Judge blocks release of blueprints for 3D-printed guns
A federal judge on Tuesday stopped the release of blueprints to make untraceable and undetectable 3D-printed plastic guns as President Donald Trump questioned whether his administration should have agreed to allow the plans to be posted online. The company behind the plans, Austin, Texas-based Defense Distributed, had reached a settlement with the federal government in June allowing it to make the plans for the guns available for download on Wednesday. The restraining order from U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik in Seattle puts that plan on hold for now. “There is a possibility of irreparable harm because of the way these guns can be made,” he said. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson called the ruling “a complete, total victory.” “We were asking for a nationwide temporary restraining order putting a halt to this outrageous decision by the federal government to allow these 3D downloadable guns to be available around our country and around the world. He granted that relief,” Ferguson said at a news conference after the hearing. “That is significant.” Eight Democratic attorneys general had filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to block the settlement. They also sought the restraining order, arguing the 3D guns would be a safety risk. Congressional Democrats have urged President Donald Trump to reverse the decision to publish the plans. At a news conference Tuesday, Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal said that if Trump does not block sale, “Blood is going to be on his hands.” Trump said Tuesday that he’s “looking into” the idea, saying making 3D plastic guns available to the public “doesn’t seem to make much sense!” Trump tweeted that he has already spoken with the National Rifle Association about the downloadable directions a Texas company wants to provide for people to make 3D-printed guns. The guns are made of a hard plastic and are simple to assemble, easy to conceal and difficult to trace. “We don’t agree with President Trump very much,” Washington state Assistant Attorney General Jeff Rupert told Lasnik, “but when he tweeted ‘this doesn’t make much sense,’ that’s something we agree with.” After a yearslong court battle, the State Department in late June settled the case against Defense Distributed. The settlement, which took gun-control advocates by surprise, allowed the company to resume posting blueprints for the hard-plastic guns at the end of July. Those plans were put on hold by the Seattle judge’s decision. During the hearing in Seattle, Eric Soskin, a lawyer for the U.S. Justice Department, said they reached the settlement to allow the company to post the material online because the regulations were designed to restrict weapons that could be used in war, and the online guns were no different from the weapons that could be bought in a store. Since the weapons “did not create a military advantage,” he told the judge, “how could the government justify regulating the data?” But Rupert said a restraining order would keep the plans away from people who have learned about the technology and want to use it to get around gun laws. Hours before the restraining order was issued, Democrats sounded the alarm, warning about “ghost guns” that can avoid detection and pose a deadly hazard. The company’s website had said downloads would begin Wednesday, but blueprints for at least one gun — a plastic pistol called the Liberator — have been posted on the site since Friday. A lawyer for the company said he didn’t know how many blueprints had been downloaded since then. Outrage over the administration decision is putting gun control back into the election-year political debate, but with a high-tech twist. The president seemed to express surprise. He said on Twitter he was looking into the idea of a company providing plans to the public for printing guns, and he said it “doesn’t seem to make much sense!” Democrats agreed and said Trump had the power to stop it. Some Republicans also expressed concern. “Even as a strong supporter of the Second Amendment — this is not right,” Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski tweeted, linking to a news story on the guns. The NRA said in a statement that “anti-gun politicians” and some members of the news media wrongly claim that 3D printing technology “will allow for the production and widespread proliferation of undetectable plastic firearms.” In truth, “undetectable plastic guns have been illegal for 30 years,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRA’s political arm. A federal law passed in 1988 — crafted with NRA support — bars the manufacture, sale or possession of an undetectable firearm. Trump spokesman Hogan Gidley made much the same point, saying the administration supports the law against wholly plastic guns, including those made with a 3D printer. But Democrats called the law weak and said gun users can get around it by using weapons with a removable metal block that the gun doesn’t need in order to function. Democrats filed legislation that would prohibit the publication of a digital file online that allows a 3D printer to manufacture a firearm. Democrats also filed a separate bill to require that all guns have at least one non-removable component made of metal so they can be discovered by metal detectors. People can use the blueprints to manufacture plastic guns using a 3D printer. But industry experts have expressed doubts that criminals would go to the trouble, since the printers needed to make the guns can cost thousands of dollars, the guns themselves tend to disintegrate quickly and traditional firearms are easy to come by. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Kay Ivey draws contrast between her stance on gun rights and Walt Maddox’s
