Voices of our fathers

Dear Editor:

I have been receiving a lot of questions from people in the county about how I will respond to the executive orders that President Obama has signed and the laws that he is urging Congress to pass. I would like to take a moment to speak to the citizens of Vernon County and let them know where I stand. As I stated throughout my campaign, I believe that the Constitution is the bedrock of our governmental system, the final check in a series of checks and balances. If a law is passed, if an executive order is signed, it must pass the final "check;" and if it does not, it is un-constitutional.

If I am placed in the position of picking between the Constitution and something that clearly violates the Constitution, I will uphold, protect and enforce the Constitution. Contrary to what some politicians are telling people, the Second Amendment was not put in place to guarantee the right to hunt, or the right to own a gun with a magazine capacity that the government feels is "safe." Our founding fathers warned us about the dangers of having a powerless nation and that is what we will have if those seeking gun control laws are successful in their desire to take away our Second Amendment rights.

Thomas Jefferson said "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

George Washington said "The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference -- they deserve a place of honor with all that's good."

Benjamin Franklin said "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

I fear the day when the people of our nation give up the very thing that makes them free. The right to bear arms is the final security measure to a free society and that is why our founding fathers took such care to include it in the Constitution. It is what gives us the right to stand together and fight to protect what is sacred. It is what gives you the right to stand on your doorstep and protect what is yours when the government fails to do so. I have yet to find someone who would say that they would trust the government to manage their money, so I ask why you would trust them to manage your safety? When I was elected, I took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and as long as I am sheriff I will not violate, or allow our constitutional right to bear arms to be violated. I will heed the warning of our forefathers and protect this right.

Sheriff Jason Mosher, Vernon County Sheriff's Office