Trudeau gov't bans more guns, to send to Ukraine

The Trudeau government banned 1,500 types of firearms in 2020 and promised a buyback program, but 4 years later not a single gun has been collected. This week, though, they banned another 300 models, and announced a plan to send the guns that have yet to be collected to Ukraine.   

Liberals ban hundreds more types of firearms, look to send prohibited guns to Ukraine | National Post | Stephanie Taylor:

December 5, 2024 - "The federal government is adding hundreds more types of firearms to its list of banned guns and looking to send some of them to Ukraine. On Thursday, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced the Liberals were adding 324 more 'unique makes and models' of what he called 'assault-style' firearms to its list of banned guns, taking effect immediately. All current and future variants of these guns would be prohibited, raising the total number of models banned to more than 2,000, according to Public Safety Canada. The number of restricted firearms affected is 14,521....

"In May 2020, the Liberal government announced it was banning some 1,500 types of firearms, promising to compensate gun owners and businesses through a still not-yet-functional forced-buyback program. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has estimated the program could cost upwards of $750 million, depending on its design. An amnesty order protecting from prosecution gun owners and businesses with prohibited inventory they acquired lawfully, including the 324 models added Thursday, is currently in place until October 2025, several days after the deadline for the next federal election to take place.

"LeBlanc said on Thursday that the pilot phase of the forced-buyback program targeting distributors and retailers is underway, with four businesses currently participating.... He also said that the guns taken from retailers could be shipped to Ukraine, which is fighting a war against Russia’s 2022 invasion. 'As part of that process, the Government of Canada has committed to the Ukrainian government to identify whether some of these guns could be donated to support the fight for democracy in Ukraine,' LeBlanc said.

"Defence Minister Bill Blair said the Liberals asked the Ukrainians in October if their troops could use some of the guns Canada has banned. 'They confirmed that indeed some of the weapons that are part of the program would be suitable,' said Blair. Businesses that choose to work with the Defence Department on the initiative would be compensated, he said.

"LeBlanc said more gun-control measures are coming, with the RCMP studying what to do about the SKS, a popular hunting rifle, which the Liberals had originally tried to prohibit in 2022 but have since backed down. He committed that he would resolve the SKS question by February 2025, when the government plans to come out with a new list of prohibited firearms. He noted that many First Nations and Inuit hunters use the SKS, which makes it more complicated.... 

"Conservative public safety critic Raquel Dancho blasted Thursday’s new prohibitions as strictly symbolic moves that would not address the real causes of violent crime. 'After nine years of Trudeau’s reckless policies, he has unleashed a crimewave (sic) on Canada. Violent crime has exploded over 50% and gun crime has surged 116%,' she said in a statement. 

Trudeau has failed to fix the border disorder that lets in almost all of the illegal firearms used in gun crimes from the US.... Instead of locking up criminals and reversing his laws that have contributed to the alarming explosion of crime in our country, Trudeau chose to attack lawful and vetted hunters, sport shooters, and Indigenous Peoples who safely and legally use firearms as they have done for generations.

"Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery echoed the comments.... 'Instead of choosing to commit scarce resources to addressing criminal usage of firearms, such as through strengthening our border to combat the trafficking of firearms that make up the overwhelming majority of those used in violent crime, the federal government has chosen to focus its attention once again on undermining law-abiding firearms ownership in Alberta and across Canada.'

"The Alberta UCP government has said it will not enforce the federal government’s mandatory-buyback program or require provincial officials to assist with it. Manitoba and Saskatchewan have also said they oppose the plan."

Read more: https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/liberal-gun-ban-expands

Gun owners say new legislation is merely "doubling down" on "ineffective" path | CTV News | December 6, 2024:

Canada's gun buyback has cost over $67 Million

The Canadian federal government's gun buyback program, unveiled in 2020, has cost over $67 Million. No guns have been bought. 

Federal firearm buyback program has cost $67M since 2020, still hasn't collected guns | CTV News | Daniel Otis:

September 20, 2024 -"The federal firearm buyback program has cost taxpayers nearly $67.2 million since it was announced in 2020, but it still hasn't collected a single gun. The program is designed to compensate owners of assault-style firearms that were banned by the Liberal government in 2020. 

"Although many details of the program still haven't been revealed after four years, businesses and gun owners only have until the end of October 2025 to turn in, deactivate or dispose of outlawed weapons. The government estimates there are 150,000 prohibited assault-style firearms(opens in a new tab) in the country.

"The $67.2 million includes $56.1 million spent by Public Safety Canada and almost $11.1 million by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Nearly $11.5 million of that money went to external consultants for software, logistics, communication support and more.

"The figures were acquired by Senate opposition leader Donald Plett through what's known as an order paper question, a procedure lawmakers use to get information from the government. Plett calls the program a 'boondoggle'.... '$67 million is an incredible, shocking amount of money to spend on a program that doesn't yet exist' ...  Plett said in a statement to CTVNews.ca. 'And even more outrageous is the fact that $11 million of taxpayers hard-earned money has been given out to external consultants. Those contracts need to be made public.'

"When Plett pressed government Senate representative Marc Gold on the issue on Wednesday, Gold said he would not table information detailing the $11.5 million in external contracts.... A 2023 order paper question from Plett revealed that 60 employees from Public Safety Canada and 15 from the RCMP were assigned to the Canadian program at the time. At least $117 million in funds have been obtained to further advance the program, according to Public Safety Canada.

"Public Safety Canada plans to roll out the program in two phases, beginning with business owners who hold banned stock and then individual owners. Approximately 2,000 models and variants of assault-style firearms are covered by the May 2020 ban. Proposed compensation is based on original pricing and ranges from about $1,100 to more than $6,200 per weapon. The deadline for both businesses and individuals is Oct. 30, 2025.

"In 2021, the parliamentary budget officer estimated that it could cost the government $756 million to buy back every gun at fair market value."

Read more: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/federal-firearm-buyback-program-has-cost-67m-still-not-collecting-guns-after-4-years-1.7045362

No guns bought back, despite millions spent on Trudeau’s gun buyback | Toronto Sun | March 26, 2024:

SCOTUS strikes down bump stock ban

 In 2017, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) banned rifles with bump stocks by classifying them as machine guns (which were already prohibited by Congress). This week the U.S. Supreme Court found the regulation misinterpreted the legislation and struck it down.  

Supreme Court’s Welcome Bump Stock Ruling | Wall Street Journal | Editorial Board:

June 14, 2024 - "Why should Congress ever take a vote if lawmakers can simply defer hard policy choices to the regulatory state? That is the subtext of the Supreme Court’s welcome 6-3 ruling Friday on 'bump stocks,' which are rifle accessories that facilitate rapid firing....

"The opinion in Garland v. Cargill, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, is a straightforward case of statutory interpretation. Federal law strictly regulates machine guns, but it defines them as weapons that 'automatically' fire multiple rounds 'by a single function of the trigger.' A bump stock doesn’t do that. As the majority explains, it’s 'a plastic casing that allows every other part of the rifle to slide back and forth.' This helps a user to quickly and repeatedly 'bump' the gun’s trigger forward against a stationary finger. The mechanics matter, Justice Thomas writes, because the statutory definition of a machine gun 'hinges on how many shots discharge when the shooter engages the trigger.' A semiautomatic rifle fires one shot per trigger pull, bump stock or no.

