Archive for the ‘Second Amendment’ Category

Slimantics: It’s time to Infringe the hell of out of the Second … – The Commercial Dispatch

Slim Smith

On Aug. 2, 2019, I became a member of a club no one ever wants to join.

Thats the day my daughter, Abby, was killed in a car crash in Texas. At 27, she was a young woman, but she was, of course, still my little girl.

In a variety of ways, I am not the same person I was before that awful day, and there is one example of that change that is especially on my mind now.

Before Abby died, when I heard of the death of a child, I considered it a sad event. But now I am far more sensitive to those deaths because I have a better understanding of the lingering pain, the sense of helplessness and the simmering anger over the unfairness of such a loss.

Parents who, like me, lose a child to an accident or, perhaps, to an illness, come to accept the loss, each in their own way. But there is a subset of parents for whom the loss seems unbearable, parents of murdered children. I dont know how a parent could live with the knowledge that someone intentionally took the life of their child.

On Monday, three 9-year-old children, along with three adults, were killed by a lone shooter at an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee.

Three new sets of parents joined the club, but the nation will quickly forget these deaths.

I know this because Ive seen it play out over and over and over again. From Columbine in 1999 (12 high school students) to Sandy Hook in 2012 (20 first-graders) to Marjorie Stoneman Douglas in 2018 (14 high school students) to Robb Elementary in 2022 (19 elementary school children) and now in Nashville, these tragedies command our attention for a time, but ultimately nothing really changes.

Rep. Tim Burchett (R, Tennessee) said more than he realized when asked what could be done about these school shootings hours after the Nashville carnage.

Were not gonna fix it, he said. Criminals are going to be criminals.

Its worth noting that Burchett didnt say this couldnt be fixed. He said we, as a country, lack the will to fix it.

Hes right.

We made that decision 13 years ago, when the Supreme Courts ruling in District of Columbia vs. Heller provided the broadest possible definition of the Second Amendment, a definition that has led to a profusion of laws that have loosened gun restrictions. Concealed carry, open carry, permitless carry, access to military-grade weapons/ammunition are the byproducts of that decision. The accompanying carnage we see is a consequence of it and any calls for reasonable revisions in gun laws in this country are shouted down by Second Amendment absolutists. Shall not be infringed! they proclaim now that the current interpretation of the Second Amendment suits them.

Well, I think its time that we infringe the hell of the Second Amendment, if thats what it takes.

Christ said, The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. It should be no different with the laws that govern our society. Our laws should protect us, not endanger us.

How can it be that, alone among the developed nations, the United States meekly offers up its children to be slaughtered? For what purpose? A principle?

Other nations would not and have not tolerated that sort of carnage and theyve put a stop to it.

Ask any parent who has lost a child what principle he would abandon, what sacrifice she would make, what freedom he would forfeit to save that childs life.

To say that nothing can be done to stop this is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Take heed, Second Amendment absolutists. The next child gunned down at school may be your own, and your thoughts on the subject will change in one horrible instant.

Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is ssmith@cdispatch.com.

Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is ssmith@cdispatch.com.

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Slimantics: It's time to Infringe the hell of out of the Second ... - The Commercial Dispatch

Biden makes multiple Second Amendment claims in wake of Nashville shooting, but reality isn’t so clear-cut – Yahoo News

President Biden responded to Monday's fatal school shootings in Nashville, Tennessee, during a stop in North Carolina on Tuesday, omitting some nuance about the Second Amendment in the wake of tragedy.

The president made a scheduled stop in Durham, North Carolina, to speak about his economic agenda and the advancement of semiconductors.

But before he got to the meat of his speech Tuesday, the president addressed the tragedy that occurred at a private Christian school in Nashville, the Covenant School, on Monday.

BIDEN KEEPS REPEATING FALSE SECOND AMENDMENT CLAIM, DESPITE REPEATED FACT CHECKS

Six victims were shot and killed when 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale, whom police identified as a transgender former student of the school, entered the building with two "assault-type rifles" and a handgun before opening fire.

After Hale killed three 9-year-old students and three adults, Metropolitan Nashville Police officers killed Hale at the scene.

