While it’s not what the late Congressman Don Young would have advised, Congresswoman Mary Peltola says that for her, the Second Amendment is about food security. It’s about hunting.
That is the extent of the message. It’s not about safety. It’s not about protection. It’s about food.
The ad has Peltola doubling down on her pursuit of requiring gun safes for firearms owners, universal background checks for gun purchases, and even prohibiting some types of firearms.
That may be why Peltola has earned a “D” rating from the NRA.
In fact, the Second Amendment has nothing to do with hunting. The writers of the U.S. Constitution made firearm ownership the second right enumerated in the Bill of Rights, because it was second only to the freedom of expression, religion, and association.
“A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed,” the right reads. Some place an emphasis on “well regulated Militia,” while others emphasize “security of a free State,” and still others emphasize “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.”
In no instance, does the Constitution mention hunting, subsistence, or food security. And no conservative would make the argument that the Founders of the nation were thinking about hunting, rather than revolution.
Peltola’s views on gun regulation are also diametrically opposite of what the late congressman believed:
“All Second Amendment supporters will agree that firearms do not belong in the hands of violent criminals or the seriously mentally disturbed. However, instead of using tragedies to justify limiting access to firearms for all Americans, lawmakers should use them as motivation to reform the way we recognize and care for the mentally ill, in addition to protecting our citizens from radicalized terrorists,” Young said.
“Gun ownership is built into the fabric of our nation. Nearly a third of American adults own a firearm, and Alaska has the highest rate of gun ownership with 62% of adults saying they own a gun. All Alaska residents are eligible to subsistence hunt on state lands, and many Alaskans rely on gun ownership to feed their families and communities through the practice. Subsistence hunting occurs year round and is critical to rural Alaskans who rely on it for nutrition and stability. It is also central to the customs and traditions of many communities,” said Congressman Young.
“Federal law has regulated the sale and possession of firearms for decades. Several high-profile incidents of gun violence have prompted proposals to modify this framework, including by reinstituting the assault weapons ban; imposing universal background checks; and broadening restrictions on gun possession by foreign nationals, suspected terrorists, and others. Firearms restrictions, however, must comport with the requirements of the Second Amendment, which the Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller upheld as protecting an individual right to keep and bear arms. I am a proud supporter of the Second Amendment, and will continue to fight in Congress to ensure that all Americans’ Constitutional rights are protected,” Young wrote.
