Infringed.
By: Governor Kristi Noem
April 9, 2021
The Constitution doesn’t always use plain language, but when it comes to our right to defend ourselves, the Second Amendment is quite straightforward: “The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
It’s often been said that the Second Amendment exists to defend all the rest, including the First. I couldn’t agree more. That’s why the very first bill that I signed as governor was Constitutional Carry, which guarantees the right of every law-abiding South Dakotan to keep and bear arms.
I love hunting with my family. My grandma Dorris taught me how to bird hunt, and to this day my favorite way to decompress is to hunt big game with my brothers. The Second Amendment guarantees our ability to hunt, but it’s so much more important than that. Government exists to protect our rights, but that doesn’t preclude us from protecting ourselves and our loved-ones. In fact, our Founders intended the Second Amendment to include protection from a tyrannical government. That’s why they took up arms against Great Britain in the first place.
Unfortunately, many politicians seem determined to directly infringe on our right to bear arms, despite the Second Amendment’s clear wording that it “shall not be infringed.”
President Biden recently announced several executive actions regarding gun control. He claimed that these actions wouldn’t infringe on the Second Amendment. But that’s false.
President Biden’s actions include a Red Flag order. Such laws can be used to take away guns from a law-abiding citizen. They deprive individuals of both their liberty and property rights. And they aren’t just an infringement on the Second Amendment; they’re also a violation of both our Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable search and seizure and our Fifth Amendment right to due process.
President Biden is also proposing new limits on firearm sales and ammunition purchases. But these, too, are infringements on the Second Amendment. What good is the right to keep and bear arms if you can’t first purchase them? What good is the right to keep and bear arms if you can’t buy ammo to load them? Why would we want to limit ammo purchases when we’re in the midst of a nationwide ammo shortage specifically because of the threat of gun control?
To top it off, President Biden indicated that his executive orders don’t go far enough, and he called on Congress to further infringe on the Second Amendment. In response to such threats to our rights, I promise that South Dakota will do everything in our power to defend your right to defend yourself and your loved-ones.
“Shall not be infringed” could not be any plainer. If only President Biden could be forthcoming and realize that his actions are a direct infringement on our right to keep and bear arms.
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I would suggest to Governor Noem that Biden realizes that his actions are an infringement of our rights and just doesn’t care; he is a power-hungry old man who never should have been put in a position of such power. He is determined to do more damage to this country during his tenure as president than he did during the 40 plus years he took up space in the senate.
Guns. Trans kids. Abortion. Guns. Marijuana. Guns.
When I want to “decompress”, I just tune her out.
I hope our governor realizes that the Second Amendment is actually longer than the “quite straightforward” version she quotes above. As a refresher, the FULL text is “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.”
It’s that nuance stuff that makes it all so tricky.
If you, as so many Leftists do, are implying that the reference to a “well regulated militia” means that the right to bear arms was intended for people in the military, than you are wrong. That phrase was included as a recognition that average Americans needed to be armed and trained in order to act as militias to defend the free state from those who wish to take away our freedoms. When people today read the word regulated, they infer that the Founders meant regulated, as in controlled or limited. The Founders, however, meant regulated as in disciplined and trained in the use of firearms.
So, people “disciplined and trained in the use of firearms” would include ultra rightists but not mentally ill people able to grab a gun, right?
Don’t suppose you are aware of the fact that AR15 stands for Armalite Rifle, no assault rifle yet the uneducated assume it’s an assault weapon. I don’t suppose you are aware of the fact that ARs contribute to less the 5% of all gun violence and 68% is awarded to handguns alone. If AR15s are the problem then why is the all mighty not taking action agenst hand guns instead? This is a temporary fix for a much broader issue and I can tell you right now it isn’t the guns. I dont suppose ypu are aware that firearms to the AR15s standards have been in the publics hands since the early 1940s but now it’s a problem? Why dont we address the vast decline in mental health issues rather then blame it on the tools fault? More people are killed by drunk drivers a year but they don’t take cars from.everyone? These are the first steps to an unarmed populous and an overpowered government. Do you know what other country banned and revoked gun from their citizens before they started rounding up jews and crated a mass genocide? Because Im stating to think ill have to tell you. Helpless, unarmed populous due to gun bans in 1930s Germany. Thats the near future you are advocating because of forced media narrative and sick people who snapped. And the Left Blue just soundly follow the heard on this issue. Do some damn research and stop trusting the emotionally twisted news outlets
I can’t believe I read this comment to the end, it’s full of useless information, that contributes nothing other than “this guy knows guns”! Now it’s my turn:
I suppose you don’t know that the .556 mm chamber can also fit in the .223 round safely. Two types of ammo for one chamber, and neither can be found on the shelf in south dakota. You must take off work and wait in line with other ammo hoarders for the doors to open at the local shop and get your two boxes. Pro-tip, most of these ammo hoarders also hoarded toilet paper, you can often find a great deal on toilet paper while waiting in line.
