Last night, the Colorado State Legislature heard eight hours of testimony on legislation to roll back the over-the-top gun control bills that East Coast Democrats imposed on Colorado in 2013, including the Magban, which limited the legal capacity of a magazine to 15 rounds. Lily Tang Williams testified that she immigrated to the United States when she was 24 to escape communist rule in China. Her powerful speech told of how Chinese police could knock on your door and enter your home without warning, and how the people of China felt powerless to defend themselves.
She accurately noted that only law-abiding citizens were subject to magazine round limits:
“Why do you limit our fire arms only have 15 round magazines? Do the criminals limit theirs? Does the government limit theirs? If we use our guns primarily for self defense, I need as many magazines as needed to defend my family and myself because I am a bad shot. It seems not fair at all to limit law abiding citizens’ ability for self defense.”
The remainder of her speech was an incredible testament to the importance of gun rights in Colorado – and in the United States. Watch it below. The audio is not great, so we’ve also pasted a transcript of her testimony.
Her testimony:
My name is Lily Tang Williams, State Director of Our America Initiative, a non-profit grassroots organization. I am here to represent the organization and myself to strongly support HB15-1009 Repeal Large Ammo Magazine Ban.
I was born and grew up in People’s Republic of China, where the Communist Party rules everything. Chinese citizens are not allowed to have any guns ever since the Communist party took over in 1949. So, Chinese people are left helpless when they need to defend themselves. I grew up with fear like millions of other children. Fear police will pound our doors at night for no good reason (search warrant is not necessary for them to do that), fear bad guys will come to rob us (there were crimes in our poor neighborhood), fear my parents and brothers would get hurt and taken away. I have seen local people who defend themselves with kitchen knives, rocks, glass bottles and sticks against criminals. But when it comes to dealing with the Chinese government and police brutality, there is nothing we could do. Remember June 4th Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989? Our own soldiers, ordered by the top leaders in Beijing, killed thousands of students. Even though the local residents were supporting students, but they had no ways to help them. Some Beijing residents begged for the tanks to stop but they did not. What if the residents and students had guns? What if there was militia in China that time? What if the citizens had unlimited magazines? The history might have been different. (the Peak emphasis)
Why do you limit our fire arms only have 15 round magazines? Do the criminals limit theirs? Does the government limit theirs? If we use our guns primarily for self defense, I need as many magazines as needed to defend my family and myself because I am a bad shot. It seems not fair at all to limit law abiding citizens’ ability for self defense. What if the shop owners only could fire 15 times during the famous LA riot? What if the home owners ran out of the bullets during the looting after the Hurricane Katrina? What happens to the ranchers near the border have to face a big group of drug cartels who threat them? How about the famous cases of our government gone wild: Ruby Ridge, Waco Texas, Athens Tennessee – a small town in the U.S.A at the end of the World War Two, where the local dictators wanted to highjack the election results with their guns, local residents organized and armed themselves to take their town back.
I came to the U.S. for freedom, including the freedom granted by the 2nd amendment: the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. When I held my own gun for the first time in my life in this country, I felt empowered and for the first time, I felt free.
If the Communist government took my gun rights away, why are you limiting my gun rights in Colorado? Are you becoming communists? I hope not. I lived under tyranny for 24 years, I do not want to ever live under it again.
Please vote as if the constitution actually means something, because it does! Didn’t you swear that you would uphold the U.S Constitution and Colorado Constitution when you became a house representative? I urge you to vote yes on HB15-1009 Repeal Large Ammo Magazine Ban. Making our beautiful state free again. Thank you.
As a fellow immigrant, I stand by you! Thank you for defending our rights and love for this land.
Thank you for taking the correct stand, not only by the constitution, but the morally correct stand in the spirit in which our founders limits on government were enumerated in the Bill of Rights.
Here here!
Thank you so much for your testimony. My fiance, also grew up in Mao's China, and has similar tales and feelings. You ARE the very heart and soul of what America is all about. Bless you and your family forever! I pray that Colorado hears you… as does the rest of the country. Our 2nd Amendment rights have been infringed and need to be utterly, and completely restored!
Thank you, Lily, for your honest testimony and for reminding our state law makers of what their authority is under the Constitution. People MUST understand that the first clause of the 2A is, actually, even more important than the second clause. The reason the Founding Fathers wrote the part of a "well-armed militia" was so that the people of each state would have a way to defend themselves against a standing army. We were robbed of this, fundamental, right when they gave us the Dick Act of 1903 and created the National Guard. So, in addition to all of the wonderful things you stated in your testimony, we all need to fight to regain our state militia, under the Constitution (it must be done, legally, not just a group of people in the hills forming what they call militias). You should watch the videos from Dr. Edwin Vieira or read his long books on the subject. It's fascinating stuff.
I can't thank you enough for having the courage to stand up for our rights and for the Constitution. I wish we had more American citizens who were as concerned as you and then maybe we wouldn't be in such a mess.
God Bless.
Thank you for your testimony before the Colorado State Legislature. It was clear, concise, and very moving! Many of us U.S. citizens have never had a totalitarian rule in our lifetimes, and it was sure refreshing to hear from someone who grew up in one. I hope the State Legislature took your words to heart!
t is what the anti gun people want for us
Excellent speech!!
Great job. These so called leaders needs thrown out on their head if they don't uphold the othes they took.
Thank you Lily, most Americans are not even aware of the fact that the founding fathers said the most important reason for the second amendment was to defend ourselves from our government and to throw them out by force if necessary. Your example of oppression at the hands of the Chinese Govt for which you had no recourse is exactly why we must always keep and bear arms. Larry Mudgett
greagj it was sarcasm, dude. as in, I get it. but a new anti-gun mom's group will now be formed…
I don't think Hatcher has ever spent any time out side the USA. Live for a while away from the protections of our Constitution. I promise you will feel the difference.
If only we had more immigrants to our nation who came because they loved liberty and wanted freedom instead of a handout this would be a far better place. Thank you for standing up and saying that. Sadly, we are becoming communists. Many Americans who have not known the ravages of the total state, think it's just fine and peachy. I fear we may all get what they want good and hard. Until then keep fighting it back at every opportunity.
Moms against Legally immigrated Chinese who like Guns.
Well said, thank you for such a fine effort. The legislators in Colorado have never been able to justify how a mag limit will solve any problems, nor have they been able to prove the justification for violating the second amendment. In my book that's official oppression at a minimum, and most likely treasonous. They should be run out of town!
First and foremost, I just want to thank you as a fellow citizen of these United States for caring enough and being courageous enough to take the time to stand in front of the legislature and defend your Rights! Kudos to you! There are a lot of native born Americans who don't care enough to do that, of course many Americans take their Freedoms and Liberties for granted because they've never had to live under a tyrannical regime like you did. I only have one criticism: That being, I don't know if it was a good idea to use the fact that you are a bad shot as a reason for why you should have MORE bullets…..Hahahaa…. Seriously though, thanks again!!!! We need more American patriots like you!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this. There were not many people left when I testified around 8pm. Hope more people will share and spread my message.
Wow!
Well put. I only hope lawmakers listen to what she said and not what they think she said.
Bold is OK.
Underline is OK.
Both at the same time is NOT.