After listening to the State of the Union speech last night, I am more concerned than ever for my country.  There are numerous ways in which America is in serious trouble, but for this essay, I will limit my concern to primarily one item—gun control–which doesn’t seem very spiritual, I know.

The Second Amendment of America’s Bill of Rights is the controlling factor for the citizens of the United States of America regarding this general issue.  As an English minor in college, I understand words and phrases fairly well, including the phrase, “ … shall not be infringed.”  Our Founding Fathers understood the need for the citizenry to be protected from central and state governments running amok.

Over the last forty years or so, I have tracked—first out of curiosity, but now out of concern—the federal government’s infringement on the Second Amendment.  Beginning with the first-ever gun restrictions imposed by the federal government (an unconstitutional action on the part of those who are sworn to uphold that constitution, I might add) with the 1927 Mailing of Firearms Act, a dangerous and growing trend began.

In 1934, the Pied Piper of the Democratic Party, Franklin D. Roosevelt, signed into law (an unconstitutional infringement) the National Firearms Act, soon followed in 1938 with another infringement—the Federal Firearms Act.  After a thirty-year reprieve, Thomas J. Dodd sponsored The Gun Control Act of 1968 which was soon signed into law by Lyndon B. Johnson, who boasted “Today we begin to disarm the criminal and the careless and the insane.”

Twenty years later, The Firearm Owners’ Protection Act, sponsored by Representative William Hughes, and The Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act, sponsored by Representative Mario Biaggi, further expanded the infringement.

The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993, sponsored by Chuck Shumer came next, followed a year later by The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, originally sponsored by your colleague Senator Diane Feinstein.  And now, not only do I hear my president championing yet additional infringements but see the Senators who represent Michiganders applauding that infringement.

Let me draw attention to a few facts.  First, it is interesting to note that each of these infringements has been perpetrated by either a Democratic Representative or Senator.  Second fact—each of these “laws” in some way infringes upon the Second Amendment.  Third, for all the “good intentions” of protecting law enforcement and citizens, and reducing crime, these laws have been nothing but ineffective, and statistics bear this out.

However, if Congressional “leaders” don’t read the bills on which they are voting, they probably don’t bother to read the FBI statistics or Constitution either!  Finally, the dishonesty of our federal executive and legislative branches of government—borne out by Congress’s dismal approval ratings—has  reached an all-time high, meaning the character level has reached an all-time low!

If I am appalled that men and women who are sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States are failing to do so, I am equally appalled that citizens anywhere continue to return those same individuals to office—with one caveat.  I also understand that voters who are government dependent will almost always vote for those “leaders” (and I use the term loosely) who will keep their “benefits” coming in order to ensure their own re-election.

Contrary to what President Obama repeatedly stated last night with his “They deserve a vote” statements, no citizen of these United States deserves a vote that is in violation of our Constitution.  America’s elected officials at all levels desperately need to refresh their commitment to the Constitution, forget the deal-making and political correctness, go against the mainstream of liberalism, and take seriously the hard-working, honest, tax-paying citizens of Michigan for a change.  Please—urge your own representatives and senators to stand against any further infringement on our Bill of Rights, in particular (for purposes of this writing), our Second Amendment.

BTW, do you pray?  Perhaps now would be an excellent time to pray for those in authority at all levels of government.  If not now, how bad will America have to get before we do pray?