The frontman for American metalcore band, All That Remains, who last visited Australia as part of Soundwave 2011, has spoken out defending his right to keep and bear arms.
Philip Labonte, vocalist for All That Remains, has submitted an opinion editorial to Alternative Press describing both his and the American people’s right to own and bear weapons in the wake of the horrific shooting at a movie premiere of The Dark Knight Rises that left 12 people dead and 58 others injured.
Though Labonte wrote the piece before Aurora, Colorado massacre, the singer has simply tweaked his column without changing his fundamental position on gun ownership. Despite the bad timing, Labonte takes the unpopular stance, articulating a defense based on the Second Amendment in the United States Constitution. Which reads: “a well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
As Alternative Press notes, “whenever there’s a shooting of this scale, the ongoing debate over gun control comes back into the national spotlight,” and Labonte believes that amid that discussion, the words of the 1791 part of the Bill of Rights is key to the defence of the continued rights of gun owners, yet he doesn’t just say that Americans should have the right to guns, but the rights to own military weapons.
Stating “I believe that naything U.S. military or a contractor to the federal government can own, a private individual should also be able to own.” Indicating that proof of identification (“tax stamp, fingerprints or paperwork”) to purchase firearms (“short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun, silencer”) is a violation of the Second Amendment.
Labonte writes that the framers of the Constitution, “believed that a free people had the right and responsibility to secure their own safety, property and liberty,” but the singer is referring to a bill that was written over two hundred years ago. Labonte continues to write, “it is clear that people who would seek to outlaw all guns are a tiny minority, and the overwhelming population believes as the Supreme Court has decided, that individuals have a right to carry a firearm for self-defense.”
The national (and even international) climate after the Colorado gun massacre would disagree, according to a 2011 poll, the majority of Americans disagree with Labonte on the issue.
While a Time magazine poll taken earlier that same year about gun rights and ownership found 62% agreed that the federal government should ban the sale of semi-automatic assault weapons. Labonte’s stance is particularly controversial given recent events
Yet, the All That Remains frontman remains stoic.but he’s been a stalwart supporter of gun ownership over the years, often photographed wearing clothing with the words of the Second Amendment emblazoned upon them.
Much like fellow patriotic rocker, Ted Nugent – who earlier this year was charged with the illegal shooting of a bear – the All That Remains frontman has remained a stalwart supporter of gun ownership over the years, often photographed wearing clothing with the words of the Second Amendment emblazoned upon them.
In related news, All That Remains are currently on tour in America through August and September; and as for a possible return to Soundwave for the music festival’s 2013 leg? Well… after Corey Taylor let slip that Stone Sour were confirmed for the heavy music event yesterday, and the continual leaks of the lineup, we wouldn’t be too surprised if All That Remains were announced as part of the bill, due in a matter of weeks. Just don’t expect a 21 gun salute in celebration.
