppet-in-Chief were to convince our corrupt and evil Congress to cut out the Second Amendment, you would still have those rights! Recommended Viewing/Reading Australian Gun Rights Advocate Tells Us What It's Like There Thousands of Australian Guns are Destroyed (1997) The Truth About Gun Control in Australia Gun Control Preceded the Tyranny in Venezuela References [1] "The Australian Gun Buyback" Bulletins, Spring 2011 (Issue 4), Harvard Injury Control Research Center. https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1264/2012/10/bulletins_australia_spring_2011.pdf [2] "Canadian gun owners may have firearms confiscated under Trudeau’s ‘mandatory buyback’ plan" LifeSiteNews, Dec. 1, 2021. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/governor-general-of-canada-affirms-in-throne-speech-trudeaus-plan-to-confiscate-firearms/
Ukraine Grants Citizens the Right to Bear Arms—Hours Before Putin’s Invasion
Isn't it interesting how obvious the wisdom of the Founding Fathers has become in recent years?
Tyrannical Governments Taking Guns From Citizens!
In 1996, the government of Australia passed the National Firearms Agreement, which "banned semi-automatic and pump-action rifles and shotguns, bought back more than 650,000 of these weapons from existing owners, and tightened requirements for licensing, registration, and safe storage of firearms." [1] This law allowed the government to remove and destroy millions of guns from Australian homes, including collectibles and heirlooms. While the government expectedly claimed the buyback was a success, the people themselves posted videos to popular online platforms claiming otherwise. “For Australia, a difficulty with determining the effect of the law was that gun deaths were falling in the early 1990s. No study has explained why gun deaths were falling, or why they might be expected to continue to fall. Yet most studies generally assumed that they would have continued to drop without the NFA. [1]” This aligns with the history of vaccines, where historical data shows many decades of falling deaths from "childhood illnesses," with vaccines being introduced when they were already almost eradicated, and vaccines subsequently taking all of the credit. In any case, since the onset of the fake COVID pandemic, Australians are certainly lamenting the fact that they allowed the so-called National Firearms Agreement to happen. It was an irreversible tragedy that has already cost them their complete freedom. Unfortunately, it looks like it is soon to be Canada's turn. “In her 2021 Speech from the Throne on November 23, Governor General of Canada Mary Simon, the Queen’s representative, restated the Liberal Party’s plan to confiscate so-called “assault-style” weapons from law-abiding citizens through a mandatory buyback program, as well as aiding provincial and territorial governments in their efforts to revoke the ownership of handguns… The Government will now put forward measures like a mandatory buyback of banned assault-style weapons and move forward with any province or territory that wants to ban handguns. [2]” The excuse, as always, is that the move is to "save lives," but that is never the truth: “…gun crimes [represent] less than one percent of all reported crimes in Canada [2]” America's Founding Fathers knew that only a tyrannical government would want an unarmed populace, and they said so multiple times, while also stressing that one main reason to be armed is to protect oneself from a tyrannical government. The Canadian Prime Minister also made the following statement: “These weapons were designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time. [2]” We agree, because that is the only way an ordinary citizen would be able to defend themselves against their government. With the governments around the world clinging to the continuously unraveling tale of COVID, they are increasingly implementing an Orwellian control grid, which they cannot enforce on an unarmed public. We urge the American public to wake up! Look to other countries and see what is happening! Please understand that this is also what is happening to you, albeit we are a small pace behind. When the world leaders got together for Event 201, they planned their responses to the soon-to-be "pandemic." What is happening in one country is happening in another. Our own President has recently suggested that the government can take away our Second Amendment rights. This is a falsehood for several reasons: 1. The Constitution only restricts the Federal government, not the public! 2. The Second Amendment only tells the Feds that they cannot infringe our right to self-defense, including the use of firearms! 3. The above are true because our actual right of self-defense comes to us from God. Remember: Your right to defend yourself, your family, and others, does NOT come from the Second Amendment, and no one can take it away from you. Even if the Puppet-in-Chief were to convince our corrupt and evil Congress to cut out the Second Amendment, you would still have those rights! Recommended Viewing/Reading Australian Gun Rights Advocate Tells Us What It's Like There Thousands of Australian Guns are Destroyed (1997) The Truth About Gun Control in Australia Gun Control Preceded the Tyranny in Venezuela References [1] "The Australian Gun Buyback" Bulletins, Spring 2011 (Issue 4), Harvard Injury Control Research Center. https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1264/2012/10/bulletins_australia_spring_2011.pdf [2] "Canadian gun owners may have firearms confiscated under Trudeau’s ‘mandatory buyback’ plan" LifeSiteNews, Dec. 1, 2021. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/governor-general-of-canada-affirms-in-throne-speech-trudeaus-plan-to-confiscate-firearms/
