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A recent letter pleaded for legislative action to ban the weapons of war (Its guns, and we must fix the problem, April 5, TribLIVE), while another wanted to make things more difficult on the criminals (We must make it more difficult for criminals to get guns, April 3, TribLIVE). Neither writer presented a cogent argument to achieve their objective without violating the Second Amendment. Yeah, that pesky Second Amendment.

The second writer even opined: Americans lost the privilege of owning an AR a long time ago, equating lawful gun owners with criminals.

Criminals have little fear of our current judicial system. They know they will rarely see the inside of a courtroom and have to answer for their crime.

Heres what could be done to put the fear of our judicial system into the minds of the criminals, without violating the rights of lawful gun owners:

Enforce existing gun laws. Duh!

Dont allow plea bargaining on a crime involving a gun.

Try and imprison anyone guilty of using a gun to commit a crime within one year of their arrest, with no early release or parole.

Try and imprison or execute anyone guilty of killing someone using a gun during the commission of a crime within two years of their arrest. One year for the trial and one year for appeals, if necessary.

The lawyers and judges wont like this because they will actually have to do their job in a timely manner. To that I say, manage your dockets and give priority to these type of cases. Or get more judges. We have enough lawyers.

Ralph Dunsworth

Oviedo, Fla.

The writer is a former Murrysville resident.

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Letter to the editor: Improve judicial system rather than violate ... - TribLIVE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee called on the Tennessee General Assembly to pass legislation for a new Order of Protection law before the end of the legislative session to strengthen the safety and preserve the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. This bill, which was drafted with input from legislative leadership, the Governors office and relevant departments, will improve Tennessees existing Order of Protection framework. By guaranteeing due process and enhancing access to mental health support, this proposal is the best way to help individuals who intend to harm themselves or others, protect constitutional rights and keep our communities safe.

Following the tragic Covenant shooting, the Governor asked the legislature to bring forward proposals to ensure dangerous individuals who are a threat to themselves or others do not have access to weapons, while requiring due process and a high burden of proof to preserve the Second Amendment.

Gov. Lees video message can be viewed here.

Full transcript:

Tennesseans I want to share an update with you. The past few weeks have been some of our most difficult as a state.

Weve been working really hard on solutions and have reached a pivotal moment, and I want to speak to that today.

There have been times in American history when great tragedy caused those who are elected to serve to come together and respond with thoughtful actionaction to improve laws, preserve rights and protect communities.

We hear stories of pragmatic leaders who collectively stepped outside of their party lines to do what they thought was the right thing, changing the course of history for the better.

But what the history books dont always capture is the difficulty of those moments when leaders are standing at a crossroads, choosing between the easy path and the right path.

I believe we find ourselves at that moment today. We are standing at a crossroads.

Tennesseans are asking us to set aside politics and personal pride. They are depending on us to do the right thing.

Since the tragedy at Covenant, weve worked with the General Assembly to pass our school safety legislation by wide bipartisan margins.

I signed an Executive Order to make sure that law enforcement, the judicial system, and mental health professionals are sharing information effectively, so the background check process works like it should.

I also called on legislators to come together and find a solution for the most difficult challenge of all.

We all agree that dangerous, unstable individuals who intend to harm themselves or others should not have access to weapons. And that should be done in a way that requires due process and a high burden of proof, supports law enforcement and punishes false reporting, enhances mental health support, and preserves the Second Amendment for law-abiding citizens.

Tennesseans agree with this. Legislators agree with this. Second Amendment advocates agree with this.

And so, throughout the last couple of weeks, I have worked with members of the General Assembly constitutionally minded, second amendment protecting members to craft legislation for an improved Order of Protection Law that will strengthen the safety and preserve the rights of Tennesseans.

To be specific, Im proposing that we improve our states law so that it protects more Tennesseans and reaches more individuals who are struggling and in need of mental health support.

There is broad agreement that this is the right approach. It should be that simplebut sadly, its not.

Political groups began drawing their battle lines before the bill was even completed.

These are the moments for which the people of Tennessee elected us to listen and to act. Im not saying its easy, but it is possible when were talking about the safety of our children, our teachers and innocent lives.

The only thing standing in our way is politics on both sides of the aisle.

National politicians and pundits even the White House are calling our proposal something that its not. Red flag is nothing but a toxic political label meant to draw lines in the sand so nothing gets done. This is about Tennessee and the unique needs of our people. It should be reviewed on its own merits not lumped in with laws from other states, many of which, I believe, dont strike the right balance of preserving rights and protecting society.

And some advocates of the Second Amendment say something called involuntary commitment is the answer, but that would restrict all kinds of constitutional rights, including the Second Amendment. Its not the best way.

Efforts like the ones I just mentioned dont deliver the right results. They dont actually preserve the constitutional rights of Tennesseans in the best way possible, and they dont actually get to the heart of the problem of preventing tragedies.

