Posted on 04/18/2002 11:19:04 PM PDT by JohnHuang2
A number of gun rights organizations are opposed to federal legislation that would allow police officers the right to carry concealed weapons from state to state because they believe such a right should extend to everyone.
Angel Shamaya, founder and executive director of KeepAndBearArms.com, a gun rights website, says he respects police officers and understands the dangerous nature of their work often follows them outside their own jurisdictions.
But danger also lurks for civilians no matter where they go, he argues. And furthermore, the legislation is giving preferential treatment to officers over the safety concerns of other constituents.
Specifically, Shamaya and other groups oppose H.R. 218, known as the "Community Protection Act of 2001," which would "exempt qualified current and former law enforcement officers from state laws prohibiting the carrying of concealed handguns."
The bill is heavily supported by the National Rifle Association and the Law Enforcement Alliance of America, the latter of which helped craft the legislation and has set up a special website to promote its passage, called CopConcealedCarry.com.
"Considering the many hours of training that sworn law enforcement officers receive and the experience they accumulate on the streets, it's inconceivable that Congress didn't pass H.R. 218 years ago when it was first introduced," said Jim Fotis, LEAA's executive director. "What plausible argument can anyone give for not allowing these law enforcers the right to carry their firearms outside their jurisdictions when off-duty?
"Just imagine the deterrent to crime if more than 1 million trained and equipped law enforcement professionals – active and retired – were allowed to be armed so they could utilize their skills," he said.
But Shamaya sees a dangerous precedent and double standard in approving the law.
"Once law enforcement officers are exempted from unconstitutional concealed carry laws, there will be little reason for the vast majority of them to support national concealed carry decriminalization for the people they were hired to serve," he said, adding that such a law would add to the growing public perception that police officers "are better than citizens."
He also believes resentment of police officers among civilians – especially those whose states disallow concealed carry – would also rise if the LEAA-sponsored bill passes.
If the bill becomes law, "police officers from 2,000 miles away can come and eat at the same restaurant where you've been eating for years, and they can pack heat," he said. "Not only that, but they might even bust you if the gun on your hip underneath your jacket – for defense against neighborhood thugs who concern you more than your local, unconstitutional laws do – catches their attention."
Shamaya, who has conducted an extensive study of the issue, said the bill gives police officers exemptions for laws they have to enforce on others.
The debate may be a moot point. A spokesman for the Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on crime, terrorism and homeland – where H.R. 218 currently is languishing – told WND no action was planned for the measure, mostly because the subcommittee was working on "more important issues" stemming from the Sept. 11 attacks.
Still, even many traditional supporters of laws that strengthen gun rights are not behind H.R. 218.
"H.R. 218 is discriminatory and creates a separate class of citizen," said Geoff Metcalf, host of WND's talk radio program and a weekly columnist. "If cops are permitted to carry concealed anywhere, any CCW [concealed carry of weapons license] holder should be permitted to carry anywhere."
"We'll support [this bill for police] when they support me being able to do the same thing," Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, said, noting that many national and local-level police organizations oppose concealed carry efforts.
"We think it's a very bad idea to say that some Americans are entitled to special privileges," he said. "Our forefathers fled countries that did things like that. Those people were called the 'nobility.'"
The reality of it is that I became one of those special privleged citizens when I found that I paid enough money to gain my Second Amendment Rights through my CCW license that I shouldn't have had to pay for, train for or ask permission.
LOL
What also may be in the works is once the police officers find that they can carry in any state, they may not be so eager to support legislation that supports our rights.
Amend this to all CCW holders, and I back it. As of now, I oppose this. When I see people like Bob Andrews, Rod Blagojevich, and Pat Kennedy cosponsor this, it usually ain't a good thing.
I like the NRA, but friends can't be perfect.
Yes. Elitism in any form is not a good thing. Perhaps something to point out to the police who back this is the fact that, when they retire and once again revert to "little people" status, then they will have their "right" to carry stripped from them then. A little political Judo to throw them onto our side of the mat...
