Submitted by Gun Owners of America,

Our government has changed a lot since 1776, but the spirit of the United States has remained the same.

American gun culture is rooted in a rich history of firearm ownership that spans back to before the Revolutionary War. Firearms were so crucial to the Founding Fathers that they enshrined them in the Constitution with the Second Amendment.

And while anti-gun billionaires like Michael Bloomberg have been working to strip the average American of their Second Amendment rights for years, significant victories in the courts like District of Colombia v. Heller and NYSRPA v. Bruen continue to prove the Founding Fathers' intent that each American has the God-given right to self-defense.

That right to self-defense includes defense against a tyrannical government. In fact, the Second Amendment protects us from many of the worst threats in this modern era.

Gun Owners of America's Ben Sanderson details the three biggest reasons why we're thankful for the Second Amendment this holiday season.

For example, compare Covid lockdowns in the United States to a Communist Dictatorship like China. In China, it was commonplace to see videos of citizens dragged out of their homes and their family pets killed over the suspicion that they were sick with Covid. The government would never dare to attempt this in the United States because of our sizeable armed citizenry. And while some states did attempt to shut down and implement restrictions, Americans largely ignored these without consequence.

Also, during Covidd, first-time gun ownership skyrocketed.

Many people realized what gun owners have been saying for years: that the Second Amendment is a symbol of self-reliance. Taking the defense of your family and your community into your own hands ensures safety from unforeseen consequences, especially during emergencies.

Another example is that Americans enjoy peace of mind that foreign militaries will not invade the US as Russia did with Ukraine.

An invading force to the United States would likely deal with "a rifle behind every blade of grass" due to the armed population. It is unlikely that the United States would ever have to deal with a war on our doorstep thanks to the Second Amendment.

Lastly, the Second Amendment protects all the other rights from Government overreach. For example, the First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees the right to free speech. However, free speech can only be truly protected when individuals are secure in their rights and can express their opinions without fear.

The Second Amendment plays a critical role in safeguarding the First Amendment.

By enabling individuals to protect themselves and their communities, the Second Amendment ensures that dissenting voices are not silenced through intimidation or violence. It provides a balance of power and discourages the abuse of authority.

Speaking of abuse of authority, gun control is very much a modern phenomenon. While anti-gun billionaires and their friends in the federal government continue to attempt to restrict the rights of Americans, groups like Gun Owners of America stand in opposition to these tyrants.

Currently, the Biden Administration and the ATF are attempting to pass a rule that would mandate Universal Registration Checks on every firearms sale nationwide. We're asking all gun owners to make their voices heard and leave a comment on the rule. You can use our prewritten comment here.

This Thanksgiving, we're thankful for the Second Amendment.

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