Republican, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey may be dodging debates with her Democratic, gubernatorial opponent, Walt Maddox, but she’s certainly not missing the opportunity to draw a stark contrast between their policy positions. On Monday, Ivey’s campaign sent a new release doing just that to their positions on gun control. Ivey pointed out that on Friday, when asked about his position on the Second Amendment, Maddox pointed to his endorsement by a gun control group that also endorsed Hillary Clinton, Moms Demand Action. The Michael Bloomberg funded group is the largest grassroots movement working to reduce gun violence. Ivey went on to further hammer-down Maddox’s long history of supporting gun control, detailing that his anti-gun measures first became evident in 2007 when he banned Tuscaloosa city employees from carrying a gun to work, even in their car. He expanded the ban in 2010 with an executive order that prohibited citizens from carrying a gun on any city property. Ivey explained that the policy was “so extreme” Alabama’s Attorney General was forced to step in repeatedly to protect the Second Amendment in the face of Maddox’s gun ban. In the Democratic Gubernatorial primary, Maddox admitted he supports removing existing constitutional rights from Alabamians if the “restraint” of these rights helps other. Ivey vs Maddox Arming teachers Ivey: “All options are on the table to keep Alabama’s children safe.” Maddox: “Arming teachers or administrators should be a big issue in the campaign for everybody who is concerned that adding more guns in schools – arming people who do not receive the rigorous training and certifications of law enforcement officers – will only make the situation more dangerous. The mothers I’ve spoken with across this state are passionately against the idea of putting more guns in their children’s schools.” NRA endorsement Ivey: Endorsed by the NRA. Maddox: Not endorsed by the NRA.
Parkland students to make bus tour to register young voters
A day after graduating, a group of Florida high school shooting survivors announced they’ll spend their summer crisscrossing the country, expanding their grass-roots activism from rallies and schools walkouts to registering young voters to help accomplish their vision for stricter gun laws. David Hogg, Emma Gonzalez, Cameron Kasky, Jaclyn Corin and about two dozen other students who have become the faces and voices of bloodshed in American classrooms stood together Monday in matching black “Road to Change” T-shirts, holding placards at a park just down the street from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School where 17 were killed on Valentine’s Day. In the months since the shooting, the students have rallied hundreds of thousands across the country to march for gun reform, including a massive turnout in Washington, D.C., in March. But the young activists say rallies won’t matter unless that energy is funneled into voting out lawmakers beholden to the National Rifle Association this November. “This generation is the generation of students you will be reading about next in the textbooks. … These are students who are changing the game,” Kasky said. “It’s not just my friends and I from Stoneman Douglas High School. We are part of something so much greater. Students from all over the country are beginning to get up, rally, move in the right direction and realize just how important it is to exercise our freedom.” He cited dismal statistics noting voter turnout in the last midterm elections was the lowest since World War II. That’s why the students are planning more than 25 stops in a two-month nationwide tour hitting Iowa, Texas, California, South Carolina, Connecticut and others, targeting communities rocked by gun violence or where lawmakers supported by the NRA are running for office. Kasky said they’re focusing on the 4 million people turning 18 this year. “Voting has so often become a chore to people; people have so often shrugged it off as something that’s not important,” he said. Hogg helped organize a massive voter registration drive last week at 1,000 schools in 46 states. He and other students are advocating for tighter regulations on guns, including universal background checks and training for people who own AR-15s and similar semi-automatic rifles. The students said they are funding the tour through donations but declined to say how much they’ve raised. March For Our Lives received heavy financial and publicity support from celebrities including Oprah Winfrey and George Clooney. They’re also backed by a tightknit, wealthy community where parents and residents have lent them office space and professionals have also been coordinating publicity for them. In addition to the national tour, the students are also planning a separate tour in Florida, targeting every congressional district in the Sunshine State. “We’re working straight through with very minimal breaks because we’re trying to get to as many places as possible, meet as many people as possible,” said Gonzalez, who graduated Sunday. “We’re trying to help stop this before it comes to other places because bullets aren’t picky.” Gonzalez and Corin said their favorite part of activism has been connecting one-on-one with students across the country just like them. Corin recently traveled to Kenya to speak about engaging young activists The tour will begin June 15 in Chicago, where the Florida students will join the Peace March, led by students from St. Sabina Academy. Some of the Chicago students who spoke at the Washington rally and will join the Florida group at a few other stops, Corin said. She said they’re