Americaās Heartland has had few pleasant things to say about the Biden administration, and now animosity rises between the two as President Joe Bidenās Department of Justice is pushing back against one stateās attempt to preserve its citizensā rights to keep and bear arms.
Republican Gov. Mike Parson of MissouriĀ signed the āSecond Amendment Preservation Actā on June 10, penalizing Missouri police for enforcing any federal gun control legislation, not codified in state law, that could potentially be passed by a Democrat-controlled Congress and signed by the president.
The move came in response to Bidenās push for bolstered gun restrictions, a promise he made even during his 2020 candidacy.
And, of course, Bidenās Justice Department isnāt sitting this one out.
On Thursday, The Associated Press reported on the DOJās warning to Missouri officials that federal gun laws cannot be ignored.
In a letter obtained by the AP, Justice Department officials cited the Constitutionās Supremacy Clause, maintaining that this clause āoutweighsā Missouriās signed legislation.
Ironically, while quoting the Constitution, these DOJ officials failed to refer back to the Second Amendment.
After all, āshall not be infringedā seems rather self-explanatory.
Still, the leftās takedown of the Second Amendment wonāt stop anytime soon, and itās up to the states to make their voices heard.
āThe public safety of the people of the United States and citizens of Missouri is paramount,ā Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton wrote in the obtained letter.
Boynton argued that Missouriās law infringed upon the āworking relationship between federal and local authoritiesā and also carefully noted that the state of Missouri receives āfederal grants and technical assistance,ā according to the AP.
He added that Missouriās bill āconflicts with federal firearms laws and regulationā and reiterated that federal law supersedes any laws passed by states before saying that āfederal agents and the U.S. attorneyās offices in the state would continue to enforce all federal firearms laws and regulations,ā in the APās words.
Of course, Parson didnāt act without knowledge of the repercussions he ā and the state he governs ā might face in light of the lawās passage.
āThe Governor is aware of the legal implications of this bill, but also that, now more than ever, we must define a limited role for federal government in order to protect citizenās rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution,ā a spokeswoman for the governor, Kelli Jones, said in a statement, according to The Kansas City Star.
āThis is about empowering people to protect themselves and acknowledging the federalist constitutional structure of our government,ā she added.
Where the federal government fails to protect its citizensā constitutional rights, it appears a number of state governments will step in to compensate ā but not without scrutiny.
The Biden administration has no regard for one of the most integral components of Americaās founding. That much is clear.
Itās ironic that any state statute loosening federal gun restrictions receives scrutiny for violating federal law while laws pertaining to other issues ā state decriminalization of marijuana, for instance ā never receive any attention for violating federal law (in this case, the Controlled Substances Act).
Why the double standard? Why all the emphasis on gun control?
Perhaps because itās a key priority of the Biden administration and the president wants to make good on his campaign messaging.
Biden has touted ātaking onā the National Rifle Association, praised himself for pioneering previous gun control measures ā including the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 ā and āsecured the passage of 10-year bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines,ā according to his webpage.
He also pledged to ādefeat the NRA again,ā āhold gun manufacturers accountableā and āban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines,ā among other things.
If we allow any of these āpromisesā to come to fruition, itās sure to become a slippery slope for gun-grabbing going forward.
After all, Biden has already shown us his own belief that his words are final and supposedly inerrant.
Biden seems to have forgotten ā or never cared, rather ā about the truth that states like Missouri now reiterate: Free people do not ask for permission to exercise their rights.
Free people do not ask for permission to keep and bear arms.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
