Category Archives: Second Amendment

It saddens me to see the amount of gun violence in this country, and it is even worse to see there is nothing being done to stop it. After every shooting, we discuss the horrific event, and we mourn the victims, but when will anything change? Discussion about gun violence and the Second Amendment is great, but when will we take initiative?

Seeing news about shootings or acts of gun violence should never be something to which we become accustomed. These events will keep happening if the amendment is not questioned. I would rather see more regulation in the Second Amendment than feel unsafe everywhere I go. The Bill of Rights was written over 200 years ago, and maybe the Second Amendment was more applicable during that time. Currently, I feel that it's depriving me of my safety rather than giving me the ability to protect myself.

Carly Novell, Parkland

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Does the Second Amendment really keep us safe? | Letters - Sun Sentinel

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It is already legal to carry a handgun openly without a permit in Michigan. The situation is as it was in New Hampshire, where law-abiding citizens could carry their handguns openly without having to ask governments permission but were suddenly obligated to ask government before carrying if their jacket or sweatshirt hung down over the gun.

New Hampshire lawmakerspassed legislation abolishing their concealed carry permit requirement earlier this year and Gov. Chris Sununu (R) signed the bill on February 22. North Dakota followed suit and abolished their concealed permit requirement on March 24, 2017. Now Michigan lawmakers are pushing to make the same change.

The Detroit Free Press reports that Rep. Michele Hoitenga (R-Manton)a sponsor of the permitless carry billsuggested the only reason a permit exists is so the state government can collect fees for the exercise of natural rights.

Hoitenga said:

It is currently legal in the state of Michigan for a law-abiding person to openly carry a firearm on their person without any training classes, fees or state bureaucracy. It only becomes illegal when a person puts on a coat because the gun then becomes concealed. Our Second Amendment should not be used as a money grab for permit fees

Michigan Open Carry president Tom Lambert echoed Hoitenga, equating the fee for a concealed carry permit with a coat tax.

Presently, law-abiding Michigan residents have to pay about $100 to the state and take a class before being allowed to carry a concealed handgun for self-defense. This burdensome fee will be done away with if Hoitengas bill passes and is signed into law.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.

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Michigan House Considers Bill to Make 2nd Amendment Your ... - Breitbart News

One of my main criticisms of many in the gun rights community is that sometimes they act like anti-gunners. Name-calling. Mockery. Screaming. Unprofessionalism. Violence. These are the weapons of the left. Our main arsenal should only consist of the Constitution, the writings of the Founding Fathers, logic, reason, and respect.

Those who follow my Facebook.com/2ndAmendmentUSA page have seen me criticize inappropriate behavior and remove those using harsh profanities against others. I also get upset by irrational claims and outright lies that hurt the firearms community, but I always try to take a breath, collect my thoughts and reply respectfully with logic (The Liberal Bane Cocktail).

Believe it or not, merely acting in a calm professional manner will win more undecideds to our side than all the homicide statistics or constitutional arguments that you can quote.

Last week, the Second Amendment supporting community lost a huge advocate. Bob Owens, founder and editor of BearingArms.com took his own life. Many of his friends, fans and followers were shocked to hear the news. It appears that some on the left celebrated the tragedy.

Jake Tapper of CNN, tweeted For family and friends of @bob_owens so sorry for your loss. Horrible news. For an anchor at a liberal 24-hour news network, this was very professional and respectful. However, his simple thoughtful tweet drew the ire of some of his cohorts. Here are some of the mean-spirited tweets:

Yes Jake, this is indeed a terrible loss. (Followed by a link to a story where Ownes called Trayvon Martin a thug)

-@willmenaker (podcaster/blogger)

Youre making a lot of fun new white supremacists friends Jake! Great place to plant your flag.

-@jacobtierney79 (Writer and director)

When Mr. Tapper tried to stop the spiteful trend, it only got worse.

Jake is crying because were being mean to his dead racist friend

-@leyawn (Internet artist)

Mr. Tapper eventually relented the argument with I didnt know him. Im just an adult. Again, this didnt stop the attacks, insults or mockery.

