Posted on 11/26/2005 12:43:07 PM PST by pabianice
In November, the Massachusetts House of Representatives moved favorably from committee H. 2125, which brings the state one step closer to its goal of the confiscation of privately owned firearms.
Under this bill, all private owners of handguns would have to register each handgun with the police and have a separate $ 250,000 liability insurance policy on each handgun or have that handgun confiscated (insurance professionals: care to estimate the cost of such a policy to the holder?). Each such insurance policy must cover the potential theft and unlawful use of the gun. If the policy is inadequate to cover any subsequent court judgment against the lawful gunowner, he will be thrown in jail for five years for each offense. In cases where a finding of fact and guilt is to be made, one member of any such committee must be a member of Stop Handgun Violence, Inc.
There's more. Anyone who sells someone more than one gun a month shall be imprisoned for up to life. However, this law will not apply to anyone under the age of 18.
Most disgustingly, this bill is being crammed through the Legislature under Homeland Security measures.
Yup.
Murdock v. Pennsylvania, 319 US 105, a case heard in 1943 where a town tried to make people distributing religious literature obtain a license.
The state got slapped silly on that one.
One of the reasons why withholding is so vile is that it takes away that option.
The fact is we have a dictatorial legislature. They have carved the districts so much that a Democrat super-majority is gaurenteed, and have stripped the Governor of of many of his powers since the office became Republican 16 years ago. We are almost at the point at which we should scrap the state constitution and start over again in my opinion. MASSACHUSETTS NEEDS TO BE LIBERATED!
Irrelevant.
It'll be struck down by the SC faster then Bill Clinton can get his pants off at a sorrority party.
"The people have a right to keep and bear arms for the common defense. And as, in time of peace, armies are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be maintained without the consent of the legislature, and the military power shall always be held in an exact subordination to the civil authority, and be governed by it." Declaration of Rights, Article 17."
http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/StateLaws.aspx?ST=MA
I disagree.
Civil Disobedience isn't a first resort, but it's not necessarily the last either, and it can be very effective.
I don't think I'd use it here, because I'm pretty sure the courts will strike the law down (assuming they have the votes to override a veto by Romney, which I'm sure he will do if he wants a chance in hell at 2008), but I don't necessarily think I'd be discouraging people from civil disobediance either.
No law is perfect, and no law can survive the most extreme circumstances. This is bordering on an extreme case.
The question is: will Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, and (if approved) Alito return to the doctrine of original intent in this matter? If they do, and if conservatives can replace Kennedy or Ginsburg with a like minded justice, firearms ownership restrictions on state and local level could go the way of anti-pornography laws and blue laws. However, these are very big "ifs" and Scalia and especially Thomas are strong advocates of states rights.
But criminals will be exempted from buying insurance.
"This is bordering on an extreme case."
So could the Left say when the unconstitutional Roe v Wade is struck down. One man's "extreme case" is another man's "extremist stand."
Pick and choose laws to follow and everyone else will feel they can do the same.
We have seen it on the Left (and on the Right as in the abortion doctor killings).
We are a Nation of Laws or we are nothing.
National guard units seeking to confiscate a cache of recently banned weapons were ambushed on April 19th by elements of a para-military extremist faction. Military and law enforcement sources estimate that 72 were killed and more than 200 injured before government forces were compelled to withdraw.
Speaking after the clash Massachusetts Governor Thomas Gage declared that the extremist faction, which was made up of local citizens, has links to the radical right-wing tax protest movement. Gage blamed the extremists for recent incidents of vandalism directed against internal revenue offices. The governor, who described the group's organizers as "criminals," issued an executive order authorizing the summary arrest of any individual who has interfered with the government's efforts to secure law and order.
The military raid on the extremist arsenal followed wide-spread refusal by the local citizenry to turn over recently outlawed weapons. Gage issued a ban on private ownership of weapons and ammunition earlier in the week. This decision followed a meeting in early this month between government and military leaders at which the governor authorized the forcible confiscation of illegal arms. One government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, pointed out that "none of these people would have been killed had the extremists obeyed the law and turned over their weapons voluntarily."
Government troops initially succeeded in confiscating a large supply of outlawed weapons and ammunition. However, troops attempting to seize arms and ammunition in Lexington met with resistance from heavily-armed extremists who had been tipped off regarding the government's plans.
During a tense standoff in Lexington's town park, National Guard Colonel Francis Smith, commander of the government operation, ordered the armed group to surrender and return to their homes. The impasse was broken by a single shot, which was reportedly fired by one of the right-wing extremists. Eight civilians were killed in the ensuing exchange. Ironically, the local citizenry blamed government forces rather than the extremists for the civilian deaths.
Before order could be restored, armed citizens from the surrounding areas had descended upon the guard units. Colonel Smith, finding his forces overmatched by the armed mob, ordered a retreat.
Governor Gage has called upon citizens to support the state national joint task force in its effort to restore law and order. The governor has also demanded the surrender of those responsible for planning and leading the attack against the government troops. Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and John Hancock, who have been identified as "ringleaders" of the extremist faction, remain at large.
First reported on April 20, 1775
The 2nd Amendment doesn't have to be "incorporated via the 14th Amendment", it's quite clear in acknowledging an individual "right of the people" to KABA's.
The phrase "right of the people" is not amibigous at all. Why are you having trouble with it?
I'm sure this will be balanced with one NRA member as well, of course.
/ sarcasm / bitterness / anger / rage / fury / hatred of socialist policy
In cases where a finding of fact and guilt is to be made,one member of any such committee must be a member of Stop Handgun Violence, Inc.
That's just to ensure that the death-grip the NRA has over Taxachussetts can't be used to unfairly sway cases in favor of gun owners. /dripping sarcasm, obviously
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