Tiffany Johnson's speech to the United Nations on behalf of the Second Amendment Foundation. October 12, 2016.

1. UNITED NATIONS
ADDRESS
by Tiffany Johnson
on behalf of the Second Amendment Foundation
and the World Forum on Shooting Activities

2. OCTOBER 12, 2016
NEW YORK, NEW YORK

3. SMOOTH
TAKE-OFF
New York,
here I come!

4. SMOOTH
LANDING!
So far,
so good…

5. UH-OH!
Stuff’s gettin’ real…
The camera lady
could have at least
told me my jacket
lapels were
lopsided. Oh well.

6. COOL!!!

7. VERY COOL!!!

8. SUPER COOL!!!

9. HMM… NOT MY BEST PHOTO EVER…

10. MOMENT OF
TRUTH!LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED…

11. SPITTIN’ IN THE WIND AT THE UN
Mr. Chairman, my name is Tiffany Johnson. I would like
to share my personal journey with firearms. My first
exposure was in high school, when gunfire erupted at a
party, severely wounding my best friend. That same
friend was murdered with a handgun a few years later.
Guns became anathema to me. I hated them so much
that one day, I decided to take a gun class, primarily to
infiltrate the gun world and get to know my enemy.
¶1

12. SPITTIN’ IN THE WIND AT THE UN
But the journey took an unexpected turn. As I took
classes, heard personal stories, and gained new
perspectives, I realized that a firearm is just a tool. It is a
powerful tool that can be misused, but it’s a tool all the
same. Now, I am a firearms safety instructor, a handgun
permit holder, and a fervent advocate of the rights of
individuals to defend themselves.
¶2

13. SPITTIN’ IN THE WIND AT THE UN
Many say that protection is the government’s
job. But when governments are unable or
unwilling to do so, people still have a natural
right to self-defense. Even the best police force
cannot be everywhere, all the time. There is only
one person who can always act in my defense.
And that’s me.
¶3

14. The UN Charter declares that “everyone has the
right to life, liberty and security of person.” And
UN-supported policies have often deprived human
beings of the means — the tools — for actualizing
those rights. Innocent people all over the world are
left to defend themselves with bare hands, while
their abusive partners, their assailants, or even their
own governments can arm themselves with any
weapons they choose.
SPITTIN’ IN THE WIND AT THE UN
¶4

15. SPITTIN’ IN THE WIND AT THE UN
And often, these victims of violence are
women; they are people of modest means;
they have no political influence; they are
members of minority faiths and races.
¶5

16. I am here not only as a responsible gun owner, but
also as an attorney, a university teacher, and a black
woman who has suffered more than one gun-
related personal loss. I harbor no illusions about the
lethality of firearms. I support the global
community’s proactive efforts to stifle illicit violence.
But in so doing, we must not punish the innocent or
further weaken the already powerless. If we
summarily disarm the very populations that are
most vulnerable, then the “right to … security of
person” is only an empty slogan, not a reality.
SPITTIN’ IN THE WIND AT THE UN
¶6

17. MIC
DROP.
JUST KIDDING 
(But I was so nervous that I probably would
have dropped the microphone if it hadn’t
been attached to the table.)

18. The dude
sitting to my
left wasn’t
crazy about
my speech.

19. But I think
General
Youngman
was!

20. Can’t leave the UN without a proper coffee mug
to show for it!

21. THE END
I survived!
And (I hope) I didn’t even make a
complete fool of myself!
