So, you Dems have a problem with this guy? He is representing the US and us in everything he states here.
U.N. CONFERENCE ON "SMALL ARMS" OPENS WITH STRONG WARNING FROM U.S.
The "U.N. Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons" began Monday, and John R. Bolton, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs, soon made it perfectly clear that the United States would not support any proposal that threatened our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Bolton reminded the U.N. about our Bill of Rights, stating, "As U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft has said, ‘just as the First and Fourth Amendments secure individual rights of speech and security respectively, the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms.`" He went on to explain, "The United States believes that the responsible use of firearms is a legitimate aspect of national life," and further stated, "The United States will not join consensus on a final document that contains measures abrogating the Constitutional right to bear arms." The conference has been touted by U.N. officials as an effort to try to curtail the "illicit trade in small arms," but the draft "Program of Action" clearly seeks to go well beyond the scope of shutting down the international black market in military and light weapons. Undersecretary Bolton told the U.N., "The abstract goals and objectives of this Conference are laudable. Attacking the global illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (SA/LW) is an important initiative which the international community should, indeed must, address because...[t]he illicit trade in SA/LW can be used to exacerbate conflict, threaten civilian populations in regions of conflict, endanger the work of peacekeeping forces and humanitarian aid workers, and greatly complicate the hard work of economically and politically rebuilding war-torn societies." Bolton also pointed out, "The United States goes to great lengths to ensure that small arms and light weapons transferred under our jurisdiction are done so with the utmost responsibility...[and] we offer our financial and technical assistance all over the world to mitigate the illicit trade in SA/LW." But Under Secretary Bolton also explained that the U.S. does not support several aspects of the draft "Program of Action," including measures that would restrict the legal manufacture and transfer of firearms, prohibitions against the civilian possession of firearms, and the promotion of "international advocacy activity" that could directly conflict with the views of certain countries. The opposition to this "advocacy activity" was clearly intended to show that the U.S. objects to the idea of U.N.-supported international anti-gun organizations promoting propaganda attacks on our Second Amendment. Bolton`s message was met with hostility by representatives of other nations seeking far more comprehensive restrictions on not only trade in firearms but civilian possession across the globe. NRA, which is working as a non-governmental organization (NGO) with the U.N., will work to ensure that the concerns of all law-abiding gun owners will be well represented during the rest of this conference, which runs through July 20. On Tuesday, U.S. Representative Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) read a brief statement on the floor of the House of Representatives in support of Secretary Bolton`s comments, stating Bolton had "placed [the U.N.] on notice that the U.S. will not join in international gun-control efforts which would limit the rights of civilian possession as allowed under U.S. law or infringe upon the Second Amendment of our Constitution." Please be sure to also express your gratitude and support for Secretary Bolton`s support of our Right to Keep and Bear Arms while addressing the U.N. Contact information for the U.S. Department of State is: U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520 (202)647-4000 e-mail — Secretary@state.gov Also be sure to let President George W. Bush know you support Secretary Bolton`s comments. You can contact the White House at: The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 e-mail — president@whitehouse.gov To read the statement by John R. Bolton, click here. |