"Writing in dissent for the three liberals, Justice Sonia Sotomayor says that when the law refers to a 'single function of the trigger,' it really means 'a single action by the shooter to initiate a firing sequence.' She uses that logic to try to erase distinctions: 'Just as the shooter of an M16 need only pull the trigger and maintain backward pressure (on the trigger), a shooter of a bump-stock-equipped AR–15 need only pull the trigger and maintain forward pressure (on the gun).' This is unconvincing, and the obvious difference is the latter trigger operates once per shot. Her best argument is that the bureau of alcohol and firearms (ATF) has sometimes considered other gun tinkerings to be machine guns, including when a man attached a motorized fishing reel to a firearm, so its rotation would pull the trigger.

"But Justice Thomas says the ATF 'on more than 10 separate occasions' acknowledged that bump stocks did not qualify as machine guns. In 2018 the agency estimated that there could be up to 520,000 of them in circulation. The ATF does not get to turn something like half a million Americans into potential felons without any say-so from Congress....

"[T]he bump stock diktat wasn’t a Biden Administration regulation. The ATF moved during the Trump Administration after the Las Vegas mass shooter used a bump stock in 2017. The Trump White House approved it. In doing so, it let Congress off the hook, as Justice Samuel Alito points out in a concurrence. 'There is a simple remedy for the disparate treatment of bump stocks and machineguns,' he says. 'Congress can amend the law — and perhaps would have done so already if ATF had stuck with its earlier interpretation. Now that the situation is clear, Congress can act.'

"This is an especially important message in an era when regulators in both parties have decided they can rewrite laws regardless of the plain language of a statute. In this and other cases, the Supreme Court has been saying loud and clear that regulators can’t exceed their authority—and that Congress needs to get back in the business of debating and writing laws rather than ducking difficult votes in favor of the administrative state."

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/garland-v-cargill-supreme-court-bump-stocks-atf-clarence-thomas-f34049c5

Supreme Court 6-3 CRUSHES ATF Bumpstock Ban Cargill v Garland 2a is BACK!!!Supreme Court 6-3 CRUSHES ATF Bumpstock Ban Cargill v Garland 2a is BACK!!! | Tom Grieve | June 14, 2024:

Gun "buyback" has cost $9M but no guns bought

The Trudeau government's gun "buyback" scheme has cost almost $9 million so far, before buying a single gun.  

Fed gov’t spent $8.9 million on Trudeau’s gun grab, without buying a gun | Western Standard | Christopher Oldcorn: 

December 30 2023 - "Records show the cabinet budgeted $37.4 million for Trudeau’s gun grab program but spent a quarter of that amount without actually buying any firearms. According to Blacklock’s Reporter, newly revealed figures in an internal report from the Department of Public Safety cautioned the gun grab was susceptible to 'wasted time, energy and funds.'

"In an Inquiry of Ministry document presented in the Commons, the cabinet disclosed that it had allocated $37.4 million to purchase prohibited firearms. Out of the total budget, $8,964,109 was spent by the Public Safety Department and the RCMP before the program was postponed on October 12. The spending was disclosed at the request of Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant (Renfrew-Nipissing, ON) who asked 'With regard to the department of public safety’s firearms buyback program for recently prohibited firearms, what are the details of all contracts?' 

• Spending included $1.9 million “to develop the information technology required to administer the program,” said the Inquiry.
• The $8.9 million also included payments to contractors for 'strategic advice,' 'project management,' 'management consulting,' 'design options,' development of an 'online survey solution,' and 'communications research.'
• One contractor, Samson & Associates of Gatineau, QC, was paid $782,934 for 'nimble assurance of a major transformation initiative.' 
• The Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association was paid $707,363 to contact manufacturers and gun stores 'to gather detailed information on their individual inventory of firearms and restricted components, including demonstrable costs.'

"A 2021 internal Comprehensive Program Design Options Final Report earlier obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation warned the gun grab program was costly and complicated. 'A country with the geographic scale of Canada with firearms dispersed over so wide an area has never attempted a firearms buyback program,' it said....

"The budget of $37.4 million, as identified in the Inquiry of Ministry, did not account for the actual costs associated with purchasing back prohibited firearms. The estimates for buybacks by the cabinet suggested a range 'between $300 million and $400 million,' while the Budget Office forecast[] a higher amount of $756 million.

"On October 11, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced the postponement of the entire gun grab program until 2025, after the next general election. 'We specifically extended the gun amnesty so as not to criminalize people,' LeBlanc testified on October 23 at the Senate National Security committee. 'People I know go hunting.'"

Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/fed-govt-spent-89-million-on-trudeaus-gun-grab-without-buying-a-gun/51096

Still no date for Canada’s gun buyback program as amnesty period set to expire | Global News | September 17, 2023:

Red flags in Liberals' gun legislation

'Red flag' gun ban provisions in the Trudeau government's Bill C-21 are ripe for abuse. 

Proposed federal firearms legislation includes ‘red flag’ rules ripe for abuse | Fraser Institute | Gary Mauser:

October 24, 2023 - "Last year the Trudeau government tabled Bill C-21, which passed the House of Commons and is now before the Senate for examination. If approved by the Senate, it will become the law of the land. This latest attempt to 'curb gun violence' is a grab bag of measures including gun bans and new 'red flag' provisions.... 

"[A]ccording to the bill, anyone — not just a peace officer, as is now the case — could apply to a court for an emergency firearms prohibition order (i.e. red flag) to immediately remove firearms from 'an individual who may pose a danger to themselves or others' or 'an individual who may be at risk of providing access to firearms to another person who is already subject to a weapons prohibition order' rather than the present standard, which is anyone who poses 'an imminent threat to themselves or others.' This new language would lower the bar for confiscating firearms, making it much easier for complaints to be made.

"To protect the safety of 'red flag' applicants, section 110.1 of the bill gives a judge the option to close a 'red flag' hearing to the “public and media' and 'seal the court documents for up to 30 days, or remove any information that could identify the applicant for any period of time that the judge deems necessary, including on a permanent basis.' And the bill does not include any appeal process, which would represent an important change because currently Canadians can appeal revocations and have their firearms returned. You don’t need to be a lawyer to understand how this type of process could invite abuse. 

"So why did the Trudeau government add these 'red flag' provisions to the bill? According to the government, they’re needed so police can seize firearms from dangerous individuals in an emergency. But police already have the authority to act immediately with or without a warrant to seize firearms when there’s a genuine concern about public safety—specifically, section 117.04 of the Criminal Code already permits disarming anyone who poses 'an imminent threat to themselves or others.' And anyone who believes a person poses such a threat can call 9-1-1 or 1-800-731-4000 to 'report a spousal or public safety concern.' The police are, by law, required to respond. And under the Firearms Act, the Chief Firearms Officer can also revoke a firearm licence and order firearms confiscated.

"Finally, even if you think these proposed 'red flag' provisions are appropriate, they’d likely be ineffective in an emergency. Why? Because applicants have to apply to a court for an order to remove a firearm, and due to our under-resourced and backlogged court systems, would face considerable delays before appearing before a judge.

"The Trudeau government has not made a compelling argument for this legislation. But rather than looking for more ways to seize firearms from law-abiding Canadians, the government should focus its efforts on violent criminals and actual gun crime."