This is hard. Ive said that all along.

But in Tennessee right now, if a husband threatens to hurt his wife, an Order of Protection would temporarily restrict his access to weapons to protect the spouse.

If that same man threatens to shoot himself or a church or a mall, our proposal will provide that same level of protection to the broader public.

We have a proven solution that gets to the heart of the problem an improved Order of Protection law to save lives and preserve the Second Amendment.

This is a pivotal moment. But both sides are at risk of standing in the way of a thoughtful, practical solu

Why?

Politics. Division.

But we cannot give up. We cannot shy away from the hard decisions.

And so, once again, Im asking the General Assembly to take a vote on this improved Order of Protection proposal before they end the legislative session.

We owe Tennesseans a vote.

The tragedy at Covenant didnt create the problem. Rather, it has shown more clearly than ever before that we can do more to protect students, teachers, communities and Constitutional rights.

This moment doesnt have to be defined by tragedy alone. It can also be defined by hope and results.

Weve done this before the Governors office working together with the legislature to rise above politics and lead through divisionto search our hearts and do that which I believe Tennesseans have elected us to do.

Tennesseans are depending on us.

I believe we live in the greatest state in the country, and this is our chance to show it once again.

###

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VIDEO: Gov. Lee Calls on General Assembly to Pass 'Order of ... - tn.gov

Yellow Scene welcomes Letters to the Editor and is happy to publish your thoughts, within limit. Please send all love letters, hate mail, curious thoughts, and open letters to editorial@yellowscene.com.

I appreciate the concerns behind HB 23-1230 to ban assault weapons in Colorado. However, this proposal clearly violates the independent clause of the Second Amendment. The proper first step towards gun control would be repealing the Second Amendment.

The Second Amendment was a product of a different time, predating modern weapons of mass destruction. It was rooted in armed slave patrols to suppress potential slave uprisings.

The US Constitution is an archaic document with no legitimate authority, yet legislators take an oath to uphold it. If the United States continues to exist as a political entity, a new Constitution should be designed and approved by a new constitutional convention.

The original constitutional convention was held in secret by a handful of rich white men predominantly slaveholders who designed a system to preserve their own wealth and power. The constitution they drafted excluded about 94 percent of the population from the right to representation in government.

I would support a vote at a new constitutional convention to repeal the Second Amendment as a precursor to debating legislation regulating personal weapon ownership.

Slaveholder Thomas Jefferson wrote that a constitution could not bind future generations. He argued that a constitution should expire after one generation. I agree that future generations should not be bound by the dictates of their barbarous ancestors. Each generation should hold its own constitutional convention to create a new system of government, at least once every twenty years.

Gary SwingBoulder, Colorado

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Repeal the Second Amendment - Yellow Scene

Tomorrow, three committees will hear anti-gun bills. Please use the Take Action buttons below to contact committee members and get involved in protecting our Second Amendment rights in California.

Assembly Public Safety Committee starting at 9:00AM

Assembly Bill 1252uses taxpayer dollars to create a so-called Office of Gun Violence Prevention to generate propaganda promoting the erosion of Second Amendment rights. While NRA does not oppose objective research into the root causes of violence, and violence prevention is a laudable goal, biased research focusing solely on firearms is often used to generate propaganda pushing for more gun control. Further, California tax dollars are already used to fund the UC Gun Violence Research Center.

Assembly Bill 1406 allows state authorities to require firearm transfers to be delayed for up to 30 days if they are unable to complete the background check within the ten day waiting period in current law. Such a change backwards allows inefficiencies or failures by state bureaucrats to delay Second Amendment rights for even longer.

Assembly Bill 1483 expands Californias one-gun-per-month rationing scheme to also include private party transfers.

Assembly Bill 1598 requires licensed firearm dealers to provide a DoJ published pamphlet on the benefits and risks of firearm ownership to those receiving firearms. Additionally, it allows DoJ to solicit input from reputable organizations. Given the Attorney Generals disdain for the Second Amendment, its possible these pamphlets could be little more than anti-gun propaganda pieces.

Please click this button to ask the Assembly Public Safety Committee to OPPOSE Assembly Bills 1252, 1406, 1483, and 1598.

Assembly Judiciary Committee starting at 9:00AM

Assembly Bill 1089 expands Californias ban on private citizens and non-professional users making firearms with CNC milling machines or possessing CNC milling machines that have the primary or intended function of manufacturing firearms to also include 3D printers. This is simply another scheme to harass law-abiding hobbyists by preventing them from using modern manufacturing techniques for otherwise lawful purposes.

Please click this button to ask the Assembly Judiciary Committee to OPPOSE Assembly Bill 1089.

