Should Gun Rights be Reciprocal Among States? Tenn. Women Arrested in NYC for Carrying Legal Gun

REASON ^ | 12/30/2011 | Nick Gillespie

[SeekAndFind]

The New York Post (founded by Alexander Hamilton, but don't hold that against the current version) reports on the strange case of Meredith Graves, a 39-year-old medical student and nurse from Tennessee who was arrested for illegally carrying - and voluntarily surrendering - a gun at Manhattan's 9/11 Memorial. Graves is licensed to carry in Tennessee and was in New York for a job interview, reports the Post, when she and her husband visited the memorial. Upon seeing a sign saying no weapons allowed, says the Post, she realized she was carrying a .32 caliber pistol and inquired about how to declare it:

When she got to that section, she asked another cop, “We have this gun — can we check it in here? We [my husband and I] are not law-enforcement.”

That’s when she was arrested.

Graves, who has a full legal carry permit in Tennessee, was locked up on a weapons-possession charge and held on $2,000 bond that she posted yesterday. She is due in court on March 19.

She’ll soon find out exactly how serious New York City is about illegal guns. The Manhattan DA’s Office is pursuing a conviction on felony gun possession — carrying a minimum sentence of 3 1/2 years....

The Post quotes her mother making the case that gun rights should not be subject to state infringements:

“You’d think states would reciprocate with the Second Amendment. She has a license to carry in Tennessee,” said her mother-in-law, who lives in Manchester, NJ.

Bonus anonymous Volunteer State voice whose opinion of New York probably couldn't have gotten any lower anyhow:

“Everyone down there carries, and she just forgot,” said the woman, who would not give her name. “She was being honest, and this is the treatment they give innocent people.”

The Post notes that Mayor Mike Bloomberg has made a huge push against illegal guns in the city.

Whole story here.

So what do you think, kind readers? While I think most reasonable people would agree that prosecuting such a case is a monumental waste of law enforcement resources, what about the case for reciprocity in gun laws? Assuming New York's and the city's laws pass constitutional muster, isn't this just one more case of respecting local differences (ironically, that sort of federalist-localist claim is more typically associated with the South than New Yawk City)?

If every place in America is forced to be just like every other place when it comes all laws and regulation and taxes and collective bargaining and trans fat and this and that (including gay marriage, come to think of it), isn't that supposed to be a bad thing? Or should the standard for gun rights and many other things (free speech, religious liberty, not having to quarter soldiers, etc.) ultimately be set at the highest level possible? What do you think is the way to decide which rights get special protection and which ones don't?

[Vaquero]

they found a suspicious white powder in her purse...it turned out not to be an illegal substance...

had it been salt, mayor Bloomers would have found a way to give her the death penalty.

[Hoodat]

Reciprocity with gun rights? Of course not. Reciprocity should only apply when it comes to things like gay marriage and medicinal marijuana.

[Bryanw92]

>>When she got to that section, she asked another cop, “We have this gun — can we check it in here? We [my husband and I] are not law-enforcement.”

If its concealed, keep it concealed. If they are searching bags or running you thorugh detectors, get out of line and walk away. Carry a knife too, so if anyone asks you why you got out of line tell them that you realized you have a pocket knife and you need to put in back in the car.

Asking a cop, “what do I do with my GUN?” is not a good idea.

[muddler]

Yes, just like my drivers licence and marriage licence.

[ontap]

Why would any conservative want to visit that liberal crap hole? The bastards have nothing but contempt for the rest of us as well as the constitution!

[Sooth2222]

"Should Gun Rights be Reciprocal Among States?"

Yes! But NYC's Sullivan Act dates to 1911. I'm not holding my breath that CCW for anyone except for celebrities and major Democrat party donors will be legal in NYC in my lifetime.

[muawiyah]

Interstate commerce ~ she was there offering her labor for sale with an intent to return to Tennessee.

Totally separate part of the law governing this but it happened lebenteengazillion times a day here in the DC area when folks from Virginia would cross through a tab of DC on their way to Maryland across the Wilson Bridge.

NOBODY ever checked anybody for guns ~ legal or otherwise.

