Gun Owners Seek Right To Carry Weapons In Public(HI)

kitv.com ^ | 26 August, 2011 | Dick Allgire

[marktwain]

HONOLULU -- A lawsuit filed in Hawaii U.S. District Court is bound to focus national debate on Hawaii's gun laws.

Several attorneys filed the suit on behalf of an organization known as The Hawaii Defense Foundation, founded by gun owner Christopher Baker. Named in the complaint are the Honolulu police chief, the City and County of Hawaii, the state of Hawaii, and Gov. Neil Abercrombie.

The suit alleges Hawaii's license to carry statute and various other firearms regulations are unconstitutional.

Many states allow residents to carry guns legally in public, and many gun owners claim the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees that right. In Hawaii it is not legal to carry a gun.

State law mandates citizens may be provided licenses to carry only in “exceptional circumstance” or “where a need or urgency has been sufficiently indicated,” at the discretion of the county’s chief of police.

The complaint asserts that this language violates the Second Amendment, which secures the right of all responsible, law-abiding citizens to bear arms for the purpose of self-defense.

“We have the ability to defend ourselves. And we have the ability to use arms to do that, specifically firearms. So the question is, why do we have that ability? It was decided a long time ago that everyone, every person has that ability. So it isn't really up for discussion any more than any of the other amendments are,” said Attorney Kevin O’Grady.

Attorney Richard Holcomb said the suit was filed now because recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings have upheld citizens’ rights to carry guns in public.

“They have now said you have the right to carry a firearm for purposes of self defense. What has not changed is Hawaii's law prohibiting the carrying and bearing of firearms,” Holcomb said.

[marktwain]

Hawaii has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the nation. It is the only state that requires registration of all firearms.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Good luck to Hawaii gun owners and those who would like to be.

[katyinhawaii]

I live on the Big Island, and it would be wonderful to have the ability to carry!

[RonF]

I have a proposition. Given Miller, the right of every individual to keep and bear arms is established in the United States as a civil right. So instead of calling them gun-grabbers, I suggest that from now on we use the left's own rhetoric against them. People seeking to restrict our 2nd Amendment rights are "anti-civil rights activists". Elected officials who enact such laws should be compared to segregationists. Law enforcement officials who enforce such laws should be compared to Bull Connor. I think it's a fine attention getting rhetorical device.