nicki1259
Posts: 5
Joined: 1/8/2011 Status: offline
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NOitce a post on who was more law abiding, UK versus US and thread went into issues on guns. I don't know European Laws, the culture or other issues so I am not going to comment on Europe. I will comment on my country however. The United States does not have uniform gun laws and right now with the US Supreme court ruling that the 2nd amendment is an individual right and that Americans have a right to keep and bear loaded arms for self defense, gun laws that conflict with our fundamental rights will be modified or flat out ruled unconstitutional. The two Supreme Court cases, "Heller and MacDonald" involved the handgun bans in Washington DC and Chicago Illonis. Both cities lost bigtime. Contrary to what you may have read in the major media, the Supreme Court substantially ruled that the 2nd amendment is an individual right. Alan Gura LLP, the winning lawyer in both of those cases working with the Second Amendment Foundation has filed numerous lawsuits all over the country and within the next 2 to 5 years, there will be substantial changes in gun laws in the few states that still violate the 2nd amendment rights of law abiding Americans. It is up to the government to show a compelling need for any gun law. Gun rights will be treated to the same constitutional protections as say freedom of speech. Feel good laws will not pass constitutional review. The US Bill of Rights doesn't grant rights, what it does is recognize natural rights that people always had. Our government gets it's authority from the "Consent of the Governed". It is called a "Bill of Rights", not a "Bill of Needs" for a reason. The United States is a "Republic", not a "Democracy". The British are "Subjects" of the Crown. Americans are not "SUBJECTS", we are "FREE and SOVEREIGN". A "Free person" has a different view that a "Subject person". It is not up to me to justify why I need to do anything, it is up to the government to show a compelling need why it needs to infringe on my rights or anyone else's. The United States unfortunately is not a Libertarian Paradise, we have the government involved in too many areas of our personal lives where it has no business being. In that respect, Europeans are definitely more Free. America was founded by the Gun. Culturally we view surrendering our guns as surrendering our freedoms. When the British tried to take our arms in 1775 at Lexington and Concord, we started the American Revolution. That being said, we are not totally INSANE and commonsense gun laws will survive court challenges. Laws restricting access to guns by criminals, the mentally insane will survive court challenge and the US Supreme court wrote that in both the Heller and MacDonald case. Laws that infringe on our ability to have "functional arms" with "functional" being defined as "Loaded" will not stand court challenge. The US Supreme Court did say that gun rights could be restricted in "Sensitive Zones" such as Schools, Airports, Jails, government bodies. There is ongoing legal cases to determine how expansive "Sensitive Zones" can be. The right to have a loaded gun in your home is now settled as a FUNDAMENTAL CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT. The courts will rule that we have a right to carry loaded arms, states will probably be allowed to regulate how they are carried, either openly, concealed or both. They will not be allowed to ban or restrict carry to the point that you can't carry a loaded gun for self defense. Handguns are CONSTITUTIONALLY protected and the courts will probably rule that rifles, shotguns also are protected and that will include the EVIL SEMI AUTO ASSAULT RIFLES, as I call them, the EBR's(Evil Black Rifles). In America our crime rate is at an all time low while our gun ownership rate is now at an all time high. Americans are buying alot of handguns and alot of so called "Assault Rifles". Ever since the Federal Assault weapon ban expired in 2004, gun manufacturer's can't keep up with Market demand. Funny thing, crime has been consistently dropping since the ban expired. 40 out of 50 states now recognize that people have a right to carry loaded guns for self protection and will issue permits to carry concealed guns to anyone who passes a criminal background check and takes required training. Average training is about 8 hours. We expect that number to jump to 41 shortly now that Wisconsin just elected a Governor who will sign right to carry legislation. Back in 1987, only 17 states would issue permits to carry concealed weapons. Much of our gun crime is a by product of our drug prohibition. Legalization of drugs would devastate the black market and would significantly reduce crime since addicts wouldn't have to steal as much to support their addictions. The United States spends close to 1 trillion dollars per year being the world policeman. Perhaps if we pulled our troops back to America, then cut that Federal Spending and reduced taxes accordingly, we could jump start our economy, create jobs and opportunity and that would again help reduce crime. One thing I know for sure in the US. If somehow "Sharia Law" became the civil code here in the US, we have the means to change that by force. Democracy is a great form of government until the majority votes to destroy your rights. I prefer a Republic where my rights are not subject to majority rule tyranny. Enough said, I am sure many of you have your heads spinning by now Nicki
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