making calls to the student clubs and groups that held their sibling marches and walkouts across the country to encourage voter registration. “Our school is right down the road. Our lives are completely changed forever, and we are dedicating our lives to this issue,” said Corin. Also Monday, a local task force released 100 recommendations for improving school safety, but noted it will be difficult to fund the measures, which include hiring additional school counselors, therapists and school police officers. The Broward County task force also recommended random searches at schools, raising the heights of fences around schools, adding metal detectors and window coverings to conceal students, keeping classroom doors locked at all times and installing cameras to monitor every inch of school grounds. “We would love to be able to put every one of these recommendations into place right now, but the reality is we don’t have all the resources to do that,” said Beam Furr, mayor of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Here’s everyone who BamaCarry has endorsed in the 2018 election cycle
BamaCarry, a Second Amendment gun rights group who prides itself on being “Alabama’s only ‘No Compromise’ gun rights group” has endorsed five candidates in the 2018 election cycle. The groups believes gun rights should be protected and preserved in the way that the founding fathers stated, and that “that Every Citizen has the right to bear arms in defense of self and state.” The goal of the organization is to return to those principles and they are currently working to bring Constitutional carry forward in the State of Alabama. Below are their endorsements: Governor: Scott Dawson BamaCarry, INC is proud to endorse Scott Dawson for Governor of the Great State of Alabama. We believe that Scott has the conviction to champion our Second Amendment rights, the courage to stand against liberal elites who constantly seek to chip away at those rights, and the character—built over a lifetime—to follow through on his promises. Every year in Montgomery, BamaCarry has to combat establishment politicians who infringe upon our freedoms—one small compromise at a time. We believe that Montgomery’s systemic problems can’t be corrected by electing yet another career politician who wants to establish another worthless task force. Alabama needs an outsider who has the passion and the vision to lead this state towards a more bold and conservative future. Scott Dawson is the only candidate in the race who fits this bill. Therefore, BamaCarry urges all Alabamians who care about respecting our constitutional liberties—and especially preserving our sacred “right to keep and bear arms”—to elect Scott Dawson as the next Governor of Alabama. Lt. Governor: Will Ainsworth “Throughout his time in the Alabama Legislature and in every vote he has cast, Will Ainsworth has proven to be a staunch defender of the Second Amendment and a strong supporter of gun rights for citizens across the state,” said BamaCarry organizer Bruce Wade. “Will Ainsworth understands that gun free zones put law-abiding citizens in danger, and his plan allowing teachers to voluntarily carry firearms is the only proposal that will defend our classrooms and protect our children.” Attorney General: Alice Martin “Alice Martin is the only Attorney General candidate for those who care about protecting their second amendment rights here in Alabama,” said BamaCarry President Eddie Fulmer. “She is a fighter who will not bow down to the pressures from liberals in and outside of Alabama. She has removed more corrupt elected officials than any other AG! We believe she will do all that’s possible to “clean up” our Statehouse. She is also a firm believer in the Constitution. BamaCarry, INC is proud to endorse her in this race, and our full support is behind her.” State Auditor: Jim Zeigler Jim Zeigler is a man with convictions who cares about protecting our Second Amendment rights in Alabama! He has fought against gun-free zones and no-gun signs on public property and supports Constitutional carry. Jim believes we should have NO conditions on Constitutional rights. Jim has been a member of BamaCarry since we first formed and has participated in every one of our BamaCarry Firearm Freedom Conferences. We believe Jim Ziegler is a fighter who will not end to pressure from liberals in and outside of Alabama. Fighting corruption, He filed the initial ethics complaint against former governor Robert Bentley and has worked to clean up our state government. BamaCarry Inc. is proud to endorse Jim Zeigler in the race for State Auditor, and our full support is behind him. Court of Criminal Appeals: Chris McCool Chris currently serves as District Attorney for the 25th Judicial Circuit of Alabama (Fayette, Lamar, and Pickens Counties), and has been a trial court prosecutor for more than two decades. He has a proven record of 25 years of trial-level experience that is needed on the Court of Criminal Appeals. He has a history of vigorously prosecuting violent crimes, property crimes, sexual assaults, and public corruption case in his circuit. Chris is a farmer who grew up working hard and understands our Alabama values when it comes to gun ownership and gun rights. He is a husband, a father of four, and a pastor, who approaches decisions from the basis of common sense and fairness. We believe he will take his practical courtroom experience and common sense to the appellate courts of this State, and will seek to do justice and to apply the rule of law as a judge. Chris is also a firm believer in the Constitution. BamaCarry, INC is proud to endorse Chris McCool for Place 2, Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, and our full support is behind him.
