For Once, Hillary Is Right

On June 19, 2014June 19, 2014 By Tom LindsayIn GeorgiaCarry, Gun Rights, NRA, Politics

In a recent CNN town hall meeting, Hillary Clinton, who looks more and more like the leading Democratic presidential candidate for 2016, said this about gun control:

“We cannot let a minority of people — and that’s what it is, it is a minority of people — hold a viewpoint that terrorizes the majority of people.”

When I read (and re-read) that, the image in my mind was the huge crowd outside the NRA convention in Indianapolis.

It was estimated at times to be as large as 30 protesters. This compared to the 75,267 NRA members and supporters inside.

Or the 5 people who showed up last August to protest the thousand inside the GeorgiaCarry convention.

Time and again, this numerical disparity is demonstrated. A minority of misinformed people ranting about

Background checks – we already must have them
Automatic weapons – already heavily regulated, unless you can manage to buy them in Mexico from the BATF.
Gun Show loopholes – which don’t exist

Yes, for once, I agree with Her Majesty. It’s time for the minority to shut the hell up.

School Carry Quietly Enacted in Georgia

On April 30, 2014December 29, 2015 By Tom LindsayIn CCW, Concealed Carry, GeorgiaCarry, Gun Rights, Politics, Self Defense2 Comments

Of late, the whole world, it seems, has been all aflurry about the “Guns Everywhere” bill in Georgia, HB60, recently signed by Governor Nathan Deal. This bill allows lawful Georgia Weapons Carry License holders to carry guns in bars, churches (with the permission of the church leadership), and in the unsecured parts of government buildings. The anti-gun factions have been most vocal, claiming as usual that this will lead to Blood In The Streets and a Return To The Wild West.

Of course, Georgia is not the first state to allow carry in these locations, and none of the other states have had any increase in gun usage in these locations. In fact, a study by the Richmond Times Dispatch showed a 5.2 percent decrease in crime involving firearms in bars in the state of Virginia in the first year following enactment of that state’s bar carry law. I would encourage a news outlet in Georgia to investigate HB60’s effects and report on it in July 2015. But, in the meantime, I will continue to breathe normally.

One of the places that “Everywhere” does not include in HB60, however, are schools. School carry was eliminated from the bill early on, because it created so much controversy.

So it comes as a surprise (to me at least) that there was another bill, HB826 (coincidentally sponsored by my State Senator, Lindsey Tippins), signed by Governor Deal yesterday. This bill changes how guns are treated in school zones, and it lists the people who are exempt from being considered in violation of the law. Exemption 6 says:

A person who is licensed in accordance with Code Section 16-11-129 or issued a permit pursuant to Code Section 43-38-10, when he or she is within a school safety zone or on a bus or other transportation furnished by a school or a person who is licensed in accordance with Code Section 16-11-129 or issued a permit pursuant to Code Section 43-38-10 when he or she has any firearm legally kept within a vehicle when such vehicle is parked within a school safety zone or is in transit through a designated school safety zone;

This changes the old law which only exempted GWCL holders who were in a school parking lot picking someone up. Note that GWCL holders are now exempted everywhere “within a school safety zone.” And, just to make it clear, another part of the law says

‘School safety zone’ means in or on any real property or building owned by or leased to any school or postsecondary institution.

So, this law, which goes into effect July 1, legalizes campus carry in Georgia.

Like most people, I was surprised and caught unaware that this was in the offing. But I am glad to see it.

However, I am cautious of how this will be received. I think my feelings are best echoed by Jerry Henry, the Executive Director of GeogiaCarry.org, who said in an email to members

What this means for you is that, according to GeorgiaCarry.Org, beginning on July 1 it will be legal to carry a weapon on school grounds. There is, however, some debate about the new law, with some in law enforcement and schools claiming that the new law must mean something else. As a result, GeorgiaCarry.Org asks its members to exercise common sense when carrying on school grounds so as to avoid bad publicity with respect to the hypersensitivity likely to be displayed towards a weapon in the school environment. This will have the added benefit of giving the legislature no good or valid reason to re-criminalize weapons in school when the General Assembly meets again.

Lacking any stupid person flaunting a gun needlessly at some school event, we should be on our way to better protecting our children.

Thank you, Governor Deal, Lindsey Tippins, and the Georgia Legislature!

Keep Calm and Ignore the U.N.

On June 5, 2013 By Tom LindsayIn Gun Rights, NRA, Politics, RKBA, United Nations

As I have written of before, a couple of times, in fact, the anti-gun factions in the United States have come to realize that they have no chance of achieving their universal dream of total confiscation of guns. So, they have turned to another tactic, namely, scaring lawful gun owners with the threat of armed hordes of foreign troops in the streets. Namely, the United States has signed the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. If you want to know what that does, go read it. I won’t defoul my blog with it’s drivel.

For the good of the Republic, let me reiterate why even this won’t work.

First, the Constitution is the law of the land, despite any treaties signed, even if they are ratified by the Senate. When the treaties violate the Constitution, they are null and void, and attempting to enforce them is a violation of just about everyone’s oath of office.
Second, since any treaty requires ratification by the Senate, consisting of a 2/3 vote – that’s 67 Senators – this treaty has no chance of passing. If Feinstein couldn’t get 60 Senators to ban magazines over 10 rounds, they won’t get 67 on anything pertaining to gun control.
Third, Executive Orders do not have the force of law, except to enforce laws that have already been passed by Congress. So forget that route, too.
Fourth, Calm The Hell Down. Remain vigilant. Smile and nod when the anti-gunners wax poetic on this fiasco. At least it keeps them occupied. But don’t engage them, just let them think they’ve got something, and then let them swing in the breeze.

As you were.

Why It’s A Good Idea For The Senate To Vote On The Gun Control Bill

On April 11, 2013 By Tom LindsayIn Gun Rights, Politics16 Comments

Okay, this is as political as I am ever going to get in this blog.

I think it’s a good idea to let the new gun control bill come to the floor of the Senate, to be debated and voted on. Here are my reasons.

In the debates all the senators who speak will be on the record about where they stand, and all the senators’ votes will be on record. Then we can vote accordingly the next election.
People like Diane Feinstein and Chuck Schumer will get a spotlight to say something really ignorant and stupid, which can be replayed at our leisure for the rest of time.
The anti-gun faction will finally get a chance to say things that, if enacted, would violate the Second Amendment, and probably other parts of the Constitution as well.
Eventually, the bill will be voted down. In this I have no doubt.
The anti-gun faction will not be able to claim that they never got their chance to make their point or be heard. In fact, their illogical and unconstitutional points will be part of the public record.
The anti-gun faction will blame the NRA, (which will be true, especially when you consider all the NRA members who are swamping their senators right now) and the NRA’s membership will grow even more.

My two senators, Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, are both on record saying they think this bill violates the Second Amendment, and will vote against it on the floor, but they voted for cloture to let that happen.

If we don’t give this bad bill it’s day, the anti-gun faction will just whine and complain, and it will be televised and marketed by their media friends, and we will be back in this situation again.

I’m willing to let the system do what it is designed to do.