Read more: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/article/proposed-federal-firearms-legislation-includes-red-flag-rules-ripe-for-abuse

The "Red Flag" Gun Ban Provisions In Bill C-21 Are Ripe For Abuse - A Lawyer Explains | Runkle Of The Bailey | February 19, 2021: 

Israeli gov't letting citizens arm themselves

In the wake of last weekend's terrorist attacks, Israel's National Security Minister has "directed the Firearms Licensing Division to go on an emergency operation, in order to allow as many citizens as possible to arm themselves."

Israel Eases Guns Restrictions Amidst Security Failures | Reason | J.D. Tuccille: 

October 13, 2023 - "In the wake of the Hamas terrorist organization's murderous attacks on Israel, the country's government is admitting — not for the first time — that even Israel's extensive security apparatus can't be everywhere to protect everyone. Under the pressure of bloody events, officials are again making it easier for civilians to acquire and carry firearms for self-defense. 'Today I directed the Firearms Licensing Division to go on an emergency operation, in order to allow as many citizens as possible to arm themselves," announced National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. 'The plan will take effect within 24 hours.'

"By no means does the order eliminate the country's tight restrictions on guns. But it's an acknowledgment that too many Israelis were  caught with limited access to the means of self-defense when Hamas terrorists crossed the border from Gaza and attacked civilians.... Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were caught flat-footed and scrambled to catch up with events.

"This is actually the second time this year that Israel's government loosened gun rules in response to attacks on the public. 'Israel's security cabinet has approved measures to make it easier for Israelis to carry guns after two separate attacks by Palestinians in Jerusalem over the past two days,' the BBC reported in January. That followed an earlier reform allowing more civilians to carry defensive weapons in 2018. 'Trained citizens who hold weapons in the public sphere contribute to the feeling of security,' then-Security Minister Gilad Erdan said at the time. 'They are an important line of defense against "lone wolf" actions and are used in a sense as a temporary force multiplier, thereby strengthening public safety.'

"As sophisticated as Israel's security apparatus is, it's not omnipotent. The failures of intelligence services and military forces have led to recrimination and will undoubtedly result in changes. But human institutions are flawed and even the best are vulnerable to enemies capable of probing for weaknesses and planning around them. That's an ongoing problem for officials challenged with protecting the public from criminals and terrorists. Then-Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble wrestled with that dilemma after a 2013 terrorist attack at the Westgate mall in Nairobi, Kenya. 'Societies have to think about how they're going to approach the problem,' Noble told ABC News. 'One is to say we want an armed citizenry; you can see the reason for that.... You have to ask yourself, "Is an armed citizenry more necessary now than it was in the past with an evolving threat of terrorism?" This is something that has to be discussed,' Noble added.

"Israel is making a choice now after Hamas terrorists penetrated the 'extraordinary security' around Gaza with explosives, boats, and paragliders. With that barrier penetrated, too many Israelis proved to be soft targets for assailants who butchered their way through communities.

"Ukraine made similar choices after Russia invaded at the beginning of 2022, putting many civilians on the front lines in their own homes. 'We will give weapons to anyone who wants to defend the country,' President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced. 'Be ready to support Ukraine in the squares of our cities.' Ukrainians anticipated that necessity, flocking to arm themselves in the days before Russian troops crossed the border.... Polling later found that 58 percent of Ukrainians supported wider civilian gun ownership....

"The hard truth is, no matter how well-funded and trained law enforcement agencies and military forces may be, they're imperfect. The only people guaranteed to be at the site of any attack are the perpetrators and those positioned to be either victims or survivors. If those people don't have the means to defend themselves and are stuck waiting for rescue, they're more likely to be relegated to the victim category than to emerge as survivors....

"Best wishes to the people of Israel, and elsewhere, who have suffered threats in the past, face them now, and will experience them in the future. All people have an absolute right to defend themselves and that right, and access to the means to exercise it, should be respected by law everywhere."

Read more: https://reason.com/2023/10/13/israel-eases-guns-restrictions-amidst-security-failures/

Israel Now Wants As Many Citizens Armed As Possible Reversing Their Strict Gun Control | Colion Noir | October 10, 2023:

NM governor uses public health order for gun ban

Last Friday New Mexico's governor, Lujan Grisham, issued a public health emergency order banning concealed and open gun carry in Albuquerque and surrounding Bernalillo county. The order applies for only 30 days, but can (and according to the Governor probably will) be renewed.

New Mexico's Governor Suspends the Right To Bear Arms, Saying the Second Amendment Is Not 'Absolute' | Reason | Jacob Sullum:

September 10, 2023 - "New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday issued a 'public health emergency order' that purportedly suspends the right to bear arms in Albuquerque and surrounding Bernalillo County. The order, which lasts for 30 days but can be renewed, applies to concealed or open carry of firearms on public property, with exceptions for police officers and security guards. Grisham said "citizens with permits to carry firearms are free to possess their weapons on private property (such as at a gun range or gun store), provided they transport the firearm in a locked box, use a trigger lock, or [use] some other mechanism that renders the gun incapable of being fired.'

"The order covers 'cities or counties averaging 1,000 or more violent crimes per 100,000 residents per year since 2021,' a criterion currently met only by Bernalillo County. Grisham, a Democrat, says the carry ban is a necessary response to 'recent shooting deaths of a thirteen-year-old girl on July 28, a five-year-old girl on August 14, and an eleven-year-old boy on September 6, as well as two mass shootings this year.' At a press conference on Friday, she conceded that the order was apt to be challenged in court as a violation of the Second Amendment.... 

"Yesterday the National Association for Gun Rights, together with a member who lives in Albuquerque, sued Grisham in federal court, arguing that her order flies in the face of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. That decision overturned New York's sweeping limits on public possession of firearms and established a constitutional test for gun restrictions, which the Court said must be 'consistent with this Nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation.' Gun Owners of America, along with another Bernalillo County resident, filed a similar federal lawsuit against Grisham on Saturday. Both groups argue that Grisham's order plainly fails the Bruen test....

"The New Mexico Shooting Sports Association, a chapter of the National Rifle Association, said it planned to join the two other groups in challenging Grisham's order. Grisham said state police would be charged with enforcing the order, which prescribes a fine of up to $5,000 per violation. The Associated Press reports that Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina 'said he won't enforce it, and Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen said he's uneasy about it because it raises too many questions about constitutional rights.' In a statement issued on Friday, Allen said 'the temporary ban challenges the foundation of our Constitution, which I swore an oath to uphold.'

"Grisham seems unfazed by those concerns. 'The purpose is to try to create a cooling off period while we figure out how we can better address public safety and gun violence,' she said at Friday's press conference. 'There are gonna be a lot of questions about whether or not we think we have the legal rights to do that. I am sure … there will be a legal challenge, and I can't tell you that we [will] win it, given all of the different challenges to gun violence laws and restrictions on individual firearm access and control…. I think it's time to talk about the absoluteness of the discussion and the current court actions that suggest that the Second Amendment is an absolute right'....

"'I have emergency powers,' Grisham told The New York Times. 'Gun violence is an epidemic. Therefore, it's an emergency.' During the press conference, she also indicated that she probably would extend the order, which she said would be lifted only if 'the epidemic' of gun violence ended after 30 days, adding, 'I bet it's not over in 30 days'....