Doug Jones uses first floor speech to urge colleagues to take on gun violence
Alabama Sen. Doug Jones took to the Senate floor on Wednesday to give his first floor speech since being sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January. During the speech, Jones called on his colleagues to take up the issue of gun violence. “Today, I gave my first floor speech on an issue that has divided so many Americans, and is a complicated one for me, too. But as leaders, we have to reject the “us versus them” mentality. At the end of the day, we’re all Americans who are united by a bond of shared values and love of country. Let’s work together to find common ground where it exists, and begin to make our country a safer place,” Jones posted on Facebook. Watch Jones’ speech below:
Hoping the walkout was a wake up for today’s youth
I’ve seen a lot of mixed opinions about the national school walkout yesterday meant to honor the 17 victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting Parkland, Fla. The sentiments range from proud of the students to hostile towards their message. I’m proud of those engaged even though I whole heartedly disagree with the gun control message they’re pushing. What is important is that teens are waking up to the fact that their voice should, and does, carry weight. I’m a very strong 2nd Amendment supporter so I disagree with the premise that firearms are the problem and that firearm restrictions are the solution. However, the fact youth realize that true grassroots activism can cause change is a good thing for our country. With our election participation rates being so ridiculously low for youth — just 24 million people under the age of 29 voted in 2016. In Alabama’s special U.S. Senate election in December, only 23 percent of the voters, which translates to translates to approximately 175,000 were under the age of 29 — it’s refreshing to see young people actually getting involved in the political process. On the other side of this event was a movement to “Walk up, not walk out.” While I like the walk out for its sign of unity, strength and activism, I love the idea of taking action and making a difference better. High school is a very cliquish time. Which can be hard on even the most popular and well adjusted students. What’s worse is those who find themselves lost without friends or a sense of belonging which is easy during the young awkward years. In this digital day and age, bullying and meanness and loneliness are real issues and the impacts they have are huge. Opening the eyes of today’s youth and teaching them to be empathic is a good thing. It’s not up to our students to identify those who could commit these types of heinous crimes, but it is important for those to be aware of their classmates and to talk to adults about them if they have legitimate concerns. Learning more about your peers, those outside your social circle is something that is real and will have tangible results in the lives of students. Is every school outcast a mass shooter about to happen NO? The quiet loner could be the student who’s new to the school, the student who’s homeless or is living in poverty, the student who’s dealing with a sick mom or dad, it could be a student who’s introverted and misunderstood. The possibilities are endless and your child won’t know until they reach out and say hello. The chances of that person being a threat to the kind kids are incredibly rare (read statistically not really happening). Again, this isn’t about identifying and stopping the next shooter this is about making our world a better place in general. Students want something they can do. Well they can make a friend and learn something new. They can practice kindness and empathy not with the goal of ending violence but with the goal of being good people. If that comes out of yesterday’s protests and efforts, then it’s a win for all of us. In Alabama, we had a number of schools and students to participate. I think that it opens the door for parents what our responsibilty is for kids in our communities. For the walk out or walk up crowd, I think it’s the kind of activism we need. Just as supporters of the 2nd Amendment want hold tight to their Constitutional rights, we can’t ignore the 1st Amendment. It’s marches and sit-ins and peaceful demonstrations that put our country in a place where women now have the right to vote. And blacks have the rights that they should’ve had all along. So this is a good thing for all of us.