It seems Jake Tapper may have gotten a small realization of the attitude and hatred of those with his political leanings. Hopefully, he has the guts to stand up to it and possibly even decry it to try to make a change, but its doubtful that will ever happen.

I do not want to give any indication that I think conservatism has won a convert in Jake Tapper. I merely wanted to use an example of why we should be professional and respectful in our demeanor when discussing gun rights with others. Any behavior that is on par with the disrespectfulness mentioned above will surely drive away people who may be on the fence about Second Amendment rights.

Our arguments should not even be arguments. They should be discussions or informative facts. Dont drive away potential converts or supporters by acting like a jerk. You will drive them straight into the arms of Every Town for Gun Safety.

The old saying goes that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. In your 2A advocacy, be sweet and smooth. Let the leftists be salty and bitter.

John Cylc is an eight year U.S. Army veteran. He is also a contributor to LifeZette. To read more of his reports Click Here Now.

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Acting Appropriately Is Key to Second Amendment Advocacy - Newsmax

Mec-Gar USA announced the introduction of its latest eight-round 1911 magazine, designed to offer support to Second Amendment organizations.

"We have always been strong supporters of the right of people to own and possess firearms," said David Larson, Mec-Gar USA national sales manager. "We are offering this magazine because we see the 1911 as America's gun and are donating a portion of the proceeds to ensure Second Amendment rights are protected."

The magazine is designed for .45 ACP-chambered guns only and features the full text of the Second Amendment engraved on the body of the magazine. The magazine is constructed using carbon steel and features heat treatment for added strength, as well as a blued finish to prevent corrosion.

The magazine spring is made using Type D music wire, and the magazine's construction is finished of with a polymer baseplate that is designed to withstand high-impact treatment. The baseplate is also easily removable for cleaning.

Mec-Gar is donating 10 percent of the profits from the sale of each of these Second Amendment 1911 pistol magazines to organizations that fight for the right to bear arms. The suggested retail price on the new magazines is $29.20.

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Mec-Gar Introduces Second Amendment 1911 Magazines - Shooting Illustrated (press release) (blog)

By Steve Kurtz, Georeen Tanner | Fox News

The Second Amendment is only 27 words, but Americans have used millions of words arguing over what it means. It guarantees the right of the people to keep and bear arms. But which people, what arms, and under what circumstances?

Two milestone cases involving the Second Amendment that reached the Supreme Court are District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), declaring an individual has a right to own a firearm, and McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010), affirming the Second Amendment applies to state law.

Now, if the Supreme Court decides to hear it, there may be a third major case in a decade: Peruta v. California.

At issue is the right to keep and bear arms outside the home. The Heller case specifically applies to situations within the home. Those who have petitioned the Supreme Court to hear the case are hoping the justices will see it as a logical extension of their earlier opinions.

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Second Amendment Case Peruta vs. California May Be Heading to ... - Fox News

There is no question that last year's election represented a significant victory for supporters of the Second Amendment and a defeat for those who want to limit our constitutional freedoms. The American people maintained pro-gun majorities in both the House and the Senate, elected a new president who believes in our God-given right to bear arms, and paved the way to protecting our freedoms before the Supreme Court. We're reminded, however, that there are still some in this country who believe the Second Amendment is for sale.

Despite our victories, it is more important than ever for the gun rights community to stand together.

After spending tens of millions of dollars in the 2016 election, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently announced he is spending at least another $25 million in the 2018 election cycle. Bloomberg has said that this influx of cash will be spent to prop up anti-gun candidates and attack those who stand up for the Second Amendment. This liberal billionaire and his rich friends are clearly undeterred by the repudiation of their agenda by voters last year and will continue to fund the fight against our freedoms.

The good news is that Americans with concealed carry permits are among the most engaged of citizens, who put a premium on protecting themselves, their families, and their communities. This is a group of diligent citizens we as a country should be grateful for, not targeting for the erosion of their right to self-defense.

