“Hunter Biden’s firearms conviction is a prime example of government overreach and unconstitutional legislation. The case, which centers around technical issues regarding Hunter’s drug use, demands scrutiny of how federal law consistently tramples on individual liberties and sets dangerous precedents.
The Second Amendment is clear: “The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” Yet Hunter Biden faces decades in prison because he checked the wrong box on paperwork to buy a gun and lied about his drug use. Are we really going to incarcerate someone for 25 years for a piece of paper? This is not justice, this is a travesty.
The laws in question that prohibit drug users from owning firearms are a blatant violation of constitutional rights. If the government can take away someone’s Second Amendment rights because they use drugs, what are the limits? Do rights get taken away if they drink too much, have a mental illness, or behave in a way that the government disapproves? And who gets to decide what that means? At this point, this isn’t even a dangerous path to walk. States have already had these mechanisms in place, violating the right to keep and bear firearms for decades.
Andrew Caballero Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
Hunter’s case highlights the absurdity of these laws. He had the gun in his possession for only 11 days before his partner threw it away. The law is prepared to punish him harshly on technical grounds, when his short-term possession of the gun caused no harm. Moreover, it is absurd to prove that Hunter was addicted to drugs at the time of the purchase. Addiction is a complex and often misunderstood condition. The vague definition of the law leads to arbitrary enforcement, leaving individuals at the mercy of government power. We all know how that goes.
The Second Amendment exists to provide a means of protection from a tyrannical government. Thomas Jefferson famously said, “The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear Arms is, as a last resort, for protection against the tyranny of the government.” The fact that the government seeks to regulate firearms for our “safety” is incredibly ironic. It would be laughable if it weren’t for the extremely dangerous consequences it has for our fundamental freedoms and individual autonomy. Not only do these regulations disarm peaceful citizens, they open the way for expansion of government power and oppression, threatening the very fabric of a free society.
We should make no mistake about the political motivation here. Hunter Biden is getting more attention as a high-profile target. But countless ordinary people face similar injustices every day under these unconstitutional laws. This only sets a further precedent for all of us who dare possess these tools to protect our families. The role of government should not be to criminalize individual behavior and strip away basic rights based on subjective and intrusive criteria.
President Joe Biden should pardon Hunter, not because he is his son, but because it is the right thing to do. A pardon would send a strong message against the overreach of federal gun control law and reaffirm the constitutional rights of all Americans. It would highlight the urgent need to reform laws that infringe on our individual liberties.
If Hunter is exonerated, we must work to repeal these unjust laws. We must protect the Second Amendment and ensure that everyone has a fundamental right to self-defense, regardless of their personal struggles or choices. This is not just about Hunter Biden; it’s about the right of every American to live free from government overreach.
George Mason said, “The disarming of a people is the most effectual way to enslave a people.” The government’s attempts and successes in restricting guns are a dangerous step toward even stricter restrictions. This should concern all Americans, no matter who the targets are.
The fight against unjust laws is never ending, but it is essential to protecting freedom. Hunter Biden’s case should serve as a catalyst for a broader movement to remove these unconstitutional restrictions and restore true justice. The Second Amendment is not a privilege the state grants, but a right the state must explicitly respect.
Dylan Allman is social media adviser to the Libertarian National Committee.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, seeking common ground and finding connections.