Auburn University’s Active Shooter Response Program trains thousands in best practices
By: Preston Sparks | Auburn University’s Office of Communications and Marketing How should you respond in the midst of an active shooter incident? It’s a question once again in the forefront as our nation grieves another mass school shooting. Since its inception nine years ago, Auburn University’s Active Shooter Response Program has provided the answer to thousands, helping lead the way in training among many agencies and schools throughout the nation and world. “Our goal is to provide those in need of such life-saving information the tools by which to act with best practices,” said Chance Corbett, interim executive director for Auburn University’s Department of Campus Safety and Security, noting the following safety tips to remember in an active shooter incident: when possible, flee the area from danger; if unable to flee, find a safe place and barricade the door; if an intruder enters your room or safe space, be prepared to run and, if necessary, throw objects at the intruder’s head while leaving; and as a last resort be prepared to fight back. Corbett said his department’s Active Shooter Response Program has been embraced by multiple state agencies and schools throughout the state, nation and even as far away as schools in Australia. “What we did really rubbed off on a lot of agencies,” said Corbett, who also has been a state instructor for the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training, ALERT, program. Since beginning the active shooter program, Corbett said his department has held hundreds of classes for thousands of workers from Auburn University, the Alabama Senate and House of Representatives, Alabama Judges’ Association, cities of Tuskegee and Phenix City, several churches and civic organizations, the federal courthouse in Columbus, Georgia, and various local and regional K-12 school districts. In addition, Corbett’s department distributed a training video on YouTube a few years ago that has received more than 700,000 views and has been implemented in training exercises by an extensive list of organizations. Most recently, Corbett’s department offered its active shooter training class for Auburn employees this past Thursday. Seven more such classes are scheduled on campus now through May. The training classes are offered once monthly for Auburn University employees and three times per semester for Auburn students. Corbett said that when it comes to community requests for assistance from his department, he first recommends the public reach out to local law enforcement to see what is available. From there, he said his office is always more than willing to help provide any assistance it can and at no cost. “Auburn University is more than willing to help,” he said. “We do it as an outreach of the university.” Republished with permission from Auburn University.
Alabama’s Congressional Democrats ready for gun control action, Republicans mum
Americans across the country are once again calling on Congress to take action on gun control following last week’s massacre in Parkland, Fla. that left 17 people dead at a high school. While Congress has yet to take action, President Donald Trump helped move the conversation forward on Monday when he offered support for a limited strengthening of federal background checks on gun purchases. “While discussions are ongoing and revisions are being considered, the president is supportive of efforts to improve the federal background check system,” confirmed White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Trump’s is referring to the Fix NICS Act. Introduced last year by Texas-Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, the bill is aimed to “fix” the way in which existing background checks can prevent firearm purchases by those who present possible red flags to state and local authorities. The legislation would ensure that federal and state authorities comply with existing law and accurately report relevant criminal history records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The bill also penalizes federal agencies that fail to properly report relevant records and incentivizes states to improve their overall reporting and directs more federal funding to the accurate reporting of domestic violence records. Within the Alabama delegation, Democrats U.S. Sen. Doug Jones and 7th District U.S. Rep. Terri A. Sewell are glad to see Trump’s support for policy change and are ready to see Congress take action. “I absolutely support strengthening our background check system, and I’m glad the President agrees,” said Jones. “We need better data reported to the database, we need to close the gun show loophole, and we need to look at ways we can improve school safety. These won’t fix the problem overnight, but they are common sense first steps that we can take immediately.” Sewell agrees the Fix NICS Act is a step in the right direction. “I strongly agree that the Congress must take bipartisan action to strengthen background checks and address the epidemic of gun violence that has claimed so many lives,” remarked Sewell. “The Fix NICS Act is a step in the right direction, but alone, it is not enough to address the tragic reality of gun violence in America that has struck communities from Parkland to Las Vegas to Newtown.” But Sewell doesn’t believe the bill, which is backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, goes far enough on its own. “This bill does not close the gun show loophole or prevent the reckless sale of bump stocks, both of which deserve legislative solutions,” Sewell added. “I believe the President’s support for Sen. Cornyn’s bill is proof of the growing public demand for action among both Republicans and Democrats. I have always been a strong proponent of the Second Amendment, but Congress can no longer settle for symbolic gestures when gun violence kills more Americans every day.” Meanwhile Republicans have remained mostly mum offering only their thoughts and prayers to the victims’ families. 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne being the only exception. When Alabama Today asked all members of the Alabama delegation whether or not they supported improving the federal background check system, Byrne’s was the only Republican office to respond. “Congressman Byrne is open to evaluating any proposal from the Trump Administration regarding potential changes to the background check system. He will wait to review the proposals before weighing in,” said Byrne spokesperson Seth Morrow.
