"That the citizens of this State have
a right to keep and to bear arms for their common defense; but the
Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms
with a view to prevent crime." - Tennessee
Constitution, Article I - Declaration of Rights, Section 26
Who We Are - The
Tennessee Firearms Association is a Tennessee not
for profit corporation formed to promote the right to keep and bear
arms and to educate the citizenry on the responsible use, ownership and
carrying of firearms.
"The right of self-defense
is the first law of nature; in most governments it
has been the study of rulers to confine this right
within the narrowest possible limits... and [when]
the right of the people to keep and bear arms is,
under any color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited,
liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink
of destruction."--
St. George Tucker
What We Stand For - The Tennessee Firearms Association
holds that every American is endowed with certain unalienable
rights, granted to us by our Creator, and made our birthright by
the sacrifices of the men and women who founded this state and country.
The right to keep and bear arms is one of those unalienable rights;
one that our government has no authority to infringe or take away.
Our Mission - The Tennessee Firearms Association
is dedicated to defending the right to keep and bear arms and promoting
the responsible use, ownership and carrying of firearms.
Why You Should Join the TFA - The TFA is only
full-time organization supporting the right to keep, bear and wear arms
for Tennesseeans. The TFA has an experienced legislative team that works
with the General Assembly and the government of Tennessee to restore
and secure our rights. Our presence in the capital works for you. Click
here to learn more about our legislative efforts.
Membership Benefits - The Tennessee Firearms
Association, Inc., provides a number of benefits to its members. Click
here to see the Membership Benefits.
Becoming A Member - If you are interested in
preserving the right to keep and bear arms, then join the TFA by purchasing
your membership online via our secure server or by sending in a
completed membership
application form with your payment.
We look forward to having you join us in the struggle to keep liberty
alive in Tennessee and in the United States.
How to Contact Us - If you want to communicate
with the TFA click
here. We would be happy to hear from you.
John Harris
Executive Director
Just a thought.... For
the price of a couple of boxes of ammo, you can join the TFA and make
a lasting contribution to the cause of preserving the right to keep
and bear arms in Tennessee. Join now
and give the TFA the ammunition we need to win this battle!
TFA-Legislative
Action Committee
Legislative Action Committee Overview - Find out how the TFA's Legislative Action Committee works
to persuade legislators and government leaders to protect your right
to keep and bear arms.
TFA's
Index of Legislative Updates - Find out the TFA's position on the
legislative issues in the General Assembly. Includes an
annotated listing on legislation that effects your right to keep and
bear arms.
TFA-LAC E-mail Alerts
The TFA-LAC monitors the status of legislation in the Tennessee General
Assembly. In addition, it monitors events that will be of interest to
the TFA' membership. The TFA-LAC prepares and distributes these summaries
for its membership and other interested individuals through free e-mail
updates. This service is available to nonmembers.
Right to Keep and Bear Arms Offender Registry
This registry is devoted to providing information about Tennessee legislators
who, by their own actions and statements, are not considered to be supporters
of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article
I Section 26 of the Tennessee Constitution; the rights of the citizens
of the State of Tennessee to Keep, Bear and Wear arms. Click
here to see who's on the list.
Tennessee
General Assembly - The Tennessee General Assembly meets in Nashville
each year beginning at noon on the second Tuesday of January. Each
General Assembly meets 90 session days over a two-year period. Generally,
legislative sessions last from mid-January through late April or
May of each year.
Civilian
Marksmanship Program (CMP) - The CMP
promotes firearms safety training and rifle practice for all qualified
U.S. citizens with special emphasis on youth.
The
Founders Documents - Important documents that provide valuable
insight into the formularizing process of the founding of this
country.
Anti-Federalist
Papers - The arguments of those who disfavored the adoption
of the current Constitution, representing it as a danger to the
liberties of the people.
Federalist
Papers - The arguments of those who championed, and succeeded
in bringing to life, a stronger central government to replace
the Confederacy of the United States. Of particular interest is
Federalist
Paper #46, on The Advantage of Being Armed.
United
States Constitution - The authorizing document of our current
federal government. Provided for dramatically more power for the
central government. In spite of the increased power of the federal
government, the Constitution was intended to be a check on unbridled
power of the federal government.
Bill
of Rights - The Bill of Rights was agreed to and implemented
in response to the complaints of opponents of the new Constitution,
since they viewed it as granting too much power to the federal
government.
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...
disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit
crimes... Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better
for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent
homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence
than an armed man." -- Jefferson's "Commonplace Book,"
"The constitutions of most of our States
assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is
their right and duty to be at all times armed." --Thomas
Jefferson to John Cartwright, 1824.
"...to disarm the people is the best and
most effective way to enslave them..." -- George Mason
"Congress have no power to disarm the
militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the
soldier, are the birthright of an American... The unlimited power
of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state
governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in
the hands of the people." Tench Coxe, Pennsylvania Gazette,
Feb. 20, 1788.
"To preserve liberty, it is essential
that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be
taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." -
Richard Henry Lee
"It is clear from the words of the founders
of this country that the right to 'keep and bear arms' is an inviolable
personal right. They protected this right by the Second
Amendment to the federal constitution and by provisions of the
constitutions of the states. This is a subject for debate only
by those ignorant of our history, or those that purposely wish
to deny us our rights and, ultimately, to subjugate us under the
tyranny of government perverted from its constitutional
foundations." - Rich Mason