This is also demographic that has jumped through the bureaucratic hoops in order to comply with the laws of their state and obtain a permit to carry their personal firearm with them in public. Fortunately, lawmakers in Congress are moving to streamline concealed carry permit requirements at the federal level, and make national reciprocity a reality. Currently, there is a patchwork of reciprocity policies throughout the country, with some states recognizing certain out of state permits, in addition to their own, but it is inconsistent and causes unnecessary confusion for gun owners.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., have introduced legislation that would allow concealed carry permits to be nationally recognized, giving gun owners the freedom to travel wherever they please without fear of being on the wrong side of the law. This legislation would allow anyone with a valid concealed carry permit to move freely from state to state without fear of being thrown into jail because their home state's permits aren't recognized elsewhere.

Yet, even though the 2018 elections are still far away Bloomberg and others who oppose the Second Amendment are determined to block these efforts and rollback our freedoms. Rights expressly written into the Constitution and granted by our Creator cannot be bought. There are approximately 14.5 million Americans who hold concealed carry permits, and they vote.

Spending $25 million to try to put anti-gun candidates into office is the same old political theater that everyday Americans are tired of watching. We have seen this show before, and voters will see this effort for what it truly is: efforts by the wealthy trying to make their personal opinion into public policy. At the U.S. Concealed Carry Association, we will continue to stand with all gun-rights supporters in opposing the efforts by Bloomberg and other anti-gun liberals and work together to protect our Constitutional freedoms.

Tim Schmidt (@TimUSCCA) is the president and founder of the U.S. Concealed Carry Association.

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The Second Amendment is not for sale, Michael Bloomberg - Washington Examiner

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The case,Thomas Pinner v. State,revolved around Pinners arrest after dropping a handgun while exiting a taxi outside a movie theater.The taxi driver claimed the sight of the gun made him fear he was going to be robbed.

The Indiana Supreme Courts (ISCs) opinion explains that Pinner is a black male who was with a black female. The opinion describes that officers Jason Palmer and George Stewart arrived at the movie theater to find Pinner sitting on a bench:

The officers approached the seated Pinner with Officer Palmer standing on one side and Officer Stewart was standing on the other side[.] Officer Palmer introduced himself and informed Pinner that they had received a call that someone of [his] description . . . has a handgun on him. Officer Palmer then asked Pinner if he possessed a weapon. Pinner paused for a few seconds during which he was kind of a little rocking back and forth [wringing] his hands. Although hesitant to answer, he denied having a weapon. Officer Palmer then instructed Pinner to stand up and keep his hands up where they could be seen; Pinner complied and Officer Palmer saw the butt of a gun in Pinners front pocket. Officer Palmer secured the weapon and detained Pinner for further investigation.

Pinner was subsequentlyarrested and charged with class A misdemeanor carrying a handgun without a license enhanced to a level 5 felony due to a prior felony conviction. During trial, he sought to suppress the discovery of the gun by contending the search and seizure were conducted in violation of both the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article 1, Section 11 of the Indiana Constitution. A trial court denied Pinners petition, and an Appeals Court handed down a divided opinion.

The ISC observed:

At the time the officers approached, Pinner was seated alone on a bench with a wall behind him. Both officers were in full uniform and stood in front of himone flanked on either side. Although nervous, Pinner made no furtive or suspicious movements, nor did he reach for the weapon; and he made no attempt to flee. The officers introduced themselves, immediately stated that they were searching for a man with a handgun, and asked whether Pinner was in possession of such a weapon. When Pinner answered negatively, Officer Palmer directed him to stand up and keep his hands up high. Assuming for the sake of argument that on these facts Pinner was free to disregard the questions and walk away, the encounter quickly shifted from a supposed consensual encounter to an investigative stop. And such a stop is permissible if, based upon specific, articulable facts, the officer has reasonable suspicion that criminal activity may be afoot.

The court added, Assuming without deciding the tip from the taxicab driver was reliable, the threshold question is whether the mere allegation that Pinner possessed a handgunwithout moreis sufficient to establish that Pinner [wa]s, or [wa]s about to be, engaged in criminal activity.' The court then ruled that the mere possession of a handgun was not sufficientto establish that Pinner was engaged in criminal activity.

