Despite the disproportionately high number of mass shootings in the United States compared to other developed nations, gun rights advocates insist that any and all firearm regulations (or even studies of such regulations) is an affront to the Second Amendment. According to them, the Second Amendment ensures that citizens can use firearms to protect themselves against a government with a $700+ billion dollar defense budget.
Far-right Congressman Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina is one such promoter of this claim. He recently praised the Viet Cong militia as an example that everyday people with guns can defeat an entire nation's defense systems, failing to acknowledge that the Viet Cong had funding from the North Vietnam Military, China, and the Soviet Union.
Despite the availability of assault weapons—firearms designed to kill as many people in as little time possible—Cawthorn is now insisting that all of the same weapons available to the U.S. Military should be available to American civilians as well.
It is long past time we update our small arms arsenal and ammunition in this country. Why are we using a slightly… https://t.co/Ex9df4iUeS— Rep. Madison Cawthorn (@Rep. Madison Cawthorn) 1634133584.0
(When I say armaments, I make no distinction in military or civilian weapons, they should be the same.)
— Rep. Madison Cawthorn (@RepCawthorn) October 13, 2021
The 26 year old Cawthorn called for an expansion of our small arms arsenal that would "make Halo look obsolete," before claiming that military and civilian weapons "should be the same."
People considered his comments delusional and even extremist.
@RepCawthorn When you think mass casualty shootings at schools and markets aren't deadly enough, Rep. Cawthorn is your advocate.— Kentucky Sparky (@Kentucky Sparky) 1634136178.0
@RepCawthorn Geez Maddy - do you think you can be MORE clear about wanting an armed insurrection against the government?— Dawn Martindale-Gulick -gulick NOW! #FreeDawn (@Dawn Martindale-Gulick -gulick NOW! #FreeDawn) 1634143304.0
They inundated him with sarcastic orders of military grade equipment.
@RepCawthorn Cool. Where do order my tank & crate of grenades?— JBlanchard (@JBlanchard) 1634145479.0
@RepCawthorn RPG's for everyone!! I'll go buy a HiLux and mount machine guns in the bed!!— George T. Berish (@George T. Berish) 1634134894.0
@RepCawthorn So you will personally approve my acquisition request for an armed nuclear weapon of my choice? Oh goody. I can't wait!— gladyskanbee (@gladyskanbee) 1634135252.0
@RepCawthorn I'm ordering my M1A1 tank right now! Can't afford my 155mm howitzer yet, but maybe next year.— Dan Gallagher (@Dan Gallagher) 1634141241.0
@RepCawthorn Oh goody. I'll be ordering a fully functional tank then. What could POSSIBLY go wrong? I'll take an A… https://t.co/77tq0oldbG— JustJennKat (@JustJennKat) 1634133735.0
@RepCawthorn Fantastic. I want an A-29B with M255A1s and R9X. https://t.co/RmgBRAXC2v— Trigger (@Trigger) 1634143886.0
Cawthorn's comments came the same day he said, against evidence, that the only extremism in the U.S. Military was an "extreme level of patriotism."