Firearms advocates vow to never give up their fight

After numbers of local and national rallies calling for gun control reforms, Second Amendment advocates had their time in the spotlight at the state capital on Monday morning.

Hundreds filled the rotunda at the capital in Harrisburg for the “Rally to Protect Your Right to Keep and Bear Arms” which was led by state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-12 of Butler County, who was backed by colleagues in the state House and Senate, nationally recognized gun advocates, law enforcement officials and citizens young and old who don’t ever want to lose the right to keep a firearm as guaranteed by the U.S. and commonwealth constitutions.

“We don’t cling to our guns more than our kids, we cling to our guns because of our kids, to defend our kids, their rights, to ensure that they can protect their rights, to defend our grandkids’ rights,” said Metcalf at the rally. “It is important that we cling to our guns, cling to the Second Amendment and hold on to that to pass it on to the next generation so they can pass it on — to defend themselves from tyrants and criminals.”

Following the shooting at a Parkland, Fla., high school on Valentine’s Day, the state Legislature has been trying to reel in access to guns by several pieces of proposed legislation, including a bill by state Sen. Daylin Leach, D-17 of Upper Merion, that would allow courts to confiscate firearms from people who show warning signs of violence.

This and other “red flag” bills that would prohibit procurement of firearms were attacked by Executive Director Emeritus of Gun Owners of America Larry Pratt.

“The only standard that would have to be used in this measure is whether or not the owner represents some danger,” said Pratt. “Well I would imagine everyone in this room could be seen by somebody, especially by liberals, as some danger. I would say that this is the place, the time to contact your legislators and tell them that the so called red flag law that is a gun confiscation law … it doesn’t belong here.”

State Rep. Chris Dush, R-66 of Jefferson County, who recently introduced legislation to impeach the four Democratic state Supreme Court justices who created their own congressional district maps after ruling that previous iterations had been gerrymandered to the point of being unconstitutional, addressed the climate and culture of respecting the law in current times.

“It’s sad that right now we live in a time where we forget some things like effective citizenship (that) begins with a good working knowledge of the constitution,” said Dush. “Very few Americans, especially those serving in the higher levels of government, possess an appropriate level of understanding of our constitution.

“You own the government, it is your state and your nation. Don’t let anybody ever tell you different, there’s a reason why our Bill of Rights comes first.”

Justin Moon, who owns Greeley-based small arms manufacturer Kahr Arms, said the country is at a crossroads at what kind of country that will be had to pass on to future generations.

“Will we value the gifts of liberty or will we forsake our inheritance for the false promise of security?” he asked before delving into historical accounts of socialist countries that removed guns from their people and became tyrannical in nature. “We should learn the lessons of history and return to the wisdom of our founders. We should reject the calls for more government, socialism; we need guns because government and criminals are far too willing to oppress those people who have no means to defend themselves.”

State Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-46 of Beaver County, said without the Second Amendment all other rights are “kindling.”

“We have to keep fighting every single year,” she said.