This is quite interesting.
A week ago, or so, a friend, after hearing of HR2640 asked if, “It could be for real that the Congress would try to pass a law disarming the veterans?”
My responce to him was:
“Why do you act so astonished?
First thing you need to realize is that the anti-gun folks won’t be satisfied until EVERYONE ( I should say everyone but them) is disarmed.
The second thing you need to realize is that the rabid gun-banners despise veterans above all others, because they know veterans have already demonstrated their willingness to use force (not to mention their patriotism).
I’ll look into this.”
After a little googling, here was the rest of the responce to my friend:
“Here are some links of interest on this subject:
These two are from the NRA website. They seem to confirm some of the basis for the claims in this article but the practical effects regarding vets diagnosed with PTSD in specific are not addressed:
http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=3097
http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?id=219&issue=018
BTW, even though I do believe in the NRA and consider them a valuable organization, I don’t always agree with their decisions, and they have been known to make compromises for political reasons that I don’t believe are always in the interest of the general gun-owning public.
Here’s a link to more info than I have time to read right now:
http://www.gunowners.org/netb.htm
Here’s one where you can get info on the actual text and status of the law in question:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.02640
I’d like to say, though, before I’m done tonight, that any gun law that is sponsored by Carolyn McCarthy, as this one is, I’d be very skeptical about. Not to mention that the list of co-sponsors is a who’s who of anti-gun politicians.
It don’t look good!”
After reading some of the info on the Gunowners.org site, I have to say that I am disapointed in the stand the NRA has taken.
This last year, due to a family member’s illness, I had to drop my membership in all clubs and organizations and devote my time and resources to remedy that situation. Now that I am getting past that crisis and considering once again contributing to the NRA, the stand the organization has taken, on this subject, I’ve found disapointing.
Now I find it very curious that Ted N. is coming out in appearent opposition to the NRA’s official stand.
I urge all to check out the links I’ve included here.
It will be interesting to hear what others think on this subject.
"... So it's not surprising that, having skipped much of the legislative process, there are still a lot of unanswered questions regarding HR 2640. In fact, these questions have only been magnified after an offhanded, tongue-in-cheek remark made at the Harrisburg Community College in Pennsylvania cost a man his gun rights for life in that state.
Newspapers last month reported that Horatio Miller allegedly said that it could be "worse than Virginia Tech" if someone broke into his car, because there were guns there. It is not clear whether he was making a threat against a person who might burglarize his car, or if he was simply saying that the bad guy could do a lot of damage because of the guns he would find there. Nevertheless, Miller was arrested, but not charged with anything.
The comment Miller made was certainly not the smartest thing to say. But realize, we don't incarcerate people for making stupid statements in this country -- at least not yet. Miller was a concealed carry permit holder who, as such, had passed vigorous background checks into his past history. Miller does not have a criminal record.
Regardless, the county district attorney did not like what he had said, so, according to the Harrisburg Patriot News on June 20, "I contacted the sheriff and had his license to carry a firearm revoked. And I asked police to commit him under Section 302 of the mental health procedures act and that was done. He is now ineligible to possess firearms [for life] because he was committed involuntarily."
Get that?
Pennsylvania is operating exactly the way Rep. McCarthy's bill (HR 2640) could treat all Americans. You might be thinking, I've never had a mental illness... I'm not a military veteran... I've never been on Ritalin... hey, I have nothing to worry about under the McCarthy bill. Right?
Well, think again.
DO YOUR VIEWS ON THE SECOND AMENDMENT MAKE YOU A POTENTIAL DANGER?
The Pennsylvania case shows how all gun owners could be threatened by HR 2640. After all, did you ever tell anyone that the Second Amendment was included in the Bill of Rights because the Founders (such as James Madison) wanted the people to be able to overturn a tyrannical American government?
Or, while you were watching the nightly news -- and getting a detailed account of all the crime in your area -- did you ever make a statement such as, "If someone were to break through my door, I'd blow him away!"
Well, those kinds of statements will certainly make anti-gun nuts think you're a potential danger to yourself or others. So if you make the local district attorney or police officer nervous, how difficult would it be for him to get a psychiatrist (most of whom are very left-wing) to say that you are a danger to yourself and to others? ..."
Then there's this:
"The ISRA is expressing great concern over reports that Illinois State Police (ISP) detectives have been visiting the homes of people who phoned or faxed Sen. Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge) to express opposition to gun control legislation sponsored by the senator. The ISRA has recently conducted a thorough investigation into one complaint, and is gathering additional information on as many as several dozen other reported incidents of police questioning citizens who have spoken out against gun control legislation.
In the case investigated thus far, the respondent reports that ISP detectives arrived at his home, unannounced, and informed him that their visit was in response to faxes he sent to Sen. Kotowski. The detectives then went on to ask the citizen questions about his mental health and other personal matters. Although the citizen was not arrested, he reports that he feels that the detectives were there to deliver the message that it's not a good idea to criticize Dan Kotowski or the gun control measures Kotowski supports..."
(Free Republic thread posted here)
"You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating the very phrases which our founding fathers used in their struggle for independence."
-- Charles A. Beard, Historian (1874-1948)