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Biden told the crowd in Durham on Tuesday that Mondays incident was the families "worst nightmare."

Police cordon off the neighborhood of the Covenant School shooter in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday, March 27, 2023.

Biden said he lost a child to an accident and another to cancer, noting that there was nothing like losing a child, especially when taken in a senseless and heartbreaking act.

BIDEN TO SIGN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO REQUIRE BACKGROUND CHECKS ON MORE GUN SALES

"They should be with us as a nation, we owe these families more than our prayers. We owe them action," the president said. "You know, we have to do more to stop this gun violence that is ripping communities apart, ripping apart the soul of this nation. Protect our children so they learn how to read and write instead of duck and covering in a classroom."

The president, who describes himself as a "Second Amendment guy," said the weapons used on Monday were "weapons of war" and that the right to bear arms is not absolute.

"Youre not allowed to go out and own an automatic weapon. Youre not allowed to own a machine gun. Youre not allowed to own a flamethrower," Biden said. "Youre not allowed to own so many other things. Why in Gods name do we allow these weapons of war on our streets and in our public schools?"

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While the National Firearms Act imposes strict limits on machine guns, it allows for exceptions, though minimal.

BIDEN VOWS TO BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS 'COME HELL OR HIGH WATER'

In addition, the law does not specifically ban flamethrowers. A 2019 House bill that aimed to subject flamethrowers to the same federal regulation never passed.

Biden has previously said that the Second Amendment also banned the ownership of cannons when it was passed in 1791, but that, too, has been debunked.

He continued making claims about firearms, especially when it comes to the death of children.

Based on the latest available data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, firearms are not the leading cause of death for children between the ages of 1 to 17 motor vehicles are.

"This is hard to believe," he said. "I never thought when I started my public life that guns would be the No. 1 killer of children in America. Guns. No. 1. Its sick and overwhelming; a majority of gun owners agree we have to do something."

'YOU DON'T NEED AN AR-15': A LOOK AT SOME OF BIDEN'S MOST INACCURATE REMARKS ABOUT FIREARMS AND 2A SUPPORTERS

Analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation published in 2022 did find that firearms recently became the number-one cause of death for children in the U.S., surpassing deaths related to motor vehicles or other injuries.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This report has been updated to clarify firearms limits and the prevalence of gun-related deaths among U.S. children.

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Biden makes multiple Second Amendment claims in wake of Nashville shooting, but reality isn't so clear-cut - Yahoo News

Amazon Appears To Be Removing Merch Advocating for Trans … – The Mary Sue

It seems that our constitutional rights are conditional depending on your demographic, as Amazon appears to have removed t-shirts that say Trans Rights or Else with the trans pride flag being made up of four guns.

Twitter user @aphexindividual posted a tweet highlighting the removal of this shirt on Tuesday. They wrote, If you wanted merchandise that showed support for trans rights and our second amendment, great news: amazon is now removing all of their listings for anything with trans colors / mentions of trans rights paired with guns along with screenshots of the original selling page and the broken link page you get now.

If you do a quick Google search of the phrase trans rights or else shirt, youll be redirected to broken Amazon link pages. The shirt itself is still seemingly being sold by other unofficial vendors, but any page that had a link to the original Amazon store does not work anymore. Though we couldnt confirm that Amazon is the one directly taking down these pages, it does seem highly unlikely that the vendors selling this merchandise would take it down themselves.

The move to take down a shirt like this is presumably linked to the recent shooting in Nashville where a trans man murdered three children and three adults at a private elementary school. The incident itself is undoubtedly horrifying and it wouldnt be a surprise if we found out this shirt was taken down because Amazon, or any of the vendors, thought selling it was tacitly condoning violence.

However, there is a clear double standard when it comes to marginalized people and their second amendment rights. Conservatives will be the first ones to scream about Biden trying to take away their guns and how owning a firearm is one of our natural born rights that theyll fight for even domestic abusers to have, but when a Black, brown, gay, or trans person shows off their newly acquired firearm, those same people who defended the second amendment will be the first ones trying to restrict it.

