Gov. Jan Brewer recently signed five pieces of legislation that foster gun-safety education in Arizona’s schools and reinforce the rights of gun owners in the state into law.

The legislation was sponsored by Sens. Jack Harper and Russell Pearce, and mandates that Arizona’s Right-to-Carry permit holders are allowed to defend themselves in public restaurants, store their firearm in a locked vehicle while parked in a publicly accessible parking lot, and reveal their firearm to an individual threatening them or a loved one.

Furthermore, the new law states that an individual who shoots someone in self-defense is innocent until proven guilty.

Contrastingly, as Arizona takes steps to maintain and strengthen the Second Amendment rights of its citizens, New York City’s billionaire mayor, Michael Bloomberg, is busy promoting and financing his gun-ban lobby.

If the targeted surge to buy guns and ammunition after the recent presidential election wasn’t any indication, recent polls establish that U.S. citizens are opposed to laws that restrict their Second Amendment rights.

A poll conducted this year by Zogby International/The O’Leary Report revealed that 79 percent of Democrat voters support laws allowing law-abiding citizens to carry firearms, while another report by Zogby/O’Leary showed support for concealed-carry of a firearm by law-abiding citizens at 83 percent.

If the overwhelming majority of Americans support the freedom and principles that are guaranteed by the Second Amendment, then why is Bloomberg pursuing his gun control agenda at a feverish pitch that resembles the speed at which ammunition continues to fly off of the shelves?

Because he can and because he is the 17th richest man in the world — meet the culminating impetus behind our future gun-ban war.

Using his money to manipulate and feed his anti-gun operation, Bloomberg has set the stage for a modern reenactment of our historic battle against tyranny — billionaire style. But this time, the battle will wage between the people and a political authority corrupted with self-service and backed by millions.

According to NBC, Bloomberg has personally invested $2.9 million into the anti-gun agenda, supplemented by real estate tycoon Eli Broad’s donation of $750,000 and the $1.1 million contributed by the Joyce Foundation, which funds the Violence Policy Center.

From spurring a filibuster against a U.S. Senate amendment that would create a national standard for the carrying of concealed firearms (other than a machine gun or destructive device) by non-residents from state to state, to attacking a New York City citizen for owning a Revolutionary War replica of a flintlock rifle, Bloomberg has set his sights on American’s Second Amendment rights.

The National Rifle Association, which has more than 4 million members and is America’s strongest organization in support of the freedom and
right to bear arms, poses the greatest opposition to Bloomberg’s agenda.

However, Bloomberg said in an interview, “If you want to beat the NRA ... it costs money to do that.”

Bloomberg represents not only governmental corruption, but a disturbing trend where the people are being betrayed by the very individuals elected to uphold and strengthen their constitutional rights.

Reach Jennifer at jmbollig@asu.edu.