Stop vilifying gun owners and NRA members every shooting
Yesterday’s tragedy in Florida reminds us (again) that life is precious and evil exists. Shootings, as with other acts of violence and terrorism, have always struck me to the core. Innocent lives lost locally, across the nation or even across the globe are a tragedy that no one should endure. I thought I understood loss and fear — then I became a mother. As a mother, it makes me want to hold on to my children close and never let them out of my sight, though these days even that wouldn’t guarantee their safety. My children are my heart. I can’t begin to fathom the agony that the parents must feel losing theirs. When we have situations like the one in South Florida or Las Vegas, or any other gun tragedy, the question that come to mind first is how could this have been prevented? Yet very quickly, it stops being about actual prevention. And it becomes nothing more than a politically polarizing fight of us vs. them. Gun owners vs. gun critics. Facts and fiction get twisted. We saw this with the exaggeration of how many school shootings there had been, a Bloomberg group cited 18. That number includes more than violent acts it in schools during school settings. A Washington Post article sorts through the fact vs. fiction of that including the fact that number included an adult suicide in the parking lot of a school that had not been in use in seven months. It also included the discharge of a firearm after school hours and a few accidental discharges. But facts didn’t stop countless news outlets across the country from repeating the Bloomberg propaganda, and the facts certainly won’t stop the bad information from being spread throughout the internet. This brings me to the emotional arguments of gun control that follow shootings. There are those who believe that if you support gun rights you don’t have compassion for the lives lost, that you don’t value life, or that in some way you are responsible for this level of violence that we see. That’s simply not true. It’s disgusting to dehumanize someone based on their position on gun control. Just as it is wrong for conservatives to dehumanize pro-choice supporters. We are all human and I don’t know a single person who’s not rocked to the core by these senseless acts of violence and terror. I worked for the NRA-ILA for two campaign seasons. While I in no way speak for the organization, I can tell you about my personal experience. I went to both gun shops and gun shows and talked to gun owners. There’s such a strong sense of community and family among those who own firearms, and they absolutely want to protect their Second Amendment rights. But they also love life and those around them. Second Amendment supporters are opposed to and appalled, shocked and disgusted by gun crime. Those two things are not mutually exclusive. You don’t have to have a dead heart to be a member of the NRA or support Second Amendment rights. Opposing limitations on the lawful ownership and use of firearms and/or belonging to a group that is not the same as supporting crime and certainly is not an indictment on one’s character as gun opponents would have you believe. So what does “I am the NRA” mean to me? It means that I am member of an organization, a group of people who support fundamental, American rights. You may not understand someone’s need or want for a specific type of gun, but that does not mean that gun should be banned. You may not understand the need of, or desire, for someone to recreationally shoot firearms, but your opinion doesn’t trump their rights. I don’t like some profane words — I recently wrote a blog about the n-word. I don’t understand why people choose to use it. But it’s their right. I don’t understand lyrics to songs that incite violence, dehumanize women and negate the value of law enforcement, but I understand that they stem from someone’s right to express themselves and they exist for those who do enjoy them. Don’t tell me words don’t kill people the same way as guns because I’d argue they can, and do. Words can incite violence, and hatred, and disrespect, and that they’re immeasurably powerful. This is why we rallied as a nation when the Charlottesville protest happened to shout out the voices of hate. The idea that “common sense regulations” will stop violence is simply not the case. What we really need to get to is the heart of the matter. Everyone is looking for answers, as they do after each shooting. Even more than that, they’re looking for something that will give them a sense of control. It is during these initial days, full of grief and rage, that gun control advocates and Second Amendment supporters inevitably find themselves inundated with opinions from the other side. The shouting drowns out the solutions we could agree on. The solutions we do agree on which there are many. It also drowns out the questions that go beyond gun control that suck the air out of the room: Knowing that studies have shown early exposure to violent forms of entertainment are predictors of later aggressive behavior why aren’t we doing more to limit access to this source of influence? The Texas shooting showed a breakdown in reporting that allowed someone who was ineligible to purchase a firearm to do so. In the case of Florida would an involuntary mental health hold on the young man who committed the atrocious acts have put him in the system so that he would not have been able to purchase his firearm? Teachers and former classmates say while he was a student, he had an angry disposition that led to him being expelled and flagged as a danger on school grounds. Last year, he had reportedly commented on a YouTube post that he would be a “professional
