WELCOME NRA

NRA – Welcome to Milwaukee!

By Craig J. Peterson

Owner/publisher Milwaukeeworld.com

Today Milwaukeeworld celebrates the gathering of 60,000 patriots who are not afraid to express their support for the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution – the right of individuals to own firearms.

As these freedom fighters take to the streets of Milwaukee this weekend, they can be assured not all locals are opposed to their visit. On the contrary, Wisconsin has some of the highest numbers of gun owners and hunters in the Nation. Wisconsinites have a long heritage, passed down from generation to generation, to conserve nature, honor fair chase, and to respect their prey. Hunting and gun ownership in Wisconsin is way of life, and right not to be diluted.

Many politicians may view this convention as a way to score points with the anti-gun lobby. That’s no way to put down the welcome mat for our many visitors.

Instead our leaders should embrace the essence of the National Rifle Association membership, and recognize them as a group seeking to uphold the individual rights of Americans.

All too often legislators, courts and special interest groups have sought to take away our individual rights and replace them with personal view points and political agendas.

America’s Founders did not simply grant rights to individuals that the government could someday take away – they guaranteed our rights. We are born with these rights, and no government, without the consent of the governed, can remove or erode them. These include freedom or speech, freedom of religion and the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

The Bill of Rights was not drafted for Republicans, Democrats or Green Party members. It was drafted for everyone.

So for the next seventy-two hours, let’s salute the members of the NRA and embrace their passion for defending all of our rights.