Opinion
USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- On Saturday, February 20th, 2021, I had the honor of once again addressing the Riders USA Second Amendment Rally at the State Capitol in Phoenix. This is the second year I’ve helped MC the annual event and the third year that I’ve been a speaker.
With the events at the US Capitol last month, some people were concerned about our rally, but I never had a doubt. We had a great, record turnout, and no problems at all.
Below is the text of my speech, and you can watch a video of it on The Firearms Coalition Facebook page. If you enjoy it, please share it on your social media.
Good Afternoon Gun Lobby!!!
It’s such a pleasure to be with you once again this year.
Two years ago at this event, I reminded attendees that You Are the Gun Lobby. In that speech, I told Mike Bloomberg, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer that even if the NRA were to go away tomorrow, the Gun Lobby would still exist and continue to fight for rights, because the Gun Lobby isn’t the NRA or any other organization. The Gun Lobby is standing right in front of me, and they’re not going away, and they’re not giving in.
Am I RIGHT?!?
The forces arrayed against us are formidable: The whole of the traditional media, big tech, billionaires, politicians, academia, and a plethora of political organizations… They have money, influence, and a voice that reaches into virtually every corner of our society. They also have the combined advantages of ignorance and emotion. But there’s one thing that they don’t have and that cannot be replaced.
They Don’t Have YOU!!!
They don’t have your voice, your vote, your knowledge, your sphere of influence, or your commitment to liberty and a righteous cause.
You are the Gun Lobby! You are the guardians of the Republic, defenders of the Constitution, the Sons and daughters of Liberty, and the keepers of the flame of freedom.
Ronald Reagan warned that freedom is always just one generation away from extinction, and he was sadly right. Today we see the proof as freedom teeters on the brink, with a cadre of confused, ignorant, “useful idiots,” pushing as hard as they can to tip the balance and send freedom toppling down into the same pit of despair that brought death, destruction, and hopelessness to tens of millions in the Soviet Union, China, Cambodia, Cuba, Venezuela, El Salvadore, and so many other places around the world.
But there’s something standing in their way and keeping liberty from crashing over that cliff – YOU, the Gun Lobby.
You and I don’t agree on everything. We might not even agree on most things. But we do agree on one thing, that the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. And as long as we agree on that, we can work out everything else. The real problems start when the people are disarmed and there is one contingent with a monopoly on the tools of violence.
The old saying; “An armed society is a polite society,” is absolutely true, and as long as we all have the potential to be armed, we can rationally discuss and debate our differences and philosophies. But if We the People allow ourselves to be disarmed, then our positions and beliefs no longer matter. We can be silenced. Canceled… Our ideas, beliefs, and desires, become irrelevant, because “they” no longer have to listen to us. Like the people of Hong Kong, we’ll no longer have the means to demand that our voices be heard.
Of all the movements and philosophies that drive politics today, the Gun Lobby is unique, because we aren’t asking for anything other than to be left alone and that the Constitution be respected. We don’t want government funding. We don’t want special privileges. We don’t want tax breaks… We just want our rights, as spelled out in the Bill of Rights.
Our opponents want restrictions, limits, tracking, investigation, taxation, stigmatization, and control. Not just on our guns, but on ourselves, our future, and our posterity.
They say they want to restrict us, “for the children.” They say that “if it saves just one life, it’s worth it.” But how many people are they willing to kill and get killed to maybe save that one life? How many families are they willing to destroy – “for the children?” How many responsible, hard-working, God-fearing men and women are they willing to kill, oppress, or imprison in the name of their irrational fear of firearms?
Joe Biden is busy talking with gun control zealots about what sorts of restrictions and limits he can get away with implementing through Executive Orders, and what legislation he’s going to try to force through Congress, but he’s not asking US what new laws and regulations we’ll put up with and obey. He’s not paying attention to the thousands standing up every day and to join millions of others in declaring; “I will not comply,” and “Not one more inch.” He assumes that today’s American gun owners are just like yesterday’s American gun owners, who blustered and postured, but then made concessions and just swallowed more restrictions, with nothing more than complaints in response.
I’ve got news for you Mr. Biden: You’re dealing with Gun Culture 2.5 now, and if you think you can steamroll us like you steam-rolled our predecessors, with nothing more to pay for it than a good finger-wagging from Wayne LaPierre, you’ve got another thing coming.
Let me be clear — This is not a threat of insurrection.
This is a warning, that actions have consequences. As someone famous once said; “Don’t start nothin’, won’t be nothin’.” No sane person wants a civil war, and we’re no exception. But those who would trample our rights, limit our freedom, interfere with our ability to protect ourselves and our families, need to understand that we won’t just quietly acquiesce to their unreasonable demands. We’re generally among the most law-abiding people in the country, but that will only be true as long as they don’t pass laws that we can’t and won’t abide by. And I promise you, Mr. Biden, when you start making martyrs of our people who refuse to obey your unconstitutional edicts, you will unleash the whirlwind and reap what you have sown.
My fellow Americans, you are the Gun Lobby. You are our front line of defense against idiot politicians pursuing destructive policies based on lies, distortions, and irrational fears. It’s up to you to educate your elected servants about the fact that gun control only hurts the good guys, and if those elected servants refuse to listen and learn, then it’s up to you to replace them.
You are the Gun Lobby. The future of the republic is in your hands.
Make sure your elected servants hear you and know your name. Not just the ones that agree with you, but the ones who will never agree with you. Don’t threaten or insult, but make sure they understand that what they’re talking about would turn our nation’s best into criminals, and we won’t stand for that.
You are the Gun Lobby. The future’s in your hands, and I am proud to be counted among you.Thank you. God bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.
About Jeff Knox:
Jeff Knox is a second-generation political activist and director of The Firearms Coalition. His father Neal Knox led many of the early gun rights battles for your right to keep and bear arms. Read Neal Knox – The Gun Rights War.
The Firearms Coalition is a loose-knit coalition of individual Second Amendment activists, clubs and civil rights organizations. Founded by Neal Knox in 1984, the organization provides support to grassroots activists in the form of education, analysis of current issues, and with a historical perspective of the gun rights movement. The Firearms Coalition has offices in Buckeye, Arizona and Manassas, VA. Visit: www.FirearmsCoalition.
Let every Democrat know how you feel, they’re the ones voting these anti gun Politicians into office. I believe there are more of us. The Democrats claim they have the numbers. If this was true then, how come they have to cheat to win elections?
@Cruiser: A noble gesture, Cruiser. But…after the blatant, illegal, treasonous election fraud their party perpetrated, anyone who still calls themselves a Democrat is an enemy of America, plain and simple.
The Democrats now control the voting machine software, and they will have learned much from their past mistakes. When it comes to election results, it won’t matter how many of “us” there are, we will lose.
Lock and load fellow Patriots, we face a grisley but absolutely necessary task.
This wasn’t a violent or problematic rally as the Feb 6 because Pelosi didn’t organize it.
When has a schoolyard bully ever listened to reason? All they understand is physical pain, and the more physical pain they suffer, the less likely they are to forget the lesson.