Fellow Conservative,
Yesterday, a Federal Judge once again ruled that Washington DC’s concealed carry permit process was unconstitutional.
For a little background, the District of Columbia is one of a few ‘states’ that have a may-issue concealed carry permitting schemes. That means that the government has the ultimate say over whether you should be allowed to carry a gun. This latest ruling has determined, once again, that this may-issue standard is unconstitutional.
In Washington DC, applicants are forced to prove they have a “good reason” to carry a gun. In New Jersey, another may-issue state, this standard is known as “justifiable need.” New York has a “good cause” requirement. Maryland requires residents to prove a “good and substantial reason” to exercise a Constitutional right.
The logic behind this ruling is simple: If the 2nd Amendment protects an individual’s right to keep and bear (carry) arms, then a state cannot force someone to come up with a “good reason” to be allowed to bear a firearm.
Here at Conservative-Daily, we’ve said all along that it is the Bill of Rights and not the Bill of Needs.
There would be riots in the streets if the government forced citizens to show a “good reason” to be allowed to vote or to protest against the government. No prosecutor would get away with forcing a defendant to show a “good reason” to receive a speedy trial before a jury of their peers.
Honestly, could you imagine?
“We’d be happy to let you worship your religion, but please fill out this form detailing why you need to pray…”
or
“The Judge is going to issue his final ruling. If you can come up with a ‘good reason’ for why you need a trial before a jury of your peers, please speak now.”
Here’s the hard truth: More than 26% of all Americans are not allowed to carry a firearm for self-defense in their home states.
Now is the time.
Right now, there are almost a dozen different concealed carry reciprocity bills in the House and the Senate right now. Between them, there are HUNDREDS of co-sponsors.
These pieces of legislation would make concealed weapons permits valid across state lines, similar to the way driver’s licenses are.
Every state has a different driving test and different driving laws. But that doesn’t mean that someone who learns to drive in New York, for example, can’t drive in Texas (or vice versa). Everyone accepts that there are certain fundamentals to driving that transcend state lines.
The same is true for armed self-defense.
That is what this legislation does. The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act acknowledges that states have the right to set their own self-defense laws and it puts the responsibility on the gun owner to learn those laws. But it stops states like New Jersey, New York, or California from restricting the 2nd Amendment rights of licensed visitors.
This will have a ripple effect. If California, for example, is forced to accept concealed carry permits from other states, it becomes a whole lot harder for them to justify disarming their own citizens.
The Second Amendment doesn’t end at your front door, nor does it end at the state line. The right to bear arms applies nationwide.
This court ruling is our chance. For the second time in two years, a Federal judge has ruled that it is unconstitutional to force gun owners to prove a good reason to be allowed to carry in public.
We have a chance to kill this anti-gun policy for good but we need to strike now!
We can’t leave this to the courts. With Justice Scalia’s passing, the votes aren’t there to overturn these gun bans at the Supreme Court level. The anti-gun judge that Obama is trying to put on the Supreme Court currently sits on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, which will hear this case next.
The only way to push this ruling nationwide is through Congressional action!
If you live in a state that respects your right to carry, then I implore you to FaxBlast Congress now and help extend that right to the 82 million Americans (26% of the population) whose rights are being denied.
If you live in one of these Liberal states behind the gun control iron curtain, send this to your friends and DEMAND that Congress pass national CCW reciprocity!
Law-abiding Americans have a right to carry firearms for self-defense. Period.
Sincerely,
Joe Otto
Conservative Daily
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