Why Did This Take So Long

After months of hinting and even confirming its development, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced today the creation of a Second Amendment section within the DOJ Civil Rights Division. As I watched her announcement video, my first thought was simple. Why the hell did this take so long.

Harmeet Dhillon and the Meaning of Real Civil Rights

Let me be clear from the start. I am not blasting anyone in particular and most certainly not AAG Dhillon. I have an immense amount of respect and admiration for her going back to the founding of Dhillon Law Group in 2006. Her firm took cases that were not “stylish”. They took cases that were necessary. She is one of the few attorneys in this country who consistently fights for actual civil rights and not just the ones that put lawyers in front of cameras and cable news producers.

While she has handled many high profile cases, she has also handled many that never made headlines but were no less important. Even without the buzzword of the week attached, her firm brought the same level of effort and seriousness to every case. I have said it many times. I am a tremendous fan of Harmeet Dhillon. This announcement only reinforces that admiration.

Now let us talk about what this actually means.

One Hundred Fifty Million Dollars a Year to Undermine a Right

For the first time, the Department of Justice will formally protect and advance the Second Amendment as part of its routine civil rights enforcement. Think about how backward it is that this even needs to be stated. For decades, outside of a few politicians and nonprofits, the Second Amendment has been under constant attack. Roughly 150 million dollars a year is spent by anti gun and anti Second Amendment lobbying groups. One hundred fifty million dollars annually dedicated to weakening or eliminating a constitutional right.

They rarely say outright that they want total confiscation. Instead, it is always wrapped in conditions. You can own a gun but only this type. You can carry but only under these restrictions. You can buy ammunition but it will be taxed into oblivion, imagine another right that comes with its own tax. Yet we have already seen the end goal play out in countries like the United Kingdom and Australia. Confiscation is not a conspiracy theory. It is a documented outcome of the ideology.

When the DOJ Enforced Everything Except the Second Amendment

Meanwhile, the DOJ has aggressively pursued civil rights cases across many protected categories, often stepping in quickly to litigate and prosecute violations. Yet we have not seen that same institutional vigor when it comes to a right the founders considered so fundamental it was listed second in the Bill of Rights and ratified in 1791. A right the founders made clear was not granted by government but endowed by our Creator.

The Coming Collision With the ATF

Time and again, the DOJ through its own agency the ATF has attempted to sidestep the Constitution through administrative rulemaking. Each time it has required years of litigation and millions of dollars to unwind those actions. It will be interesting to see what happens when the new Second Amendment Civil Rights section and the ATF inevitably collide. That will be a different fight and a different article.

Gun Owners as the Default Scapegoat

For far too long, gun owners have been turned into both the straw man and the boogeyman whenever violence is discussed. Societal collapse, failures in urban governance, family breakdown and mental health crises are routinely ignored in favor of blaming the tool instead of the causes. AAG Dhillon also pointed out something that rarely gets the attention it deserves. Firearms are an equalizer. They allow those who cannot physically defend themselves to protect their lives.

The Second Amendment Is Not a Second Class Right

This matters because the Second Amendment deserves the same protection as the other nine. Imagine if government agencies routinely blocked any of the others. There would be outrage and rightly so. The Second Amendment is not a second class right. It is not optional. It is not subject to emotional discomfort. It is fundamental.

A Rare Moment of Optimism at the Department of Justice

I do not know how this new section will ultimately be utilized or how aggressively it will be enforced. But for the first time in a long time, there is legitimate reason for optimism. It is a good day when the Department of Justice takes a visible step toward standing on the side of the citizen.

We could use a lot more of that.

Editorial Closing

The opinions expressed in this article are those of Sack Head Shaun and do not necessarily reflect the views of SHR Media.
Read more commentary at shrmedia.com and follow Shaun on X.

About the Author

Sack Head Shaun

Administrator

Want to Help Support? Visit Website View All Posts