The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today announced its support for legislation introduced by State Sen. Mark Christensen that would amend the state’s concealed carry law to provide a residency exception to non-resident military personnel stationed in the state.
I thought I'd posted on this a couple weeks back, but I guess I didn't.
In short, no.
I just don't get giving special "Only One" exemptions to the standing army while denying it to "We the People." It's not like they have any incentive to invite the rest of us in from the cold once they have their place at the table.
That's not to say I think the state has legitimate power to prevent a service member--or anyone else who's not in due process adjudicated custodial care--from carrying. I just can't get behind unequal protection under ther law.
Maybe if more, not fewer, people felt my pain, there'd be more pressure to get something done about that.
UPDATE: Laughingdog tells me I'm all wet. It ain't the first time, and certainly won't be the last.UPDATE 2: Bob R tells me not to get the towel out just yet.
I thought I'd posted on this a couple weeks back, but I guess I didn't.
ReplyDeleteWere you perhaps thinking of this?
It's in a different state, but the goal is about the same.
Yeah, that was it.
ReplyDeleteI don't see any special protections here. In fact, the current law discriminates against the military. If you moved to Nebraska, after 180 days you would be considered a resident and could get a concealed carry permit. Since military members generally retain their residency in their original state, regardless of where they get stationed, no military member (unless they were originally from Nebraska) would be able to get a permit at any point.
ReplyDeleteAll this bill would do is put military members stationed in Nebraska on equal footing with the civilians around them.
if you want to talk about special exemptions, talk about the OTHER standing army, the "Only Ones."
ReplyDeleteDavid, maybe you're done the homework, but when did we get the police force we are stuck with? When did they cease being civilians? When did their status change from human to all protecting god?
All this bill would do is put military members stationed in Nebraska on equal footing with the civilians around them.
ReplyDeleteNot true. The military members are already on an equal footing: they can become residents of Nebraska just like anybody else. That they chose not to does not constitute discrimination against them. This is definitely an "only ones" bill.
There have been numerous bills introduced around the country to give unequal rights to people like retired police officers, prison guards, etc.
ReplyDeleteI was under the impression that the military could carry weopons anytime, but I don't really know what the laws are in different states.
I just know that I have the same rights as everyone else but, I am not allowed to use them where I live.
BobR
ReplyDeleteUnlike the other Civilians around them the Military have no choice but to be there. Would you like tho have to change you state os residence every three to four years.
When I changed mine permenatly my pay and taxes were screwd up for 5 years. All this exemption does is level the playing field for someone how has benn ORDERED to live in a certain location.
Whether I would _like_ it (changing state of residence) has no bearing on whether the bill is an "only ones" bill.
ReplyDeleteMilitary members DO have a choice: they did not have to join the military. This bill gives them special treatment because of that choice. A proper solution would be to respect the u.S. Constitution for ALL citizens -- not to create privileged classes as a "fix" to problems caused _by_ the government in the first place.
As an FYI: I grew up in various towns around the U.S. and in a couple of foreign countries while my dad did 24 years in the Air Force. I did a few years in the Army. I also worked "out of state" in private employment and through all of that I maintained exactly one "state of residence". Convenient to change residence? Maybe not, but it IS a _choice_.