"State Reps. Stefani Lord (R–Sandia Park) and John Block (R–Alamogordo) on Saturday said Grisham's order was grounds for impeachment. 'This emergency order violates the Governor's oath to protect and defend the rights of New Mexicans,' they said in a press release. 'The legislature has a duty to intervene when the government is overstepping its boundaries, and Governor Grisham's order and comments disqualify her from continuing her tenure as Governor.' Lord called the order 'an abhorrent attempt at imposing a radical, progressive agenda on an unwilling populace'....

"When a reporter asked if Grisham 'really think[s] that criminals are gonna hear this message and not carry a gun in Albuquerque on the streets for 30 days,' Grisham said, 'No.' So 'even Grisham,' Lord says, 'believes this emergency order won't [stop] criminals from carrying or using weapons,' which suggests the order 'will only put New Mexicans in danger as they won't be able to defend themselves against violent crime.'"

Read more: https://reason.com/2023/09/10/new-mexicos-governor-suspends-the-right-to-bear-arms-saying-the-second-amendment-is-not-absolute/

Guns BANNED in New Mexico County Following Emergency Declaration, BLATANTLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL?! | Rising | The Hill | September 11, 2023:

Green leader calls gun-grab opponents scum

Canada's Green Party leader Elizabeth May has accused the  Conservative Party of having "hyped up" controversial gun-grab Bill C-21, and called on them to stop "to keep the scum from rising to the top." 

Green Party leader calls Conservative supporters 'scum' for opposing Trudeau’s gun grab | Western Standard - Christopher Oldcorn:

May 17, 2023 - Green Party leader Elizabeth May MP (Saanich-Gulf Islands, BC) referred to Conservative supporters who disagree with Trudeau’s gun grab as 'scum.' May commented during a debate on Bill C-21 An Act to Amend Certain Acts and to Make Certain Consequential Amendments (firearms), while wearing a World Economic Forum pin in the House of Commons on Tuesday.

"'I do enjoy the use of Yiddish proverbs and one comes to mind from Tim Robbins Still Life with Woodpecker. The reason you have to keep stirring the stew, you have to keep stirring because otherwise, the scum rises to the top,' said May. 'So here in this place, we have to stir and stir and do what we should do for Canadians....

"'I ask in that context if he doesn't find it troubling the very bills that have been, I would say with due respect, hyped up in terms of the rhetoric by the Conservatives in this house are the ones that come back to him' said May.... 

"'Does he think that perhaps it would it would behoove my friends in the Conservative Party to try and be more balanced in what's wrong with a bill?' said May. 'What's good with the bill and how we work together to give Canadians the best possible meal and keep the scum from rising to the top.'

"Tom Kmiec (Calgary Shepard, AB) responded and defended his constituents concerned about the 'overreach' of Trudeau’s gun grab.

“'I'm a little worried, Madam Speaker, that the way she just described my constituents who are emailing me on this issue. They deserve to be heard, not to be name called,' said Kmiec. 'They are concerned not because of what we are saying on the side of the house. They are concerned because the contents of the legislation is bad news for them.'

"Kmiec defended his constituents and said they came to him with their fears about Trudeau’s gun grab. 'I don't need to go around into my constituency raising fears. They are fearful on their own. I happen to have more meetings on C-21 and firearms legislation in the past six to eight months from constituents that do not reach out to me on a regular basis,' said Kmiec.... 

"May did not retract her 'scum' statement."

Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/green-party-leader-calls-conservative-supporters-scum-for-opposing-trudeau-s-gun-grab/article_e51e4534-f4d0-11ed-99cb-a77ff3588b26.html

Video courtesy Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights

Cannabis users have gun rights, US judges rule

Two U.S. federal District Court judges have ruled that the national ban on gun possession by cannabis users violates the Second Amendment of the Constitution.

Another Federal Judge Rejects the DOJ's Argument That Cannabis Consumers Have No Second Amendment Rights | Reason = Jacpb Sullm:

April 11, 2023 - "A federal judge in Texas recently agreed with a federal judge in Oklahoma that the national ban on gun possession by cannabis consumers violates the Second Amendment. Kathleen Cardone, a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, also concluded that the federal ban on transferring firearms to an 'unlawful user' of a 'controlled substance,' first imposed by the Gun Control Act of 1968, is unconstitutional. The case involves Paola Connelly, who was charged with illegal possession of firearms under 18 USC 922(g)(3) after El Paso police found marijuana and guns in her home while responding to a domestic disturbance in December 2021.... Both gun offenses are punishable by up to 15 years in prison....

"Cardone held that Connelly's Second Amendment claims were not precluded by prior decisions in which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, which includes Texas, upheld Section 922(g)(3). Those decisions, she noted, preceded the Supreme Court's June 2022 ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.... Last February in United States v. Rahimi, the 5th Circuit concluded that Bruen required it to reconsider decisions upholding the federal ban on gun possession by people subject to domestic violence restraining orders. By the same logic, Cardone says in an order published last week, the 5th Circuit's precedents regarding Section 922(g)(3) are no longer binding.

"[T]he Biden administration argued that the gun ban for marijuana users meets the Bruen test because it is 'relevantly similar' to colonial and state laws forbidding people to publicly use or carry guns while intoxicated. Like U.S. District Judge Patrick Wyrick, who deemed that ban unconstitutional in an Oklahoma case last February [see video], Cardone was unpersuaded by that analogy.... A 1655 Virginia law, for example, prohibited 'shoot[ing] any gunns at drinkeing (marriages and ffuneralls onely excepted)'... State laws enacted in the 19th century likewise were aimed at people who publicly carried or fired guns when they were drunk. By contrast, Section 922(g)(3) covers all cannabis consumers, including those who live in states that have legalized marijuana, even when they are not intoxicated, and it applies to private as well as public possession.... 

"The government also argued that Section 922(g)(3) is consistent with a purported tradition of disarming 'unvirtuous' people.... Cardone ... notes colonial-era jurist William Blackstone's distinction between 'public and private vices': While the former are subject to the 'punishments of human tribunals,' he said, the latter are subject only to 'eternal justice.' Blackstone explicitly applied that distinction to drunkenness. 'Connelly's alleged drug use more resembles private drinking than public drunkenness, casting doubt on the idea that history supports criminalizing or disarming her for this behavior,' Cardone writes....

"Cardone was equally unimpressed by the government's argument that Connelly was disqualified from owning guns because she was not 'law-abiding'.... [M]arijuana use ... is a nonviolent misdemeanor, and 'no one even today reads [Second Amendment history] to support the disarmament of literally all criminals, even nonviolent misdemeanants'....  Cardone is quoting a 2019 dissent that Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. Barrett argued that the federal ban on gun possession by people with nonviolent felony records sweeps too broadly. In making that case, she took it for granted that a nonviolent misdemeanor is not nough to justify depriving someone of his Second Amendment rights....

"Cardone also notes that Section 922(g)(3), unlike restrictions that hinge on a conviction or a judicial order, deprives people of their Second Amendment rights 'without a hearing or any preliminary showing from the Government.' They 'must choose to either stop their marijuana use, forgo possession of a firearm, or ... face up to fifteen years in federal prison'....

