Steven Seagal Named Board Member of CA Rifle and Pistol Association
OutdoorHub Reporters 12.22.15
Actor, martial artist, and businessman Steven Seagal has been appointed to the board of the California Rifle and Pistol Association (CRPA) as an honorary board member. Seagal, who is best known for his films such as Under Siege and as his martial arts career, is an avid supporter of gun rights and says he would continue to fight for pro-Second Amendment laws while on the board of the organization.
Seagal wrote in a letter addressed to the CRPA membership that California gun owners should be wary of “anti-self-defense politicians peddling feel-good-do-nothing laws” and political correctness.
“All my life I’ve had a profound appreciation for the freedoms that America offers,” Seagal wrote. “That includes the right to keep and bear arms. I have a unique perspective on this, given my experience with Eastern cultures and my law enforcement experience. I respect the fact that the Founders of this country strongly believed in, and many people over the years have died for, our freedoms. I’ve risked my own life countless times deploying for these principals. And that includes the freedom to choose to own a firearm to defend yourself or your family.”
The actor said that he was introduced to firearms at an early age when his father taught him how to hunt and shoot while growing up in Michigan. Later on, when he went to train in martial arts throughout Asia, Seagal said he noticed the distinct lack of gun ownership and the right to self-defense.
“I’ve lived all over Asia; the Philippines, Japan, China, Indonesia, Nepal, Tibet. I lived in Japan from my early youth until I was in my thirties. Those countries have very, very strict gun laws,” he wrote. “Normal people simply can’t have guns to protect their homes and their families. The cultures in those countries do not emphasize the individual or individual rights like we do, and that has a lot to do with their refusal to allow individuals to have guns. But despite their strict laws, these countries still have a large armed criminal element. All the bad guys, all the criminals, all the thugs, still have guns. Criminals will always be able to get guns and ammo on the black market. No law will stop that.”
Seagal went on to criticize California’s current gun laws, which he called “moronic and counterproductive” on a technical and logical perspective. California is often considered to be one of the toughest states on gun ownership, along with New York.
“In California the laws are so complicated and confusing that I have to consult a lawyer to try and figure out which guns are legal and which aren’t,” Seagal wrote. “Because the laws are not logical, they are not technically accurate, they don’t make sense. And to make it worse, they are always changing.”
Seagal joined other honorary board members such as champion shooters Chris Cheng and Kim Rhode. As an honorary board member, Seagal would advise the organization and assist with support-building functions. The actor owns a home in Los Angeles.