Bradley Byrne: Standing up for the Second Amendment
The Second Amendment is clear: “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Despite what some may try to argue, the Second Amendment makes clear that the federal government cannot prevent individuals from owning firearms. The vast majority of gun owners point out that their top reason for owning a firearm is self-defense. Studies have shown that violent crime has decreased as gun ownership has increased. Individuals should be trained and prepared to defend themselves should they find themselves in a dangerous situation Since being elected to Congress, I have continually stood up for the gun-owners and fought to prevent any attempt to restrict an individual’s Second Amendment right. Under the leadership of President Donald Trump, gun owners now have an advocate in the White House who respects the Second Amendment as well. Just this past week, the House of Representatives passed a major pro-Second Amendment bill. H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, passed the House with my support by a vote of 231 to 198. Simply put, the bill makes clear that a citizen’s Second Amendment right doesn’t end when they cross state lines. The bill would allow a person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm permit to carry a concealed firearm in any other state that also issues concealed firearm permits. The bill would also apply for states that allow non-prohibited persons to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. Notably, the bill does not create a national licensing program, but would require states to recognize other states’ valid concealed carry permits. The legislation is strongly supported by Second Amendment advocates, including the NRA. Some have gone so far as it say it is the most “far-reaching expansion of self-defense rights in modern American history.” According to the NRA, the legislation “seeks to shift the law to the side of those who obey the rules so they – and not just the criminals – can exercise what the U.S. Supreme Court called ‘the right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation’ in any state where their travels may take them.” To be clear, the bill does not change who is and isn’t eligible to own or possess a firearm. If someone is a criminal who is prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm, nothing in this bill would allow that person to purchase a firearm or carry one in a concealed fashion. Concealed carry permits have been shown to help deter crime. For example, there is the story of a sheriff’s deputy in Florida who was being violently attacked after car chase when a bystander, who had a concealed-carry permit, was able to intervene and subdue the suspect. The Lee County Sheriff has proclaimed the gentleman a hero for his efforts. The bill is also important because it helps end confusion caused by the current patchwork of state laws. I recently heard the story of a wounded warrior on the way back from receiving medical care for his injury being arrested in our nation’s capital for simply possessing a concealed handgun, lawfully permitted from his home state. This is unacceptable. By helping provide clarity, the American people will be able to conceal carry a firearm across state lines without being subject to potential criminal or civil risk. For me, I will continue doing everything I can to stand up for the Second Amendment. This is about protecting the rights of law-abiding Americans and working to make our country a safer place. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Martha Roby: Enhancing the protection of the Second Amendment
Our country’s Founders laid out certain rights in our Constitution in order to empower the people, not the government. Certainly among the most fundamental rights we have as Americans is the right to keep and bear arms, as declared by the Second Amendment. As a gun owner myself and a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, I am pleased to report that the House of Representatives has taken action to preserve Americans’ constitutional right and ensure that our background check system is functioning properly. The House has passed H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, to enhance and standardize the protection of the Second Amendment by simply ensuring all law-abiding citizens who obtain concealed carry permits in their home states can exercise the right to protect themselves in any state. Our Second Amendment right doesn’t end when we cross the state line, and I believe individuals who meet the requirements for concealed carry in their home state should be allowed the same privileges in any state, of course provided that they obey the local concealed carry laws. That’s what H.R. 38 does. This bill also seeks to ensure that our current National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) is enforced and working properly. In the wake of the horrible shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, we learned that the assailant had been allowed to legally purchase a firearm when he should not have been. If the system we have in place had worked, his time served in military prison for his history of domestic violence would have been properly reported into NICS by