"[C]ases challenging the constitutionality of Section 922(g)(3) will soon be considered by three federal appeals courts: the 5th Circuit, the 10th Circuit, and the 11th Circuit. Assuming they reach different conclusions, the Supreme Court is apt to intervene, decisively settling the question of whether the right to keep and bear arms includes an exception for people who dare to consume a psychoactive substance that legislators deemed intolerable more than two centuries after the Second Amendment was ratified."

Read more: https://reason.com/2023/04/11/another-federal-judge-rejects-the-dojs-argument-that-cannabis-consumers-have-no-second-amendment-rights/ 

New Gun Law Allows Marijuana Users to Legally Own Guns | USCCA, February 7, 2023:

Resident shot armed intruder, charged with murder

Milton, Ont. man accused of murdering armed intruder released on bail | Global News - Catherine McDonald:

March 3, 2023 - "The Milton man accused of second-degree murder in the shooting death of an armed intruder in his home last month has been released from jail on $130,000 bail. The family of 22-year-old Ali Mian hugged outside a Brampton, Ont., courtroom moments after Superior Court Justice Bruce Durno consented to his release.

"The judge said he took into account the position proposed by the Crown prosecutor who consented to Mian’s release, before imposing a number of conditions agreed upon by Crown and defence attorneys.

"Halton police said that on Feb. 19 at around 5 a.m., five suspects entered a home on Gibson Crescent in Milton. Investigators believe the intruders were intent on committing a robbery. Mian, who lived in the home with his mother, confronted the suspects and a number of gunshots were fired. When police arrived they found and identified one of the suspects as 21-year-old Alexander Amoroso-Leacock of Toronto. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

"Police made two arrests: 20-year-old Romario Clarke of Oshawa was charged with one count of break and enter and one count of unauthorized possession of a firearm; Mian was charged with second-degree murder. Three other suspects fled the scene. Police say the intruders were driving a light-coloured Dodge Charger with a sunroof and black wheels.

"Mian’s lawyer Jag Virk told Global News shortly after Mian was charged that his client is a registered firearm owner and used his gun legally against an armed intruder. Virk also said Mian should never have been charged with murder for protecting his mother from someone that broke into his home. 'His intention was not to kill the intruder, he only shot at him once,' said Virk in a statement released to Global News saying it was a case of self-defence.

"Evidence heard during Thursday’s court proceeding is under a publication ban.... Mian is next scheduled to appear in court in Milton on March 16."

Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/9523161/milton-man-home-invasion-shooting-bail/

Trudeau gov't pauses pilot gun grab launch in PEI

Liberals' gun grab to begin in Prince Edward Island | Western Standard - Matthew Horwood:

January 9, 2023 - "The federal government this year proposes to launch its long-promised national buyback of prohibited firearms starting in Prince Edward Island, according to a federal memo.... 'Prince Edward Island will be used as a pilot and will be the first point of collection based on the smaller number of firearms,' said an August 31 Transition Book for the Minister of Public Works.... No budget was detailed for the gun grab. The Parliamentary Budget Office in a 2021 Cost Estimate Of The Firearm Buyback Program put expenses at $756 million but warned details 'remain unclear'.... 

"Cabinet in 2020 enacted Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms, which banned some 1,500 models of “assault style firearms.” The term was not defined.... Bill C-21 An Act To Amend Certain Acts currently before the Commons public safety committee proposed to expand the ban to include any 'rifle or shotgun that is capable of discharging centre fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner.' Opponents have said the ban would affect commonly used hunting and sporting rifles....

"The launch in Canada’s smallest province would affect some 6,464 licensed gun owners in Prince Edward Island, according to figures from the Commissioner of Firearms. It is a fraction the number of licensed owners in New Brunswick (70,425), Nova Scotia (75,501), Newfoundland and Labrador (75,957), Manitoba (93,182), Saskatchewan (112,790), British Columbia (315,077), Alberta (328,723), Québec (486,406) and Ontario (624,448)."

Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/liberals-gun-grab-to-begin-in-prince-edward-island/article_af9070f8-9027-11ed-9f7a-53c2e0627e16.html

Clyde Do Something, "Trudeau's P.E.I. Pilot Firearm Confiscation Program CANCELED", January 20, 2023

Gun Buyback Pilot on Prince Edward Island Not Going Ahead: Report | Epoch Times - Noé Chartier: 

January 13, 2023 - "The federal government’s plan to start its firearms buyback program on Prince Edward Island as a pilot project is not going ahead, according to a news report. The information was first reported by Maritimes media group Saltwire Network on Jan. 12 , and was commented on by Alberta Justice Minister Tyler Shandro.... A note posted on the Public Services and Procurement Canada website on Dec. 29 said the pilot phase of the gun buyback program would be starting in December 2022.... 

"Audrey Champoux, press secretary for Mendicino, told Saltwire the P.E.I pilot was 'one of many options on the table and should be considered out of date.' A spokesperson for P.E.I.’s Department of Justice and Public Safety told Saltwire the province had been informed of the buyback pilot last summer.... 'At this time, the Province is still awaiting further details from the federal government on how their buy-back program may be implemented,' said Vicki Tse.

"The federal government added 1,500 firearms to the prohibited schedule on May 1, 2020, a few days after the mass shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia.... The Liberal government is attempting to increase the number of prohibited firearms by adding amendments to its Bill C-21. The two track approach includes adding new models to the prohibited list and creating an evergreen definition to capture all firearms the Liberals call 'assault-style.'

"Opposition parties, First Nations, and interest groups have pushed back on the amendments which will come under more scrutiny at the Commons public safety committee.... Meanwhile the Federal Court has approved on Jan. 11 the Province of Alberta’s application to receive intervenor status in six lawsuits challenging the 2020 firearms ban. Alberta has also said it would not cooperate with Ottawa’s plan to confiscate firearms in the province."

Read more: https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/news/ottawa-considered-pei-as-pilot-location-for-gun-buy-back-launch-before-reversing-course-100813330/

First Nations oppose Canadian gov't gun ban

On Thursday, the Assembly of First Nations unanimously paased an emergency resolution opposing the Trudeau government's gun-ban Bill C-27.

AFN passes emergency resolution to oppose federal gun control legislation | CBC News - Ka’nhehsí:io Deer:

December 8, 2022 - "Chiefs and proxies in attendance at the Assembly of First Nations' (AFN) special chiefs assembly in Ottawa Thursday passed an emergency resolution to oppose Bill C-21, a bill initially proposed to ban handguns that the federal government is attempting to amend with a new list of long guns to be banned. First Nations leaders say the amendments to potentially criminalize long guns infringes on First Nations and treaty rights to hunt and harvest.

"'Our people always lived off the land,' said Frank McKay, proxy for Koocheching First Nation, Ont., to the assembly on Thursday. 'We don't do sports hunting, we use it for sustenance.' Kitigan Zibi Chief Dylan Whiteduck said the Quebec caucus also opposed the legislation when it met Wednesday. 'It's a tool. It's not a weapon,' he said.

"The resolution directs the AFN to call upon the federal government to conduct proper consultation with First Nations. It also calls for amendments to the bill to remove the list of long guns commonly used by First Nations hunters.

"'Our young hunters that are growing up, they just don't send them up to the bush with a gun. There's a whole process that has to do with our customs, our values, our traditions," said Chief Tammy Cook of Lac La Ronge Indian Band in Saskatchewan. 'No government has a right to take that away from us and regulate that. That is our job as mothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, and hunters'....

