I Think I Just Shit My Pants
Posted by Jimi on June 14, 2012
I apologize for the language in the title of this post, however, it clearly describes what I experienced when I got the mail today. In my mail was a flier documenting what the current session of my state congress has done, in it was a section titles “Protecting Firearm Ownership”. While this sounds nice and friendly, for those who cherish gun ownership, the contents of this section were rather frightening to me.
This bill prohibits a person acting on behalf or under the authority of the State or a political subdivision of the State from prohibiting or restricting the otherwise lawful possession, use, carrying, transfer, transportation, storage or display of a firearm or ammunition during a declared state of emergency. This bill also removes the power of the Governor to suspend or limit the sale, dispensing and transportation of firearms during a declared state of emergency.
The full text of this revised law can be read at L.D. 1859, however, this summary I quoted above does a very accurate job of relating what it is all about. To give a bit of background, we are under G.O.P/Tea Party rule in this state and our governor, Paul LePage, has made quite a few of the worst governor in the country lists. While this new freedom of firearms does not surprise me in the least, it is very frightening. Why?
Quite simply, the last thing we need during a declared State of Emergency is every Tom, Dick and Harry running around with their personal weapons getting up to all kinds of reckless behavior–think about the Stand Your Ground laws in a situation where local law enforcement was already very overwhelmed. While I am a supporter of private gun ownership, I also feel the laws should be more strict governing ownership. When it comes down to it, not everyone should be allowed to own a firearm, when the Second Amendment was drafted, as I have stated before, our current system of private gun information was not what the Founders intended.
I fully expect to get all kinds of hate and discontent for this post and I am ready for it. However, do yourself a favor and do some research before you attempt to participate in this argument. As a closing side-note, and I think both Daz and Justin will appreciate this sentiment, have you ever noticed how gun fanatics and religious zealots act the same way about their causes?
Related articles
- Governor Signs Bill Banning Gun Confiscation During State Of Emergency (libertarianreview.us)
- China: U.S. gun ownership is human-rights violation (wnd.com)
- Louisiana On Its Way To Passing Strongest Pro-Gun Law In U.S. (ibtimes.com)
Paul Phillips said
Very bizarre law. I’m not even really sure why it would be needed and what is really gained from passing it. I mean if there is a flood, are the police really going around and making sure people aren’t brandishing their weapons first before they do anything else in terms of helping people? There are times where pro-gun laws get passed where it appears they are just passed as something to rally gun-owners. It’s like they have no other bills to scrutinize so they just make something meaningless up and pass it so the politicians supporting it can have a victory. Just politics as usual I guess.
I also see your point about being a little frightened by the idea. It’s almost an encouragement to wave weapons around during a time of emergency and there is definitely no need for that when time is always of the essence when catastrophe strikes.
amandatheatheist said
It’s definitely an odd law that seem rather unnecessary. Do consider though, that a state of emergency could be just about anything – not just a natural disaster – and people who legally possess firearms don’t generally just go shooting people because they can. Lawmakers could just as easily have been thinking of protecting the second amendment during a time when the government wants absolute control of the citizenry as they could have been trying to get gun owners’ votes.
I wouldn’t worry too much about it if I were you.