An Open Letter From Idaho On The Second Amendment
There was a shooting at Rigby Middle School today. This is close to home for Defending Idaho, as our headquarters are located in Rexburg, just a few miles away. We have friends and relatives in Rigby. While we are as saddened by these events as anyone else, we cannot and do not support any efforts to violate, eradicate, or change the Second Amendment. Although it was suggested by President Biden last week that "no amendment to the Constitution is absolute," he–and many Americans–must be reminded that the Second Amendment is not the federal government granting us a right. On the contrary, it puts the federal government on notice that they have no authority over whether or not the people can bear arms. Period. Even if the President were to completely abolish the Second Amendment, as some voices are clamoring for, it would make no difference. The right of the people to defend themselves, up to and including the use of deadly force, is a natural right, granted us by God Himself, and it cannot be removed. Further, we retain unto ourselves the right to defend ourselves against tyrannical government. The book, The Bill of Rights and Beyond, published by the National Archives, contains the following quote on its opening page: “"An ancient fear of being disarmed and helpless before standing professional armies lies behind the Second and Third amendments. Aristotle said that decisions of a leader "backed by a standing army" would be different from those made by a leader "awed by the fear of an armed people." "” Where Idaho is concerned, it is one of the safest places to live, despite–or because of–the fact that it has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the country. Was a crime committed today? Yes, and we regret that people sometimes make poor decisions. It is necessary, however, that we accept risks if we are to remain free.
The Need for Principles in Idaho Politics
Idaho has a problem. Our representatives lack principles. Let's look at some current evidence. Recently, voters passed Proposition 2, which seeks to expand Medicaid in our state. The problem? Like all socialist schemes, it forcibly takes money from all taxpayers, and redistributes it to those the state deems worthy. Yesterday, "The House Health & Welfare Committee… voted 7-5 to reject a proposed bill… to repeal" it. I don't have the right to force you to spend your money on my own pet projects, nor should you be allowed to force me to spend my money on yours. That's a pretty straightforward principle. Some proponents of Medicaid claim that they aren't for "redistributing wealth," they're just for "helping those in need," i.e., charity. Well, chalk another one up for principles! It isn't charity if you are forced to do it! There may even be some Idahoans who need their money even more than Medicare recipients, and who may not be deemed "qualified," and yet the state will still mercilessly rob them at gunpoint. How's that for charity? Another example: A few days ago, "Marsy's Law" (2018-HJR 8) passed the Idaho Senate, and is now being considered by the House. The problem? This same law has already been passed in other states and has been used to take guns away from citizens who were merely accused of something. You read that right, accused. No crimes were committed, and the guns were taken away without warning, before there was any sort of hearing, and without any crime having been committed! We are a nation that was founded on the principle of "innocent until proven guilty." A straightforward and true principle, for obvious reasons. Plus, Article 1, Section 11, of the Idaho Constitution, closes with the following line: "Nor shall any law permit the confiscation of firearms, except those actually used in the commission of a felony." No one should have their Second Amendment rights taken away unless they have been found guilty of committing a felony. That's already the law, and it is another straightforward principle! Yet, dozens of Idaho lawmakers failed to see the hypocrisy and voted to approve HJR-8. Along with many other Idaho citizens, I sent a request to my representatives that they sign a pledge never to sign a so-called "Red Flag Law", such as Marsy's Law. Because this is based on a very straightforward principle, I didn't see why anyone should have a problem signing such a pledge. However, I received a response from Representative Rod Furniss stating that he felt it was his duty to consider every law that came across his desk. Really? Is there nothing on which we can take a stand based merely on principle? He later shared his opposition to signing this pledge on his Facebook page, and said that he was open to "facts and logic" that might change his mind. I provided the requested facts and logic but received no response. For the record, even Idaho's branch of the ACLU is against this law. The reasons for opposing these laws are very clear me, and I hope to you, as well. So, why don't our representatives get it? Sources: 1. 'House Health & Welfare rejects 2 bills to overturn voters, repeal Medicaid expansion,' idahopress.com, Betsy Russell, Feb 21, 2019. https://www.idahopress.com/eyeonboise/house-health-welfare-rejects-bills-to-overturn-voters-repeal-medicaid/article_1420f9cc-ae9b-59b8-98b7-295ba7e00daf.html?fbclid=IwAR0aG44AxNZwd41F-6mItn-gxdhqjfa1SiNX6HuJRp3wDDGtm6XoVFKeBhI 2. 'Marsy's Law passes Idaho Senate, heads to House,' idahonews.com, Scott Logan, undated, posted Feb 18, 2019. https://idahonews.com/news/local/marsys-law-passes-idaho-senate-heads-to-house 3. Article 1, Section 11, Idaho State Constitution. https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idconst/arti/sect11/ 4. '2018- HJR 8 MARSY'S LAW', www.acluidaho.org. https://www.acluidaho.org/en/legislation/2018-hjr-8-marsys-law