ISC issued a conclusion thatmakes clear that the privacy protections of the Fourth Amendment cover those exercising Second Amendment rights, too. The opinion said, We conclude the evidence [against Pinner] was obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment and thus the trial court erred in denying the Defendants motion to suppress. We therefore reverse the judgment of the trial court and remand this cause for further proceedings.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.

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Indiana Supreme Court: 2nd Amendment Rights Protected by 4th Amendment - Breitbart News

EAST HELENA The Republican candidate for Montanas empty U.S. House seat took the opportunity to again voice his support for the Second Amendment on Thursday while standing next to President Donald J. Trumps son, who emphasized his love for hunting and fishing on his second trip to the state in less than a month.

Greg Gianforte, a Bozeman technology entrepreneur who lost a bid for governor last fall in his first foray into Montana politics, spoke with Donald Trump Jr. at the Kleffner Ranch in East Helena, the first of rallies statewide in Butte, Sidney and Great Falls.

Are we going to have somebody whos going to defend our way of life against federal overreach and and work with President Trump or are we going to have someone who falls in lockstep with Nancy Pelosi? Gianforte asked a crowd of about 300.

Gianforte is facing Democrat Rob Quist, a musician from Creston, and Libertarian Mark Wicks, an Inverness rancher, in a special election May 25. Montanas lone U.S. House seat is empty after Trump appointed Ryan Zinke Secretary of the Interior.

Both Trump Jr. and Gianforte encouraged people to return their ballots, which went out at the start of the month. The election, which will be on a Thursday, could hinge on voter turnout. Turnout for special elections is typically low and Republicans are concerned about Democratic momentum sparked by frustration with Trumps election last November.

In January about 10,000 participated in the Womens March in Helena, many holding signs objecting to Trump. Quists events around the state have brought in large crowds, even in more rural and Republican areas.

Youd better be voting because the other side is voting, Trump Jr. said. Theyre going crazy, theyre raising money from the coasts. Stay vigilant, stay active, vote before May 25.

Montana's Republican Attorney General Tim Fox also spoke, as did Chris Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association.

Near the end of Trump Jr.'s speech, a protester interrupted to ask about the presidents returns. Trump has not released his tax returns, something that has historically been done by presidential candidates and because an issue both during and after the election.

The man, Mark Girdler from Helena, was quickly escorted out of the barn where the rally was held. It was unclear if he was removed by supporters or volunteers.

At the end of April, several hundred turned out for rallies with Trump Jr. in Kalispell, Hamilton, Billings and Bozeman. Quist's campaign has said former presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, who bested Clinton in the June primary, will visit the state on behalf of Quist, though a date has not been announced.

Diane Mercier and Tracie Olson, both of Helena, came to the event Thursday in East Helena even though theyd both already cast their ballots for Gianforte. Mercier said she voted for Gianforte because of his conservative and Christian views.

I like his family values. And also because he is a businessman and knows all about how to build a business and create jobs.

Mercier said she is a lifelong conservative, but both she and Olson said they vote more on the candidate and issues rather than along party lines.

I look at the people at the issues, Olson said.

Both women were frustrated with advertising on each side of the campaign, saying television spots have turned negative instead of focusing on issues.

I do not like how theyre trying to make themselves look better, Olson said.

Mercier said shed rather see them talk about the issues than if somebody did or didnt pay loans. Thats good to know, but I want to hear more about the issues. Montana media has run several stories about Quist's 16-year trail of debt and financial troubles.

Several at the event said they dont know where to look for to find news that is accurate. Mercier said she looks to conservative news outlets and media, while Olson said she does not trust those.

When asked if Gianfortes efforts this election to align himself with Trump have swayed their opinions, the women paused.

Donald Trump as a person, hes brash. I do not like him as a person that you see on TV, Mercier said. But I really feel strongly there needs to be a shakeup in Washington, D.C., and hes trying to do what needs to be done.

She said she Congress has stood in the way of what Trump is trying to do.

Marie Bomar, also of Helena, was more supportive of Trumps presidency so far.

Hes certainly shaken up the world.

