Arms paranoia
The NRA is now in the company of North Korea, Iran and Syria
A few days ago, the United Nations (UN) approved a treaty regulating the international arms trade. Our country is one of the sponsors of this worldwide measure meant to prevent genocide. However, it is unlikely to be among the countries that ratify it, because of the power of firearms enthusiasts.
Once again, just like in the current debate over background checks to purchase guns, the National Rifle Association (NRA) is lying about the treaty's impact, claiming it will lead to a constitutional violation of the right to bear arms. There are several senators who based on conviction or fear of political retaliation from the NRA already oppose the treaty, making it tough to obtain the 67 votes needed to ratify it.
In reality, the pact mainly bans transfers to countries subject to UN embargoes or to states that promote genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. The weapons involved range from battle tanks to small arms.
An impartial legal analysis points out that the treaty won't harm the integrity of the Second Amendment of the Constitution. But that is not enough for those who share the paranoia that their weapons will be confiscated and that the UN wants to destroy American sovereignty.
Deep-rooted opposition to the treaty unites the NRA and its followers with the pariah regimes in North Korea, Iran and Syria, the only nations that opposed the pact. And that puts them in bad company.
The treaty is not perfect, but it is a positive global reaction to a serious issue that is worth $70 billion per year. Successful opposition to its ratification in the U.S. will damage the country's image because of its inability to fulfill the international commitments it signs. The lack of ratification will also be a triumph of paranoia about arms.