Mass Shootings Are Why PRINCIPLES Should Always Come First
Some members of our organization came here from a certain political party because we'd been told they were "on our side," and then we were betrayed. Well, it has happened again. Need To Know News highlights the treasonous act with the title, "GOP Congressmen Lindsey Graham and Dan Crenshaw Join Democrats in Call for Gun Control, Sell Out Their Conservative Base Following Mass Shootings." These kinds of "kneejerk reactions" are never actually as impulsive as we are led to believe. This is how the Hegelian Dialectic works. They have a preplanned action they wish to take. They cause an action or look for a convenient one, and then propose their original plan as the solution. Problem, Reaction, Solution. It's a handy little all-in-one tool of the conspiracy. People who stand on principles, however, don't abandon those principles at the first sign of trouble, or even the tenth. Why? Because principles are eternal! They are truths that do not fail to be true, no matter what happens! Do we protest against gravity when a kid falls out of a tree? No. But what if they die! How tragic! Now we really hate gravity! It has to go! Down with gravity! But alas, it is a principle that is always true, and therefore we are free, and accidents can happen. The right to bear arms stems from the Natural Law that all living creatures have the inherent right to defend themselves. Even the scriptures support this law: “And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed. (Alma 43:47)” Can it be abused? Of course! As long as men are free to choose their own actions, all laws will be abused by some. But there is the simple point: we must remain free! Those who wish to remove our rights and usurp leadership of our country and the world, at large, understand this. They know what they are doing. They only get away with it to the extent that we, the people, do not. “"This may be considered as the true palladium of liberty.... The right of self defense is the first law of nature: in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction." - St. George Tucker, Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England, 1803 (Source: https://www.buckeyefirearms.org/gun-quotations-founding-fathers)” This ordeal is also a great example of why Ezra Taft Benson warned us that, although the Constitution will be saved, "it will not be saved in Washington"! We have the Second Amendment for a reason, and it ain't hunting!
An Open Letter From Idaho On The Second Amendment
There was a shooting at Rigby Middle School today. This is close to home for Defending Idaho, as our headquarters are located in Rexburg, just a few miles away. We have friends and relatives in Rigby. While we are as saddened by these events as anyone else, we cannot and do not support any efforts to violate, eradicate, or change the Second Amendment. Although it was suggested by President Biden last week that "no amendment to the Constitution is absolute," he–and many Americans–must be reminded that the Second Amendment is not the federal government granting us a right. On the contrary, it puts the federal government on notice that they have no authority over whether or not the people can bear arms. Period. Even if the President were to completely abolish the Second Amendment, as some voices are clamoring for, it would make no difference. The right of the people to defend themselves, up to and including the use of deadly force, is a natural right, granted us by God Himself, and it cannot be removed. Further, we retain unto ourselves the right to defend ourselves against tyrannical government. The book, The Bill of Rights and Beyond, published by the National Archives, contains the following quote on its opening page: “"An ancient fear of being disarmed and helpless before standing professional armies lies behind the Second and Third amendments. Aristotle said that decisions of a leader "backed by a standing army" would be different from those made by a leader "awed by the fear of an armed people." "” Where Idaho is concerned, it is one of the safest places to live, despite–or because of–the fact that it has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the country. Was a crime committed today? Yes, and we regret that people sometimes make poor decisions. It is necessary, however, that we accept risks if we are to remain free.
What Is The Second Amendment?
What is the Second Amendment all about? Why do we have it? Did the federal government grant us gun rights that they can take away from us? What is a militia, and why does it matter today?
What Is The Second Amendment?
What is the Second Amendment all about? Why do we have it? Did the federal government grant us gun rights that they can take away from us? What is a militia, and why does it matter today?