When it comes to the Second Amendment most Americans probably think first about the National Rifle Association, or the NRA. The NRA, founded in 1871, is known for its gun rights lobby and emphasis on firearms safety. The NRA may be the biggest (reportedly millions of members) and the best public advocate for defending our Second Amendment rights, and is among the most influential advocacy organizations (for any cause) in the United States. Come election time, the NRA routinely publishes a respected Voter Guide. But the NRA is not really alone!

The President is a strong defender of the Second Amendment. Recently the White House announced a new Executive Order to protect and expand the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans. This is the first action taken by President Donald J. Trump to carry through on his promise to restore the full protections of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms for the American people.

My mailbox has revealed other organizations primarily concerned with our Second Amendment rights. This list is not exhaustive of good resources for your “save the second” efforts, but certainly a good start.

GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA, founded in 1976, was established to preserve and strengthen America’s constitutional right to keep and bear arms according to a recent mailer. That mailer was encouraging recipients to contact their federal congressmen concerning a couple of bills before Congress – perhaps the most important issue is the National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38).

CITIZENS COMMITTEE FOR THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS (CCRKBA), since 1971, claims to be the tip of the spear in defending your Second Amendment rights, and now claims 650,000 members. Their main concern seems to be undoing Biden’s 2022 “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act” which authorizes the funding for “red flag laws” nationwide. One of the closing remarks in a lengthy letter read “Unless we ‘de-criminalize’ the Second Amendment, you could soon be an outlaw simply for owning the ‘wrong’ gun.”

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR GUN RIGHTS (NAGR) with some 4.5 million members, stands up to defend our Second Amendment freedoms and halt the radical anti-gun agenda. The NAGR also supports concealed carry legislation. Their current communication concerned the United Nation’s “Small Arms Treaty” which is still in limbo and needs to be killed soon, for once and forever. U.S. Senaor Rand Paul (R-KY) even wrote a short note of encouragement to take action now to kill it. Seven states have a state affiliate, but not Wisconsin.

The SECOND AMENDMENT FOUNDATION seemed most interested in their 39th National Gun Rights Raffle without sharing many specifics about their mission or vision. Digging a little deeper online I found that for over fifty years the Second Amendment Foundation has been fighting to defend, secure and restore your Second Amendment rights. Their goal is to end government overreach, unconstitutional bans, and restrictive permitting laws.

Closer to home, the WISCONSIN FIREARMS COALITION is also quite concerned about the disastrous potential of “red flag laws” and included petitions on “VOTE NO on Gun Confiscation Legislation” for members of the State Assembly and State Senate. Earlier I wrote about President Biden’s “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act” of 2022”; well, Wisconsin has already received $4,166,354 of that money! (This is not sometime – the time is now!)

There are a couple of valuable “think tanks” for your further research on Second Amendment issues. The first – located in Madison – is the MacIver Institute with a wealth of information for you to peruse. The MacIver Institute promotes individual freedom, personal responsibility, limited government, and free markets.

The Heritage Foundation is a nationally recognized conservative “think tank”. Of note, they have a 22 page pamphlet titled “The Essential Second Amendment” which can be downloaded and includes several more resourceful organizations.

As a Coulee Region conservative, one who puts patriotism over partisanship, there are three action steps for your consideration. (1) Study the issues, and with the Second Amendment there are a few: national concealed carry; the UN “Small Arms Treaty”; and the “red flag laws” for starters. (2) Communicate your patriotic passion in defense of the Second Amendment with your state and federal legislators. And (3) If you know of other Second Amendment resources, please share them by writing a comment on this article.

It is time to get informed and get involved, especially concerning the Second Amendment. The NRA is not really alone in defending the rights of the Second Amendment. You can contribute to the effort.