Everyone is worried about guns, but what we need is some socialism. We all deserve ammo for guns, but private industry can’t keep up, that’s where government comes in and supplies ammo to all of us, cheaper and keeps up with the supply. It’s a bipartisan idea, Dems get socialism, repubs get ammo. Your welcome.
The most significant item she mentions can get lost.
Red flag laws sound so reasonable (JoeSchmoe is in a bad way. We need to take their gun before they hurt themselves or someone else) the implications don’t get due consideration.
If we don’t allow the government to do things to us without due process, is it not more dangerous we allow individual citizens to do things or make judgments about us without due process.
Yes, red flag laws are given a faux veil of due process (temporary court order) but there is not a single person in the process advocating and protecting the subject person. That is not due process by any practical measure. Also, it might sound good to get a court order to take a person’s guns but how much more volatile it be to enforce? And, finally, and most significantly, it creates the precedent for “preemptive action” before a crime is committed. Think of all the civil rights and liberties abuses that opens up.
Well a crazed killer could bludgeon a victim to death with a wrench or hammer…but mowing down multiple humans in mere seconds…well of course that is going to require an assault weapon and no need to offer lame excuses…you know exactly what that is. That is the preferred style of mass killing weapon that the NRA and GOP demand unrestricted and unregulated access to by everyone and anyone anytime.
Kristi Noem stupidly laments that the Biden gun control actions infringe on her 2nd amendment rights. Well, I’ll tell you what infringes on OUR rights…. getting your spouse or sibling or parent or child mowed down while grocery shopping or working or attending school or any of a hundred other ‘dangerous locations’ now days. So Kristi are you happy with the slaughter of innocent people by assault weapons? Or if not,do you even have a plan? If you don;t have any legislation or directive to offer please just shut up. We are wise to and tired of your political posturing.
Mass murders do not require a firearm.
https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/08/mass-murder-without-guns/
So what are you conservatives doing to address mental health issues? Even when we moderates try to address them, you scream.
Anyone who supported Faucci and the entire Covid mitigation strategy did more harm to mental health for generations than anything done or not done in the past.
I’ll never ever take serious anyone who supported Faucci strategies as concerned a single lick about mental health.
Way to completely ignore the question, Troy. Are we to take you seriously, given that you argued covid would be no worse than the swine flu, an illness that killed 12k people?
Thank you for being a Covid-19 denier…obviously you will pass on the vaccination also. No problem…leaves another dose for me or my family. And please don’t go begging for medical help if you get the virus. Save it for those who tried their best to wear a mask, avoid large indoor crowds, wash hands, and will gladly get vaccinated when called.
This coming from a Mumblin-Stumblin China Joe supporter…..you know the one who’s policies are flooding the southern border with illegals and sending them all over the country and a great many of them are infected with COVID-19. Don’t seem to be hearing the libtards raise concern about that now do we?
Ever hear of HIPAA?
I’m a second amendment supporter but there are limits on all of our rights. Just how big a gun should an individual be allowed? Assault rifles, machine guns or rocket propelled grenades? There has to be a reasonable limit. Right?
And on another subject in the news now. Just how many Chiefs of Staff should a governor have gone through after barely two years in office? Is she at number four now? There should be a reasonable limit there too. Right?
If I had three divorces in two years, I’d be saying: “It’s not you… it’s me… it really is me.”
That should read “Second Amendment”. With a capital S and capital A.
Very strong supporter here. Thank you elk, for pointing that out.