This statement just shows you how misinformed you are, take the time to go to the www.keepandbeararms.com web site and you will disover who Shamaya is. Furthermore, once you allow cops & ex-cops to carry, it will simply put more pressure against legislators to disallow CCW permit holders. I've been fingerprinted 3 times, paid the FBI for 3 background checks, pay for the RIGHT to carry I've been checked out more throughly than airport security people, politicians, etc. Cops are no different than citizens, in fact most cops are poorly trained in regards to defensive use of firearms. You might find that hard to believe but it's true. I can assure you that I'm better trained than the local cops in my area especially in regards to defensive use of firearms, except perhaps for SWAT, and I had to pay for my training. Allowing Cops this privledge is unconstitutional in my opinion, it places cops & ex-cops "above the law". The right to carry anywhere should extend to all persons, and anyone who prohibits the right to self-defense which results in injury or death should be held culpable, just as some states have felony-murder laws (hope you know what that is), likewise there should be similar laws related to the denial of self-defense. I, for one, can assure you that if I'm ever injured as a result of being denied my right to carry, I will be first in line to file a lawsuit.
Ideally, yes. But in reality, no -- not in my opinion.
What I think will happen is that Cops will just happily take their guns anywhere (as they should be able to do) and forget about other citizens who have not been given their special privilage.
I think this is just another step down the road to a police state. Another instance of making the government 'special' (cops work for the government, just local instead of federal) and another wedge between them and the citizenry.
Most of all, I *do not* think passage of this will lead to any wider and more egalitarian acceptance of all citizens being allows to keep and bear arms, as the 2nd Amendment is supposed to ensure.
Tuor
This is sarcasm, right? I hope so. I hope you do occasionally think for yourself.
Tuor
I am going through the State "Second Amendments" and I'm looking for residents of states that have "Keep and Bear Arms" written in their state constitutions. Here's your chance to do something instead of having the NRA do it for you. Here is the Washington State "Second Amendment":
Washington: The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men. Art. I, § 24 (enacted 1889).
Why don't you sue like the folks in Ohio did and try to get a "Vermont" CCW law?
These laws that "give" LEOs more "rights" than the "average" law abiding citizen only INCREASE the "us vs them" attitude on both sides and create more animosity that just ain't necessary.
SOCIALISM can only exist with different classes of people UNDER THE LAW!! Our Constitution guarantees all citizens with EQUAL protection under the law eliminating the possibility of socialism in any of its many forms. This law actually CREATES different classes that are different under the law. If that ain't un-constitutional, then what is??? Peace and love, George.
The whole idea of this is to get more people involved in the CCW process. If we do that, our rights are that much closer. The first step is to change people's minds about CCW. It's risky but it might work.
Just one more step along the road to the police state as you say George.
One set of rights for the Shoguns and their Samurais, and another very limited set for the peasants.
As for all of the civilian disarment laws, restrictions on concealed carry, etc., I submit a couple of notable quotes:
"Every actual state is corrupt. Good men must not obey laws too well." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws." -- Martin Luther King
Good comment, sir. You know what time it is?
It's time to secede.
No rumor, the idiots in the Cal legislature and the idiot in the governor's office couldn't fall over themselves fast enought to pass that bill. LEO's now have an extension to register their AR's in Cal, but YOU don't. If you haven't registered any such rifle(s) you own, you are now a felon.
The problem isn't with "idiots like Shamaya". Every single spokesman and leader of every single pro-gun organization supports the Right of police officers to carry in other states, just like they support the Right of Free Americans to do the same.
The problem is with the suck-ups and politicians in leadership positions in the police organizations. They support the "annointed ones" being able to carry in other states, but don't want the "serfs" to have the same Right.
Until they start supporting the "serfs", it is stupid to give them what they want without getting what we want at the same time. THEY are the problem, not pro-RKBA groups.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.