I think she gets off but she'll need to get it into a federal court.

BTW, part of the law that Hizhonnor hissef' used to get out from being prosecuted by VIRGINIA for illegal gun running and mayhem.

I still don't believe he's safe to land at IAD, but maybe he can come into another airport.

If McDonnell has any C.O.Jones left in his britches after being taken by Romney and Bolling he'll make sure to subject Bloomberg to the same treatment next time he shows up down here ~ front leaning rest, full body cavity search (with devices he won't like), and massive criminal charges.

[Wizdum]

The problem I have with the National Reciprocity bill now winding it's way through Congress is very simple. A LOT of the Democrats support it. Here's the reason.

Based on Commerce laws, your Drivers License is accepted in every state in the Union, a good thing, but it allows Congress to set regulations on auto safety, road construction, and numerous other items that control ALL regulations for traffic in the states.

The same principle of Commerce laws is about to be applied to CCW across the 50 states. What that means to the Democrats who support this is new regulations in the future on 'safe' transport, SAFETY, ammunition, and even more restrictions under the table to limit not only your ability to defend yourself, but to carry what you want. There would be an 'approved' list of weapons that conform to some 'standard'. It would also include Some registration controls on vehicle operators who do own firearms, similar to the CDL regs.

IT IS NOT A GOOD THING FOR GUN-OWNERS.

[southern rock]

This is why “states rights” is not always a great idea. Individual rights are far, far more important.

[vetvetdoug]

Tennessee Troopers start arresting New York travelers for every thing possible. Make Tennessee a living hell for New York visitors. When the New Yorkers start complaining to their Congressmen for the treatment they are receiving, they need to know that its because of New York's anal attitude toward other State's citizens. Keep New Yorkers in New York until that state can show respect for the others. I guarantee it will work. Other states that have reciprocity with Tennessee should follow suit.

[OldEagle]

In absolute terms the rights granted to US citizens supersede those of New York and it should be legal. Having said that, she should have known better.

[muawiyah]

Acceptance of your automobile registration is a consequence of a whole lot of interstate agreements ~ Congress got involved several decades back to set a minimum font size and a standard shape so that automobile manufacturers could plan ahead.

Earlier you had tennessee plates shaped like tennessee.

Auto registration, license plates, driver's licenses, and a whole big bunch of things having nothing whatsoever to do with how well your vehicle produces emissions are regulated by an enormous mishmash of state laws and mutual agreements.

[GenXteacher]

I hate it happened to her, but one of the things you are supposed to do when you carry guns is to be aware of your environment. That includes avoiding communist-ruled areas like NYC. That being said, maybe this could be the first step in some lawsuits to destroy NYC’s gun laws.

[Vaquero]

Why would any conservative want to visit that liberal crap hole? The bastards have nothing but contempt for the rest of us as well as the constitution!

??????

Possibly because it was at the NYC 9/11 memorial...you may have heard of it, thousands killed...we fought 2 Wars because of it....

....and yes there are TRUE conservatives here in NY State...though maybe it is just 30%...that is a lot of conservatives considering the population numbers...(and I am not counting the 10% or so who think that Romney or Christie are conservatives either...)

[moose-matson]

Upon seeing a sign saying no weapons allowed, says the Post, she realized she was carrying a .32 caliber pistol and inquired about how to declare it:

_____________________________________________

She "realized" she was carrying a pistol!? What, she put on the pants and just found it in her pocket like a folded twenty?

Who here has ever been out and suddenly "realized" that he was carrying a sidearm? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?

[cowboyway]

“You’d think states would reciprocate with the Second Amendment. She has a license to carry in Tennessee,” said her mother-in-law, who lives in Manchester, NJ.

The way I see it is my license to carry IS the Second Amendment.

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[SWAMPSNIPER]

The only rights mentioned in the Constitution are INALIENABLE rights! “Shall not be infringed” means exactly what it sounds like!

[SeekAndFind]

So, should the woman be set free? Or should see be put in jail for 3 1/2 years?

That is what concerns me....

[SeekAndFind]

So, should the woman be set free? Or should she be put in jail for 3 1/2 years?

That is what concerns me....