"Several ministers were invited to address the assembly on Thursday including Public Safety Minister Marc Medicino, Justice Minister David Lametti, Indigenous Services Minister Patti Hajdu, and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller. None of them addressed the chiefs and proxies' concerns over the legislation. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who spoke at the assembly, said Monday that a review of the legislation will not target legitimate gun use."

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/afn-resolution-gun-control-legislation-1.6679444

Saskatchewan bill opposes federal gun grab

Sask introduces Firearms Act to protect firearms owners from Trudeau’s gun grab | Western STandard - Christopher Oldcorn

December 1, 2022 - "The Saskatchewan government has introduced the Saskatchewan Firearms Act (SFA) to protect lawful firearms owners from the Trudeau government’s firearms ban. Corrections, Policing, and Public Safety Minister Christine Tell said the government does not want to take guns away from responsible owners.

'This act will help address concerns of responsible firearms owners and enhance public safety across Saskatchewan,” said Tell. To protect the public, the Saskatchewan government supports policies going after firearms used by criminals. 'We take public safety seriously and support initiatives that reduce the criminal use of firearms while preventing gang violence and stopping illegal guns from entering our province,' said Tell.

"The SFA establishes 'licensing requirements for businesses or individuals involved in firearms expropriation.' The SFA requires and oversees 'fair compensation for any firearms being seized” and “require forensic and ballistic testing of seized firearms'.... The Saskatchewan Firearms Office (SFO) will administer the SFA and take on 'an expanded role in prosecuting non-violent regulatory firearms offences.... The SFO will have additional firearms officers to support the 'law-abiding firearms community,' and investigate 'incidents associated with mental health, domestic violence, and illegal activities involving firearms.'"
Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/business/sask-introduces-firearms-act-to-protect-firearms-owners-from-trudeau-s-gun-grab/article_e472c53e-7194-11ed-96ff-cf3507b62b1e.html

Saskatchewan's first chief firearms officer promises to target safety issues, Regina Leader-Post, September 27, 2021:

With Saskatchewan Firearms Act, province pushes back against federal gun control | CBC News - Alexander Quon:

December 1, 2022 - "The Saskatchewan Firearms Act passed first reading on Thursday. A news release from the province touts the bill as establishing a 'provincial firearms regulatory system that will promote the safe and responsible use of firearms' and expanding the role of the Saskatchewan Firearms Office in prosecuting non-violent regulatory firearms offences. But under questioning from the media, provincial Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Christine Tell described a bill designed to push back against the federal government's expansion of gun control in Canada.... 

"She said the provincial government has concerns about the federal firearm buyback program. In May 2020, the federal government passed an order in council banning 1,500 assault-style firearms and certain components of newly prohibited firearms. It announced an amnesty until October 2023 to give owners of the firearms time to comply with the law.

"Tell has already sent a letter to the Saskatchewan RCMP's commanding officer Rhonda Blackmore, stressing that Tell did not want provincial policing resources involved in the federal program. Federal Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino has described that position as reckless and an "abdication" of the vital responsibility to keep citizens safe."
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/firearms-act-introduced-1.6670718

Liberal firearms ban driven by ideology, says Canadian gun rights group

Gun group says firearms ban driven by ideology as government stresses public safety | CTV News - Canadian Press:

November 30, 2022 - "A firearm advocacy group says the Liberal government's effort to ban a wide variety of rifles is being driven by ideology, not public safety.But the federal Liberals say it's all about prohibiting guns designed to kill people, and hunters will still have thousands of types of rifles and shotguns available to them. 

The government wants to include an evergreen definition of a prohibited assault-style firearm in gun-control legislation being studied by the House of Commons public safety committee. The measure would build on a May 2020 regulatory ban of over 1,500 models and variants of what the government considers assault-style firearms, such as the AR-15 and the Ruger Mini-14.

"The government is going after millions of licensed gun owners who have done nothing to deserve it, Rod Giltaca, CEO of the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights, told a news conference on Wednesday. The lack of evidence for doing so 'just screams that it's ideological,' he said.... 

"Tracey Wilson, the group's vice-president of public relations, said the government should go back to the drawing board and take a hard look at what really needs to be done to make Canada a safer country. 'It's pretty clear that they've created a huge mess,' she said. 'It's not appeasing anybody. It does not have a significant, positive impact on public safety'....

"The government's planned definition of an assault-style firearm is intended to ensure gun manufacturers can't tweak designs of prohibited firearms in a bid to get around the ban and reintroduce them to the Canadian market. Among other technical specifications, the proposed definition includes a centrefire semi-automatic rifle or shotgun designed to accept a detachable magazine that can hold more than five cartridges....

"The Conservatives claim the government's definition amounts to the most significant hunting rifle ban in the history of Canada. Conservative MP Eric Melillo, who represents the Western Ontario riding of Kenora, told the Commons committee this week the ban 'is not actually going to address the issues that they're hoping to address.' Melillo said taking guns from rural hunters in his riding, including Indigenous people who shoot animals for food, is not going to make cities any safer....

"[Liberal MP Taleeb] Noormohamed indicated the government was open to going through the list of prohibited guns in committee and removing any individual ones that don't belong. 'If there are items on this list that the Conservatives feel strongly about, there is a process,' he said. 'Let's have a discussion about it.'"

Read more: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/gun-group-says-firearms-ban-driven-by-ideology-as-government-stresses-public-safety-1.6175366

4 provinces oppose federal gun buyback program

Four Canadian provinces have issued a joint statement opposing the Trudeau government's plans to use 'scarce RCMP and municipal police resources to confiscate more than 100,000 legally acquired firearms from Canadians.'

New Brunswick Joins Prairies in Opposing Use of Police for Ottawa’s Gun Confiscation Program | Epoch Times - Isaac Teo:

October 15, 2022 - "New Brunswick has joined forces with Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to oppose the federal government’s gun buyback program. The Yukon Legislature also recently passed a motion against the measures. In a joint statement on Oct. 14, New Brunswick, together with the Prairie provinces, called on the Liberal government to halt plans to use 'scarce RCMP and municipal police resources to confiscate more than 100,000 legally acquired firearms from Canadians.' 

"The joint statement was issued following a discussion on Ottawa’s firearms buyback program at the “Federal, Provincial and Territorial Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety” in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, from Oct. 12 to Oct. 14. The Prairie provinces had already written to their respective RCMP divisions, indicating that no provincial funding should be used to confiscate legal firearms.... The Epoch Times sought comment from Public Safety Canada, which replied that it had forwarded the request to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino’s office. No response was received by publication time.

"The government’s buyback program comes on the heels of 2020 legislation banning more than 1,500 models of what it termed 'assault-style weapons, including AR-15s. Ottawa has said the buyback program 'will be mandatory' and will require anyone who owns guns banned under the new legislation to sell them to the government at prices determined by the feds, or else have them 'lawfully disposed' of.

