It appears a line in the sand has been drawn.
During a meeting with lawmakers to discuss various solutions to gun violence, particularly the mass shooting that took place in Parkland, Florida, last month, President Trump made some statements that left proponents of the Second Amendment baffled.
The most confounding of Trump’s statements involved due process rights for individuals owning firearms.
The President, who just last week warned that Democrats would “take away your Second Amendment,” now believes the government has the right to take away your Fifth Amendment.
“I like taking the guns early, like in this crazy man’s case that just took place in Florida … to go to court would have taken a long time,” Trump told those in attendance.
“Take the guns first, go through due process second.”
President Trump proposes taking guns away from owners before going to court.
“By the time you go to court, it takes so long to go to court to get the due process procedures, I like taking the guns early.” pic.twitter.com/ZtNNwyzTzA
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) February 28, 2018
With all due respect, Mr. President, that’s not how that works. That’s not how any of this works.
The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution states that no person – NO PERSON – shall “be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”
Who would determine who is a dangerous individual? Who would be the arbiter of who can be defined as mentally ill? If Democrats have their way, every Republican or person owning a gun would fall into that category.
The NRA responded to Trump’s comments in blistering fashion, saying the meeting made for good television but really bad policy.
“While today’s meeting made for great TV, the gun control proposals discussed would make for bad policy that would not keep our children safe,” NRA spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said. “Instead of punishing law-abiding gun owners for the acts of a deranged lunatic our leaders should pass meaningful reforms that would actually prevent future tragedies.”
. @NRA Responds to Gun Control Proposals Trump Discussed During White House Meeting With Congressional Officials#DefendtheSecond #IAmTheNRA https://t.co/2eeUaY8Anq pic.twitter.com/Oj6uEGxWhK
— The Billie Williams (@bcwilliams92) March 1, 2018
The NRA has been very supportive of President Trump, but he may have leaped from a bridge too far with his latest comments.
He even scoffed at Republican lawmakers saying they don’t pass any new gun legislation because they’re “afraid of the NRA.”
Has any conservative org been more aggressively supportive of Trump than the NRA? Yet today he:
-Seemed open to assault weapons ban;
-Scorned concealed-carry reciprocity;
-Mocked Republicans for being afraid of the NRA;
-Advocated seizure of weapons without due processWow.
— David French (@DavidAFrench) February 28, 2018
We understand that President Trump is trying to chide both sides into taking some sort of action, goading them into compromising on gun legislation. But those comments about gun confiscation without due process are out of line.
It’ll be interesting to watch liberals who have spent his entire term in office comparing Trump to an authoritarian dictator now sing his praises for such a reckless comment.
Do you side with the NRA or President Trump in this debate? Share your thoughts below!
