Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
For years we have sat silently as those in power have worked tirelessly to erode our Second Amendment rights. Often acting under the guise of safety and security, those in power have escalated their attacks on the Second Amendment in response to mass shootings, claiming they want a greater level of safety and security for Americans. This, despite historical evidence that makes clear connections between a disarmed people and an oppressed people. Ben Franklin once wrote, “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
Let me make one thing clear. The Second Amendment was not written to give you the right to keep and bear arms. It was written to create a legal framework by which the government could not legally strip you of, or infringe on, your God given right to self-defense. The founders did not do this simply to allow for hunting or home defense. The founders did so as a result of their personal experiences with tyranny, and wanted to guarantee that future generations of Americans were always prepared to defend their nation against any threat, foreign or domestic. It is for that reason that those taking military and police oaths state that they will “Defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic." I do not advocate unnecessary violence, but I understand the importance of having the ability to defend that which is rightfully ours against any who would seek to undermine the legal authority of the American people. Without the ability to do so, the common man is always at the mercy of those in power.
If elected governor of Montana in 2020 I will act as a barrier between the federal government and the people of Montana, ensuring that under no circumstances would we allow the federal government to infringe on any of our constitutionally guaranteed rights. My first goal as governor will be to allow for constitutional carry laws to be enacted statewide for all Montana residents over the age of 18. If you're old enough to die protecting your country you're old enough to carry a pistol in order to defend yourself and those around you. An armed society is a safe society. If we wish to prevent mass shootings we need a populace capable of doing so.
To this end I will ratify the Montana Firearms Freedom Act, which by its existing definition nullifies the National Firearms Act, also known as the NFA. The NFA is little more than an exercise of the taxing power, allowing federal tax levies on the manufacture, sale and transfer of certain classes of firearms, including automatic weapons, short-barreled rifles, and suppressors. In short, the NFA creates legal requirements comprised of registration and taxation in order to exercise the fullness of the rights which are already clearly established by constitutional law.
Now is the time to take strong action to preserve our rights as free Americans, and I am convinced that no other candidate is willing to take the actions required to solve these issues. Career politicians simply have too much to lose by being outspoken and doing what needs to be done.
While I have no experience in politics, I see this as an advantage. I approach this endeavor not as a career politician, but as a man that seeks to accomplish a goal, then return to my normal life as the founders intended. While I am not wealthy by any means I cannot be bought as my sacred honor means more to me than silver and gold. I will never bow to corruption or special interests, and will do everything in my power to bring those guilty of such treason to justice. I have decades of experience running successful businesses, building teams of professionals and developing new ideas into viable alternatives to existing standards. I feel God has called me to, and prepared me for this work, and I believe that if we join together for the common good we can serve as an example to the rest of the country.
Lyman Bishop is the Libertarian Party's candidate for governor of Montana.