Senate Public Safety Committee starting at 8:30AM

Senate Bill 452 prohibits firearm dealers from selling or transferring any semi-automatic handgun after January 1st, 2027, unless the state certifies that it has microstamping. In addition, it also prohibits replacing a microstamping component on such a handgun unless it is replaced with another valid microstamping component. In recent weeks, a federal court struck down the microstamping requirement, as well as other required features for handgun models to be placed on the California handgun roster. While the attorney general has appealed the decision, he did not appeal the microstamping requirement. To read more about California's microstamping law, pleaseclick here.

Senate Bill 417 changes the state-mandated signs that licensed firearm dealers must post at their premises, to include anti-gun propaganda.

Please click this button to ask the Senate Public Safety Committee to OPPOSE Senate Bills 452 and 417.

Please stay tuned to http://www.nraila.org and your email inbox for further updates.

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California: Three Committees Hearing Anti-Gun Bills Tomorrow - NRA ILA

NASHVILLE Music artists Sheryl Crow and Amy Grant helped lead a group of fellow performers to the Tennessee Capitol on Tuesday. They visited Republican Gov. Bill Lee and then lobbied the legislature's GOP supermajority for new gun restrictions.

The actions follow the March 27 shooting at a private Christian elementary school in Nashville that left six people, including three 9-year-old children, dead. The shooter, who was killed by police, was a 28-year-old who had attended the school as a child and had mental health problems, police have said.

Later in the day, the Republican-led state Senate voted 19-9 to pass a bill to provide new liability protections for gun manufacturers in Tennessee, which has at least 20 such operations.

Senate Speaker Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, abstained from voting on the liability protection law, as did four other Republican senators. Three Republicans joined with the chamber's six Democrats to vote no.

McNally, also the state's lieutenant governor, and House Speaker Cameron Sexton, a Republican from Crossville, have shown openness to taking some type of action in response to last month's deadly shooting at The Covenant School. Victims included the school head and a teacher, both friends of Lee and his wife, Maria, who had been a teacher.

McNally's action underscored an effort by Lee to enact some type of extreme risk protection order in the state that would allow a judge to remove guns from people deemed to be a risk to themselves and others.

But ardent Second Amendment supporters both inside the state such as the Tennessee Firearms Association and now outside the state are fighting back.

The National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action responded Tuesday by issuing an alert to members: "URGENT ACTION NEEDED Oppose 'Red Flag' Gun Confiscation Orders," the alert said, going on to say extreme risk protection orders would turn Second Amendment rights into a "second class right."

The speakers have been searching for a vehicle to carry some type of legislation with a wide enough legal description in its caption to implement anything from an extreme risk protection order to more modest measures. On Tuesday, one of those bills was shuttled off for consideration in 2024 by its sponsor, John Stevens, a Republican attorney from Huntingdon.

"I was afraid of hostile amendments. It could have carried legislation that does not have current support within the Senate," Stevens said in an interview with the Chattanooga Times Free Press, adding it was done to "remove an available legislative vehicle that wasn't needed."

His bill sought to codify a federal court judge's action earlier this year that allowed 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds to carry handguns in public.

"In my opinion, the 18-year-old permitting legislation, it's not needed because it's already the law through the court order," Stevens said. "Just having an extra caption out there for the legislature to potentially mess with (this) will send it to next year."

An amendment

McNally, Sexton and others are now looking at another bill opening mental health statutory provisions. Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, is not supporting the legislation. Neither is House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, although Lamberth has said he favors some modest steps to boost safety.

Using a mental health bill would also allow proponents to bypass the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is headed by Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga. Gardenhire is often a reliable Second Amendment rights vote. But he declared after the shooting he would allow no additional gun bills either to expand current carry laws or to restrict them to pass his committee given the environment.

"Leadership has purposely kept me out of any discussion, as well as the governor," Gardenhire stated in a text from the Senate floor to the Times Free Press.

Leaders now have plans to bypass the Judiciary Committee.

Gardenhire said he's hearing plenty from "both sides" from people who don't live in his district or the state. Many are form letters. He said many want him to vote yes on bills that haven't been introduced. He said some are getting "all excited" because a national organization is promoting them. Moms Demand Action has been a constant presence in recent years at the Tennessee Capitol.

"And they think we can do it at the drop of a hat, but we can't," Gardenhire said. "There is a process."

The senator has gotten sideways with some lawmakers and gun-rights groups, among other things moving with most Republicans and the two Democrats on his panel to strip a permitless carry bill that would have allowed people to carry "long guns," including semi-automatic rifles in public, in addition to handguns.

Another bill Gardenhire and others shuttled off to 2024 was a bill that would have limited the prohibition on intentionally, knowingly or recklessly carrying a weapon to the room where judicial proceedings are taking place. It would have allowed people with enhanced handgun-carry permits to carry a weapon during proceedings if the room or building had not posted a sign prohibiting firearms.

The chairman said his panel is focused on a process to avoid making mistakes on legislation "not that we don't make mistakes, but we do our best not to," he said.

Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-285-9480.

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Sheryl Crow, other performers asking Tennessee lawmakers to ... - Chattanooga Times Free Press