"Alberta Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Tyler Shandro said the Liberal government contradicted its earlier claim that it would not have law enforcement administer the program due to high costs.... 'Make no mistake, the federal firearms confiscation program will cost us billions and will not improve public safety,' Shandro said, adding that the Alberta government is 'not legally obligated' to provide the resources and 'will not do so.' Alberta was the first province to announce its opposition to the buyback on Sep. 26. Following Shandro’s announcement, Mendicino said on CTV’s Question Period that Alberta’s attempt to challenge the constitutionality of the federal firearms prohibition is a 'political stunt'....

"Saskatchewan adopted Alberta’s position on Sept. 28. In the joint Oct. 14 statement, Christine Tell, the province’s minister of corrections, policing, and public safety, and Bronwyn Eyre, minister of justice and attorney general, said they are supportive of going after illegal guns, but not guns from law-abiding owners....

"On Oct. 13, the Yukon Legislative Assembly adopted a similar position as the Prairie provinces by passing a motion that 'urges the Yukon government to ensure that territorial policing resources are not diverted to assist in the implementation of the Government of Canada’s gun "buy-back" program.'

"Manitoba, which joined in pushing back on the feds’ buyback program on Sept. 28, said in the statement that the confiscation will have 'little impact' on criminals but will 'further erode' policing resources in the province....

"New Brunswick’s Public Safety Minister Kris Austin wants the RCMP to focus on policing instead of using their 'limited resources' to participate in the buyback program. 'New Brunswick’s bottom line is this: RCMP resources are spread thin as it is. We have made it clear to the Government of Canada that we cannot condone any use of those limited resources, at all, in their planned buyback program,' Austin said."

Read more: https://www.theepochtimes.com/new-brunswick-joins-prairies-in-opposing-use-of-police-for-ottawas-gun-confiscation-program_4798553.html

Jorgensen campaign responds to "boogaloo" story

Response to the Guardian from Dr. Jo Jorgensen | Jorgensen/Cohen 2020:

"An article in the Guardian, a British newspaper, featuring a picture of Dr. Jo Jorgensen, attempts to smear the Libertarian Party presidential candidate by associating her with a movement known as boogaloo, because of her appearance on a podcast hosted by some members of the movement. The Guardian describes boogaloo by detailing its most radical elements.

"The boogaloo movement has no organization and no leadership. Participants within vary widely, from white supremacists, at one extreme, to those who vehemently condemn both racism and white supremacy. Their unifying characteristic is the belief that citizens have the right to rise up against an oppressive government, and in particular, [against] one that denies their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, or their right to self-defense.

"This view is enshrined in America’s Declaration of Independence from, coincidentally, Great Britain. It states that whenever a government becomes destructive of human rights, 'it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it.'

"The Guardian article fails to distinguish between anti-government and anti-authoritarian government sentiment, the latter of which better describes the views of boogaloo members.

"As both the Libertarian Party and the Jorgensen campaign have made consistently and abundantly clear, and as the Guardian‘s journalist surely knows, libertarians vehemently oppose the initiation of force, whether by government or civilian forces.

"As Dr. Jorgensen explained to the reporter, the Libertarian Party has a membership requirement unlike that of any other U.S. political party. To be eligible to join, each individual must sign a pledge attesting that they oppose the initiation of force for the purpose of achieving social or political goals.

"'I reject violence and bigotry, and I advocate non-aggression, peaceful persuasion, and voluntary cooperation,' Jorgensen said. 'At the same time, I and my fellow libertarians reject so-called cancel culture, which denies people their right to free speech.'"

https://joj2020.com/response-to-the-guardian-from-dr-jo-jorgensen/

Floyd protests ignore the real issue of statism

Op-Ed: Virtue Signaling and Fundraising Solve Nothing | Loudwire - Eric July:

“For example, when a cop shoots a black man you focus on the racism… ignoring all the statism / Holding signs, rioting is not about to save him ‘cause you must’ve forgot that that’s the power that you gave them”
                                  – “Self Ownership” by BackWordz in 2016. Words by: Eric July.

June 8, 2020 - "Imagine spending the last five years building a band from the ground up and releasing the first album right in the middle of an election cycle ... that has the theme of addressing the political and social landscape while being in opposition to a criminal institution known as the State.... Because the band’s philosophy threatens the institution that is used to fund or enforce the general politics and ideals of people within the scene, the scene defends the State against the band and its members....

"And ... a man that is the same color as the frontman is slowly killed by the same institution you spoke against. But the same people that were defending the State and supported people that wanted to expand its reach, are now concerned with the 'injustices' faced by people that are of the same race of the frontman....

"This conversation went straight to white vs. black or blue vs. black when it should be the State vs. You. At this point, I don’t even care to have these discussions about whether or not the law enforcement disproportionately kills when you account for population, crime rates etc. This issue is not going to be resolved if we can get everybody to be killed at the same rate.... But the national narrative is centered around racism and that alone, so now we have many different people trying to prove that they’re one of the good guys pertaining to how they view black people....

"Putting it bluntly: This is just a show for the most part and none of these actions are actually conducive to resolving the issue of State aggression.... For purposes of this write-up, understand that the State is a territorial monopoly on use of force, violence and ultimate decision making. The law enforcement, from the local level up to the federal level, are the teeth of the State. It’s not going to be Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, or your local representative that enforces the laws; it’s the law enforcers. Because this monopoly exists, they do not play by the same rules as the other people.

"Look no further than George Floyd to see this play out. Three men, with one on his neck, slowly killed him as onlookers pleaded with the cops. They didn’t step in to physically stop the cop. They just pleaded.... So why didn’t the onlookers assist George Floyd and opt to record it instead?... They could be shot. They could face charges in assaulting a police officer ... and ending up also dead or in prison isn’t worth it. Once they see the uniform and the badge, they understand that the State agents are rewarded with a set of protection that simply isn’t offered to the rest of the citizens....

"The cultural issue that nobody wants to really discuss is how people look to the State and their law enforcers as Gods even if they claim to hate them. Just a week ago some of the same people that were marching were lecturing people about how the State must impose a lockdown on the entire country because they were scared of a virus. They had no problem snitching on their neighbors and this economic illiteracy put 40 million or so people out of work, stripping them of their livelihoods much like what happens when businesses are destroyed.

"Who enforced these lockdowns? The same cops that they’re calling bastards. Because the game is rigged, they were able to go-back on everything that they previously lectured us about.... This isn’t unlike the other contradictory positions they have. Many of them support big government welfare statists and advocate for 'free' things such as college and healthcare. All of this is funded by theft and coercion of property through taxation. In the event any individual does not want to pay for said welfare statism who is going to confiscate property forcefully? Local and/or federal law enforcers.... If you advocate for things such as welfare statism or further taxation to pay for the things, what you advocate implies usage of cops in some capacity....

"I’m all for community-based security and privatized, voluntary forms of protection. I do not want something that is only defunded in name or replaced with State law enforcement under a different moniker. But ultimately we are our own first responders. Gun ownership is something that I feel as now necessary more than ever and people, especially black people, are looking to get armed. This has been my recent focus in activism in getting my family and friends trained on how to use guns....

"We can discuss the racist history of gun control in America, but I’d rather focus on the now. These are truly enemies of people and a large part of why I’d never be caught marching alongside these types. Prior to a week ago they wanted me dead, disarmed, taxed to death or ruled over. They are enemies of liberty, and I see these types as merely a rival gang of the cops. Neither are my friends, and I’m not forced to choose a side. In fact, the latter is statistically more likely to kill me than the cops. But every man and woman has the right to defend themselves against all aggressors, including state agents."

