“Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America can not enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive.” Noah Webster, 1787
The U.N. Arms Trade Treaty violates not only the Second Amendment, but also the American concept of the source of rights and the right of the people to defend themselves against the “long train of abuses” of any government.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott wrote a letter to President Obama on Tuesday saying that the state [Texas] will head to court over the U.N. Arms Treaty should Obama sign it and the Senate ratify it. “The UN has concluded its negotiations on the Arms Trade Treaty. It is now up to you to sign it — or reject it. Do not sign this treaty.”
“As with most so-called international-law documents promulgated by the UN the draft treaty is not written using the precise, unambiguous language required of a good legal document. Instead, the treaty employs sweeping rhetoric and imprecise terminology that could be used by those who seek to undermine our liberties to impose any number of restrictions on the right of law-abiding Americans to keep and bear arms.”
The U.S. Senate recently approved a nonbinding amendment opposing the treaty which according to Jim Inhofe (R-OK) was “to uphold Second Amendment rights and prevent the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty.”
Jerry Moran (R-KS) said that “The U.S. Senate is united in strong opposition to a treaty that puts us on level ground with dictatorships who abuse human rights and arm terrorists, but there is real concern that the Administration feels pressured to sign a treaty that violates our Constitutional rights. Given the apparent support of the Obama Administration for the Arms Trade Treaty, members of the U.S. Senate must continue to make clear that any treaty that violates our Second Amendment freedoms will be an absolute nonstarter for ratification.”
The U.N. treaty prohibits countries that ratify it from exporting conventional weapons if they violate arms embargoes, or if they promote acts of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, or if they could be used in attacks against civilians or schools and hospitals. It covers battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, large-caliber artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles and missile launchers, and small arms and light weapons.
According to Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the treaty also contained “unnecessarily harsh treatment of civilian-owned small arms” and violated the right to self-defense and United States sovereignty.”
Obama and Hillary Clinton were pushing the arms treaty and, without a doubt, our new Hippie Secretary of State will sign it. The United Nations nor the Obama administration can be trusted. I do find it rather amusing that Obama would support a treaty that would prevent him from sending arms to the Muslim Brotherhood. But then again, I guess war crimes or crimes against humanity are in the eye of the beholder!
Abbott concluded his letter by saying that “If the UN Arms Trade Treaty is not stopped at the federal level, I — and my fellow state attorneys general — will take up the fight to preserve the Constitution. Ratification of this treaty would compel immediate legal action to enforce the Constitution’s guarantee that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
As of now, there is not enough support in the Senate for ratification but that could change at the drop of a hat. But even if the Senate holds the line, Obama will not be deterred – not by the Constitution – not by public opinion and – especially not by the U.S. Senate.
“Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man against his own bosom? Congress has no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an America. The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will remain, in the hands of the people.”
Tenche Coxe, Pennsylvania Gazette 2/20/1788
