Thursday, December 18, 2008

Tennessee Tyranny

Tennessee Firearms Association Alert (via email):
Tennessee Firearms Association, Inc.
Legislative Action Committee

Tennessee Department of Safety has started sending out letters telling firearms instructors that "effective immediately" they are going to be required to complete and fill out a "roster" that has to be faxed to the Department of Safety within 24 hours of the ion handgun permit certification class. http://www.state.tn.us/safety/forms/HGschoolroster200862408.pdf

This new roster collects information concerning the weapons used in the class including the owner's name and the serial number. Other forms filed with TDOS (including the certification form) has the make, model and caliber of the weapon.

Nothing in the statutes authorize or direct the Department of Safety to collect or require this information.

I would like to gauge the public response to the collection of this information and whether it enables TDOS or the state to start collection records detailing firearms owners and at least some of the specific weapons owned by them.

If you oppose this change, feel free to contact TDOS AND your state legislators.

TDOS contact information in on the TDOS web site

http://www.state.tn.us/safety/handgunmain.htm

The main contact, according to the state's web site is:

Contact Us:
Lisa Knight, Manager
1150 Foster Avenue
Nashville, TN 37243
(615) 253-5221
866-849-3548 (toll-free)


I wonder what would happen if someone threw a monkeywrench into the works? Maybe filled out the forms with a bunch of fake information and buried them in checking it out? Or even simpler, just scrawling out a suggestion on what they can do with their gun owner registration scheme on the face of the form, and mailing it to Manager Lisa...?


Just this simple cryptic message alone would probably prompt a full-scale investigation. Can you imagine if they started getting a flood of them?

UPDATE: SayUncle passes along word they've recanted.

14 comments:

  1. Show up with a Pellet or BB gun without any numbers. Training is training and the caliber isn't that big of a matter in safe handling.
    Even better, have the instructors provide BB guns for their own classes.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Photo Copy a picture of your a$$, wearing your holster and carry gun of course, and inform that the information is attached lol.

    Immature? Maybe. Does it get the point across? Absolutely.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think every responsible CCW instructor (and how goofy and unconstitutional is tha mandatory class, anyway?) should make all their students qualify with a Lorem Ipsum .22, s/n 123456789.

    ReplyDelete
  4. "Dear Lisa: III"

    I love it. Short and to the point. And has the possible side benefit of forcing the Authoritahs to research what the heck this "III" is all about.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank heavens we have none of that sort of nonsense to wade through here. The signed certificate, indicating the NRA class taken, is sufficient for the "permit" application here in Wyoming.

    I do not keep a record of anything but the student's name and contact number, and consider that confidential information. They are free to write what they wish on the NRA training report form. I do not check their ID, of course.

    Especially absent any "laws" mandating this insanity, I would simply ignore it. But it would be very good to make sure all of the NRA instructors in your area are aware of the fact that this thing does not have the law behind it... at least not yet.

    And you might need to spell out the relevance of the III for Lisa.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What is an "... ion handgun ..." ?

    Sam W

    ReplyDelete
  7. I tried the contact number. Couldn't get to a human. I'll be writing Ms. Knight, along with my state reps today, both to demand an explanation and "voice my opposition".

    ReplyDelete
  8. They're crossing more lines than an NFL receiver.
    One's GOT to be a tripwire...
    Permit?
    The guy in Wisconsin SWATted in his front yard for open-carry while doing yard work had a PERMIT. His second court hearing is Feb 17.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh, I forgot...

    I I I
    I I I
    I I I


    !

    ReplyDelete
  10. TDOS has already recanted.

    -SayUncle

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yesh, the forms site no longer has the page available.

    http://www.state.tn.us/safety/forms/HGschoolroster200862408.pdf

    That was quick.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Y'all are aware that every TICS check in the Great State Of Tennessee includes the make, model, and serial number of the firearm(s) being transferred on the 4473, and has since the mid '90s, right?

    Or didn't y'all?

    ReplyDelete
  13. I can't speak for all, but I can speak for me.

    Nope. I wasn't.

    That doesn't mean I can't have fun with this new "requirement." Or could have had, if Lisa hadn't "gauge[d] the public response" so quickly.

    Sam W: no idea what "ion handgun" means/ I believe phasers used photons. Suspect it's a typo in the original--I don't take it on myself to edit direct quotes I use in my intros.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Tennesseans had their phasers set on "contradict" when they made their constitutional right to bear arms subject to the legislature's power to "regulate the wearing of arms". Presumably this power includes the possibility of "never".

    With all the historical examples provided, it's odd how so many states have adopted this new format for codifying rights:

    <Subject> has the right to <liberty>, <contradictory clause>.

    This is not a recipe for clarity. I don't understand why they feel the need to preserve in writing the fact that '2 + -1' is '2-1', when the sum is actually '1'.

    ReplyDelete

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