INDIANAPOLIS, Jul 10, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
Calling a proposed United Nations Arms Trade Treaty a "potential threat
to our Constitutional rights," the head of the nation's largest
organization of wartime veterans said the White House and the U.S.
Senate should reject any proposal that usurps the sovereignty of the
American people.
"Since the American Revolution, America's veterans have defended the
U.S. Constitution," said American Legion National Commander Fang A.
Wong. "Many died. Many bled. The American Legion has always opposed
usurpation of U.S. sovereignty by an international body. We opposed the
International Criminal Court on the grounds that it left U.S. service
members vulnerable to charges of alleged war crimes. We opposed the Law
of the Sea Treaty (LOST) because it created a precedent for future
share-the-wealth schemes. We opposed U.S. troops being placed under the
command of U.N. forces. And any Arms Trade Treaty that not only
threatens the Second Amendment rights that are enshrined in our
Constitution, but also represents the growing movement to place an
international entity above our governing and founding document will be
opposed. While we understand the effort to combat the international
trade in arms that make possible human rights violations and genocide,
the drafters should be cognizant that the United States views its
Constitution, including the Second Amendment, as preeminent."
The American Legion has been a staunch defender of the U.S. Constitution
since the organization was founded in 1919. It has repeatedly passed
national resolutions reaffirming support for the Second Amendment and
other constitutional rights. At its 1996 national convention in Salt
Lake City, American Legion delegates unanimously passed a resolution
reaffirming that "the efforts of government should be directed to the
enforcement of existing laws rather than banning the possession of
firearms by the millions of our citizens who desire them for
traditionally legitimate purposes..."
The American Legion was founded on the four pillars of a strong national
security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs.
Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more
than 14,000 posts across the nation.
SOURCE: The American Legion