Helena resident Del Lonnquist said he feels like the Washington press and Washington elite Democrats are Carterizing Trump, saying at the start of former president Jimmy Carter's term in the White House the Washington press corps tried to paint him as a peanut farmer from Georgia and the same is happening now.

He couldnt tell his story, Lonnquist said. Of course he didnt have Twitter.

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2nd amendment, hunting and fishing highlight Trump Jr.'s visit to Montana - Billings Gazette

Seattle deputies carry rifles near the scene of a shooting in downtown Seattle, April 20, 2017. (AP/Elaine Thompson)

SEATTLE The Ninth Circuit seemed skeptical of Seattle police officers claims that a new use-of-force policy mandated by the Department of Justice violates their Second Amendment rights.

U.S. Circuit Judge N. Randy Smith told the officers attorney he didnt have much of an argument at a three-judge panel appellate hearing on Monday.

More than 100 officers sued to block the police reforms in 2014, saying the revised use-of-force policy unreasonably restricted them from defending themselves and violated their Second Amendment and Fourth Amendment rights.

The Seattle Police Department was placed under a consent decree in 2012 after an 11-month investigation by the DOJ found routine use of excessive force and civil rights violations. As part of the police departments settlement with the DOJ, it implemented new use-of-force policies that stress minimal reliance on physical force.

U.S. Chief District Judge Marsha Pechman dismissed the suit from the Western District of Washington in 2014, finding no case supports the officers novel theory that a police department policy outlining expectations for an officers use of force can burden conduct protected by the Second Amendment.

Pechman also said the officers grossly misconstrue Fourth Amendment law by claiming the use-of-force policy is a metaphorical seizure of their right to use force.

At Mondays hearing, the officers attorney, Athan Tramountanas, urged the panel to revive the case.

He said the new use-of-force policy is overly complicated and dangerously restrictive.

Tramountanas stuck with the argument that the new rule robs police of their Second Amendment right to self-defense.

You must abandon your reason, Tramountanas said in reference to the guidelines that now require officers to use de-escalation techniques before resorting to force.

The officers arent arguing for no policy, he said, just a policy thats reasonable.

They have to be able to defend themselves, he added.

City attorney Gregory Narver contended that the lower courts ruling was spot-on, and that this was not a Second Amendment case.

Hyperbole aside, this doesnt disarm the police, Narver said. He also argued the policy doesnt keep officers from defending themselves.

If the officers had real concerns about the use-of-force policy, they should have brought them before the federal judge overseeing the police reforms rather than asking an appellate panel to create a new fundamental constitutional right, Narver said.

The 126 officers, sergeants and detectives who filed the suit did so without union approval.

U.S. Circuit Judges Carlos Bea and U.S. District Judge William Hayes sitting by designation from the Southern District of California also sat on the panel.

Read the DOJ mandated use of force policy below:

http://www.mintpressnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Use_of_Force_Policy.pdf

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Seattle Cops Sue Over Police Reforms, Claiming They Violate Officers' Second Amendment Rights - Mintpress News (blog)

A conservative columnist who was suspended by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch after a pro-NRA piece talked to Charles Payne this morning on FBN.

Stacy Washington was suspended Friday over her column "Guns and the Media," and then she quit her position.

The paper's editor explained that, Her active promotional activities and professional association with the National Rifle Association represented an unacceptable conflict of interest in her most recent column, which resulted in our suspension of her work."

Washington's column was a response to a local op-ed in which the writer suggested the NRA is a greater threat to America than ISIS.

"The linkage is not only rife with improper context; it is false on its face," Washington wrote.

Washington said this morning she does not have a "professional affiliation" with the NRA. She said her op-ed was not a defense of the NRA, but more about a left-leaning newspaper publishing the ISIS vs. NRA comparison.

"You were fighting for the First and Second Amendments on this one," Payne noted.

Washington, a veteran, said she has always been open about her ownership of guns as an NRA member.

"Nothing in the column can be impugned by the fact that I may or not be a member of the NRA," she said.

Watch the discussion above.

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Pro-Second Amendment Columnist Suspended Over Piece Defending Gun Owners - Fox News Insider