Read more: https://loudwire.com/op-ed-eric-july-virtue-signaling-fundraising-solve-nothing/

Five 2nd amendment sanctuary counties in AZ

Arizona’s Most Populous County Becomes Second Amendment Sanctuary | American Greatness - Catherine Smith:

February 27, 2020 - "Arizona’s most populous county on Wednesday joined a growing movement in which areas are declaring themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries and protecting their rights to keep and bear arms.... The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in Phoenix voted 4-1 to adopt a resolution that declares one of the nation’s fastest-growing counties a “Second Amendment Preservation County.” The move follows recent trends across the southern and western United States for municipalities to reaffirm their support for gun rights and stave off gun-control policies that could be seen as unconstitutional.  Arizona’s Apache, La Paz, Yavapai, and Mohave counties  have all adopted similar symbolic resolutions.

The resolution in Maricopa County, which has about 4.4 million residents ... introduced by Chairman Clint Hickman essentially shows Maricopa County’s support for constitutional Second Amendment rights, the right to own guns.

"Supervisor Steve Gallardo, a Democrat who cast the only 'no' vote, denounced the politically charged resolution.... 'A resolution should not be divisive,' he said. 'It should not be partisan'.... Chairman Hickman countered that multiple constituents had expressed support for the sanctuary designation that was first used in 2018 in Illinois and quickly spread to California, Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, Virginia and other states....

"In Arizona, gun owners are already free to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. They can also bypass background checks if they buy their firearms at a gun show. However, federal background checks are required for other purchases."

Read more: https://amgreatness.com/2020/02/27/arizonas-most-populous-county-becomes-second-amendment-sanctuary/

MN counties adopting 2A sanctuary resolutions

Second Amendment ‘sanctuary’ movement gets some traction in rural Minnesota | Minnesota Public Radio - Kirsti Marohn:

March 2, 2020 - "Five northwestern Minnesota county boards — Clearwater, Marshall, Red Lake, Roseau and Wadena — have voted to declare their county as a Second Amendment 'sanctuary,' or otherwise dedicated to defending gun rights. Similar efforts have surfaced in at least two dozen other counties, with some expected to vote in coming weeks. The resolutions are similar, with language saying local resources will not be used to enforce laws believed to infringe on the constitutional right to keep and bear arms....

"Second Amendment resolutions began in Illinois in response to proposed gun measures, then spread rapidly in other states including Virginia and Colorado. More than 400 communities nationally have now adopted them.

"It’s 'a pushback to the metro-centric vision for creating additional barriers, additional hurdles for gun owners to jump through in order to exercise their rights without actually having any effect on public safety,' said Rob Doar, political director for the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus.

"Those proposals include expanded background checks and red flag laws that let family members or law enforcement petition a judge to temporarily remove guns from someone deemed a risk to themselves or others. The DFL-led Minnesota House passed both measures last week, although they are all but certain to fail in the Republican-controlled Senate. Polls show most Americans support red flag laws, also known as extreme risk protection orders. But they spark fierce opposition from advocates of gun rights who see them as government overreach.

"Michael Starry of Ironton, who is helping organize an effort to declare Crow Wing a Second Amendment 'dedicated' county, sees red flag laws as an attack on constitutional rights. 'They come and take your personal property, and then you have to spend thousands of dollars and countless man hours proving your innocence for a charge filed by somebody you never get to know,' Starry said.

"In Mille Lacs County, Josh Bretzman, who grew up with family traditions of hunting and sport shooting, launched a Facebook group to press county leaders for a Second Amendment sanctuary designation. It quickly grew to more than 1,700 members. 'They want to stop criminals, and I’m OK with that,” said Bretzman.... 'But criminals acquire these firearms illegally. It’s not stopping them. It’s hindering us, the people who are stand-up citizens in the community.'

"The idea for the resolutions was inspired by so-called sanctuary cities that have limited their cooperation with federal enforcement of certain immigration laws..... The Minnesota County Attorneys Association is expected in the next few weeks to take a position on the Second Amendment resolutions. Regardless of how that group sees them, some advocates say the measures send an important message to St. Paul that Minnesotans outside the Twin Cities metro area are fed up with efforts to restrict guns."

Read more: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/03/02/second-amendment-sanctuary-movement-gets-some-traction-in-rural-minnesota

2nd Amendment sanctuary movement spreading

The Second Amendment sanctuary movement: Why now? | Press of Atlantic City - Michelle Brunetti Post:

February 24,2020 - "All over New Jersey and the nation, gun rights groups are asking local and county officials to designate the land within their borders 'Second Amendment sanctuaries.' The designation is strictly symbolic, they acknowledge, with no legal ability to change state or federal law. But it sends a message to lawmakers, supporters say, to stop infringing on the rights of lawful gun owners. The resolutions vary from one jurisdiction to the next, but most declare the intention of local officials to oppose any 'unconstitutional restrictions' on the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

"'This idea has kicked around since about 2013 — especially in more rural areas,' said John Froonjian, executive director of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. Froonjian said the movement was energized last year after Democrats took control in Virginia and proposed gun reform.

"'In my mind it’s really different (than other grassroots movements) because ... when people organize for change it’s usually to create reform. This is actually to prevent reform,' Froonjian said. 'This is more akin to the sanctuary cities on immigration. The cities said basically, "We are not going to help the federal government enforce its immigration laws."'

"In just the past two months, the issue has gained traction in South Jersey, with Cape May and Salem county freeholders passing resolutions in favor of gun rights, and Atlantic County freeholders working on a similar resolution....

"Sandy Hickerson, of Absecon, who is organizing the Atlantic County 2A group ... said a couple of people concerned about gun rights in New Jersey started asking on Facebook for volunteers to organize the movement in December. 'Within two weeks, we had a representative in every county in the state of New Jersey,' she said..... So far in the state, three counties and 24 municipalities have passed supportive resolutions, Hickerson said....

"Mark Cheeseman, 55, of Gloucester County, was one of the two men who got the movement started in New Jersey. 'The first town in New Jersey to actually do this was West Milford in Sussex County,' said Cheeseman, who said he grew up around guns and started shooting at age 7. 'Nobody knew about it. Nobody saw it coming.... We’d go to establishments like gun ranges, breweries, diners, anybody that would have us.' They’d talk about gun rights in New Jersey and ask people to take the resolution to their municipal and county legislators, then follow up in person at meetings....

"Cheeseman ... cited the 2018 law that made 15-round magazines illegal, legislating 10 as the largest capacity allowed. 'I am now a felon and looking at a $13,000 fine and three years in jail for every one I have. Yet I purchased them back in 2008 when it was OK.” Cheeseman said. 'Now they are talking about going down to five bullets'....

"But the 'red-flag law' may have caused the most concern for gun owners.... 'Family members, friends, neighbors can turn you in if they feel threatened by you,'  Cheeseman said. 'Granted in a number of cases of domestic violence or abuse, police do need to intervene. But the law is way too broad. It leaves way, way too much room for mistakes — room for innocent people to get caught up. People [can] have firearms taken away just on hearsay.'"

Read more: https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/the-second-amendment-sanctuary-movement-why-now/article_3c75005a-e6ba-5fae-8875-89bf56fd0d1d.html