July 2012
Our efforts to keep weapons out of the hands of human rights abusers are in jeopardy.
As world leaders meet in New York this month to negotiate a first-ever arms trade treaty, opponents are claiming that the treaty would infringe on Second Amendment rights in the U.S.
It won't. But opponents like the NRA are spreading this misinformation in an attempt to undermine the treaty. Help Amnesty stand up to this propaganda. Donate today to support our efforts to pass a strong arms trade treaty and defend human rights.
A recently launched video on the NRA website says:
"This is a very serious threat."
"Absolutely no one is safe from the United Nations."
"[The UN is] backed by powerful well-financed NGO's, like... Amnesty International, that have made a living out of targeting the NRA and gun ownership as evil."
I have never considered the NRA evil - but there are plenty of dictators and human rights abusers who will celebrate if the NRA is successful in blocking this treaty.
As you know, the world has no arms trade treaty - which means there are no restrictions on gun merchants selling, importing and exporting weapons that make their way into the hands of forces who would use them to rape women, recruit children into armed conflict, massacre civilians, or commit other serious abuses.
A strong treaty will only govern international arms transfers and will fully respect the sovereign rights of countries to regulate gun ownership as they see fit. The U.S. State Department has said, "There will be no restrictions on civilian possession or trade of firearms otherwise permitted by law or protected by the U.S. Constitution."
No one, except maybe illicit arms dealers and human rights abusers, should oppose common-sense international law regulating the arms trade.
Will you support our efforts to help educate the public about the arms trade treaty and put pressure on the UN and the United States to adopt the treaty this month? Donate today and help us stand up to the NRA's irresponsible and false claims.
Thank you,
Frank Jannuzi
Deputy Executive Director, Head of Washington DC office
Amnesty International USA
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