the U.S. Air Force, and he would have been prohibited him from obtaining such weapons. This oversight was unacceptable, deadly, and completely avoidable. That’s why H.R. 38 takes steps to hold federal agencies accountable for their responsibility to report information. Some gun control advocates claim that this bill somehow makes it easier for dangerous, unqualified individuals to obtain and carry guns. That is absolutely not true. If a citizen is currently prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm, this bill does nothing to change that. On the other hand, others have claimed this bill makes it harder for Americans to exercise their Second Amendment right. That’s not true either. H.R. 38 does nothing to infringe on any law-abiding citizen’s right to keep and bear arms, but rather seeks to ensure that our current laws are properly enforced. Those of us who respect the Second Amendment and dedicate our careers to defending it will always fight to protect this fundamental right from those who would try to erode it. It is precisely because we want to preserve the Second Amendment for future generations that we must uphold and enforce our current laws designed to ensure that dangerous people cannot legally obtain weapons. As a member of the Judiciary Committee that worked on this legislation, I’m proud that the House has taken this important action. I also appreciate the work of the National Rifle Association and other groups to help build support for this legislation. I hope the Senate takes up this bill quickly and sends it to the President’s desk. I will keep you posted as we move forward. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama with her husband Riley and their two children.
House passes bill allowing concealed carry across state lines
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 231-198 Wednesday to pass a bill that would allow people with concealed carry permits to carry their concealed weapons into other states where concealed weapons are allowed, scoring a major victory for gun-rights supporters. H.R. 38: the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act allows a person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm permit to carry a concealed firearm in any other state that also issues concealed firearm permits. The bill would also apply for states that allow non-prohibited persons to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. Notably, the bill does not create a national licensing program, but would require states to recognize other states’ valid concealed carry permits. The bill does not allow felons and other prohibited possessors to carry concealed handguns, as they are not legally allowed to have a firearm now, and that does not change under the bill. The legislation, supported by the National Rifle Association (NRA), now faces an uncertain future in the U.S. Senate as eight Democrats most vote in favor of the bill in order for it to become law. Here’s how the Alabama delegation voted: Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne: A citizen’s Second Amendment right should not end when they cross state lines. Under current law, a gunowner is subject to criminal and civil risk by simply exercising their constitutional right to carry their firearm when traveling. With this strong Second Amendment legislation, we can provide much needed clarity and help make our country a safer place. Alabama 2nd District U.S. Rep. Martha Roby Alabama 3rd District U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers As a strong supporter of our Second Amendment rights, I was proud to support the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. This common-sense legislation will allow any law-abiding gun owners to concealed carry across state lines without penalty. I am pleased this bill passed the House today. Alabama 4th District U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt Alabama 5th District U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks Today’s House passage of concealed carry reciprocity is a win both for gun owners everywhere and for the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Constitutional rights don’t end at state lines. This bill helps to ensure that all Americans are able to protect themselves and their families from criminals and terrorists when traveling from state to state. If H.R. 38 is enacted into law, then every citizen’s Constitutional right to carry concealed firearms will be protected and promoted. The Second Amendment is not only a matter of public safety for law-abiding citizens, it is a fundamental part of America’s Bill of Rights. In that vein, I am proud to protect the Second Amendment and promote concealed carry reciprocity Alabama 6th District U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer: As a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment, I am a proud cosponsor of and voted in favor of H.R. 38 today. This bill protects the constitutional right for law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms and ensures that the right does not end when you cross a state line. Overreaching restrictions placed on gun ownership are not only unconstitutional, they inevitably harm law-abiding citizens and do little to dissuade the illegal use of firearms. It is important to note that this bill would not apply to individuals prohibited from possessing a firearm under current federal law. Alabama 7th District U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell
