Posted on 04/24/2008 8:51:41 AM PDT by neverdem
It's time for Philadelphia leaders to understand that lawlessness by the city government is one of the many factors contributing to the city's culture of crime and violence. The lack of respect city officials have shown for the laws of Pennsylvania by passing illegal gun-control ordinances sets a tone for residents that honoring the rule of law is optional in this city. When the City Council passed and Mayor Nutter signed a package of gun-control bills that limits the ability of law-abiding citizens to purchase and possess firearms, they brazenly declared themselves independent from the laws of the commonwealth. It didn't take long for the first suburb, Lower Chichester, to follow by unlawfully passing its own arbitrary gun-control laws.
Yet, what baffles me the most is that these leaders wonder where criminals get the idea that laws don't apply to them! Don't they see the example they set so publicly? The willful defiance has made headlines for weeks, reminding residents that the Council, mayor and police commissioner consider themselves to be above state law. Why shouldn't average citizens be as well?
District Attorney Lynne Abraham understands the rule of law, as do many police officers, who have voiced opposition to enforcing these measures they know to be illegal. They have reason to be concerned. If they knowingly enforce laws that have been previously declared illegal, they may be found liable in lawsuits. Those are lawsuits that they don't want to battle and the city can't afford to fight.
However, not to be stopped by the city attorneys, who actually have to stand in front of judges and argue the validity of the laws, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey is encouraging the Council and mayor to ignore the legal advice against enforcing the ordinances. He was recently quoted arguing in favor of the illegal measures that "as far as I am concerned, the laws are valid, and we will act as if this whole conversation with the D.A. just didn't take place."
When the chief law-enforcement officer so shamelessly encourages city leaders to pretend they didn't hear legal advice from other officials, advice that could save thousands in taxpayer funds for litigation, it's time to question if he really has the best interest of the city in mind.
Lawful gun owners are not the problem, and our city leaders know it. They are in a better position than most to see the justice system turning criminals out to the streets, rather than putting them in prison. To solve the crime problems in Philadelphia and in other communities, leaders must be willing to embrace the rule of law, not blatantly sacrifice it for political points.
Until our elected officials learn to abide by the law, we gun owners will have to set an example. In what is only the first of many steps, gun-owner groups have filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent enforcement of the Philadelphia gun-control ordinances. Those of us who live in the city will continue to lawfully keep and bear our arms, waiting on the city to follow our lead in respecting the laws and constitution of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Daniel Pehrson (dpehrson@pafoa.org) is president of the Pennsylvania Firearms Owners Association.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
I was quite glad when that moron Ramsey left the Washington DC area. I was VERY very tired of seeing and hearing him spout his garbage on the local news stations every other day or so.
If you want to know how good a police chief he is, just look at the incredibly low crime rates he left behind in DC when he moved to Philly (har, har).
What a loser.
Total freaking morons, a waste of oxygen. Who elected these idiots?
I wish people would stop confusing local law with federal law.
ping
What federal law is involved? IIRC, this is a matter of city versus state, i.e. whether Philadelphia's or Pennsylvania's law takes precedence. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.
I read an interview of a lady who lived under the communists in the USSR. When asked how 5% of the population was able to control the other 95% she just said “they had all the guns”.
I saw a local newscast a few years ago where a reporterette went out into the streets of Philly looking to buy a gun. It too almost no time for her to find a dude who popped open his trunk and showed her an arsenal to choose from. The gun dealer said something to the effect that “gun control” was a real laugher.
“Yet, what baffles me the most is that these leaders wonder where criminals get the idea that laws don’t apply to them! Don’t they see the example they set so publicly? The willful defiance has made headlines for weeks, reminding residents that the Council, mayor and police commissioner consider themselves to be above state law. Why shouldn’t average citizens be as well?... When government is above the law, people think its unjust and lawless.”
Sounds like a good concept to me, but who really believes it? I noticed how quickly people agreed that the President doesn’t have to obey the law so long as he claims it is necessary for the War on Terror. There’s always a good reason not to follow the law or the constitution. It takes men with strong backbones to stand up and demand that it be done.
You are correct. PA pre-empts local gov’t from passing gun control bills.
therefore the state police should be rounding em up, their votes/signatures are evidence of a crime...
If I were to openly break ANY law in this fashion, they wouldnt hesitate for a second...
ropes and lamposts are desperately needed around the country...
LFOD...
Their actions are void, but I don’t know if they are criminal, as the statutes are defined. Someone should sue them for attmpeting to deprive others of their civil rights under the color of law.
The referenced Philadelphia Inquirer article is why the 14th A. now makes a HUGE difference with respect to how the 2nd A. is interpreted. Regardless that DC (DC v. Heller) cannot make laws that infringe on gun rights, if it weren’t for the 14th A., Philadelphia could do so. This is because the Founders decided that federal BoR did not apply to the states. And the 14th A. not only changed the scope of the 2nd A. to include the states, but 14th A. lawmakers also clarified that the 2nd A. protects personal rights.
It’s time for the people to act.
sadly the fine print probly also forbids civil suits from standing...
Again...more tree-less rope...
Not the issue here. No local gov't can make a gun law. That's the PA state law.
Mea culpa.
I'm not familiar with the law in question, but I'm going to take your word for it. That's a good point and thanks for clarifying that there is such a state law.
It’s called “pre-emption” and it’s what the NRA has been busy passing in many states while Washington does nothing.
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