Its a tale as old as time, honestly. In the 1960s, the militant black nationalist group known as the Black Panthers used their knowledge of California gun laws to arm themselves to the teeth with weapons that they would carry to protests and organization meetings. However, in a completely baffling move, the NRA or National Rifle Association, who are known as the leading champions for gun profits rights, fought alongside the government to help tighten gun laws so they could keep guns out of the hands of Black people. The NRA was so scared of Black people exercising one of their basic constitutional rights that they abandoned their core beliefs and worked hard to strip that right away from them.

Im not saying the move to take down the shirt was wrong if it was done out of respect for the victims, but when a white nationalist goes on mass shooting spree, Amazon doesnt take down shirts depicting the American flag made up of machine guns. No one seems to care about sensitivity towards gun culture until those guns are being brought by those in a marginalized group.

Keep the same energy for everyone, Im just saying.

(featured image: Ethan Miller, Getty Images)

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Amazon Appears To Be Removing Merch Advocating for Trans ... - The Mary Sue

Bill to make Ky. a ‘Second Amendment sanctuary’ becomes law – WTVQ

March 28, 2023

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) A bill to make Kentucky a Second Amendment sanctuary is now law after Gov. Andy Beshear neither signed nor vetoed the legislation passed by the General Assembly.

House Bill 153, which cleared both the House and Senate, prohibits state and local law enforcement agencies from enforcing a federal gun ban in the state.

The bill passed the House by a 78-19 vote and the Senate by a 27-9 vote. It applies to any federal laws or regulations enacted on guns, ammunition and accessories since Jan. 1, 2021.

Beshear neither signed nor vetoed the legislation, which sent the bill straight to Secretary of State Michael Adams desk. It became law Tuesday.

To read the bill in its entirety, head here: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/23rs/hb153.html

Bill to make Ky. a Second Amendment sanctuary heads to governors desk

Bill would make Ky. a Second Amendment sanctuary

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Bill to make Ky. a 'Second Amendment sanctuary' becomes law - WTVQ

UM News Briefs: second amendment sanctuary, transition care and … – The Miami Hurricane

Note from the news editors: UM News Briefs are a new segment from The Miami Hurricane. News briefs provide a weekly snapshot of life at the University of Miami, in Miami and sometimes around the state, country or world. Stay up to date with UM News Briefs.

THIS WEEK AT THE U

Join ALAS for Canesfiesta: The Worlds Hottest Party

On April 6 at 6:30 p.m. UMs Alliance of Latin American Students (ALAS) will host their annual Canesfiesta, a celebration of Latin American culture on campus.

Its going to be a fun final sendoff celebration before summer, Rebecca Menendez, president of ALAS, said. It puts together all of our favorite things.

There will be food, giveaways, games, and live performances for all attendees to enjoy. ALAS will also be celebrating Dia de los Americas, an international holiday that celebrates Central, South and North American cultures.

A Conversation: Disability and the Health Care System

UMs Phi Delta Epsilon and Disability Ambassadors are hosting a panel on Monday, April 3, at 7:30 p.m. to discuss disabilities and the healthcare system.

Dr. Ashley Falcon and Dr. Andrew Porter are both professors in the public health program at UM and will be two panelists among others speaking to those interested in entering the medical field.

U KNOW MIAMI

Tenants forced to evacuate after Miami building fails fire inspection

Tengants who live and work in the historic Huntington Building in downtown Miami were forced to evacuate on March 23 after the structure was deemed unsafe.

Dozens of code enforcement officers and crews with the City of Miami Fire Rescue swarmed in and forced out more than 70 businesses housed at 168 Southeast 1st Street in downtown Miami.

A few days later, a police officer posted an unsafe structures notice on the front door as tenants took out some of their belongings and furniture.

According to the City of Miami, a fire inspection found illegal remodeling near a fire exit that resulted in a safety hazard.

Some tenants began to believe that ulterior motives were at play and their quick eviction was the result of an investors development plans.

There are currently no public plans with a developer for this building, but tenants are now left without a space to work.

IN CASE U MISSED IT

Manatee Bay County becomes a second amendment sanctuary

The Manatee county Commission voted on Tuesday to become Floridas latest Second Amendment Sanctuary, a jurisdiction that has taken a stance against restrictions on gun ownership by state or federal laws. More than 40 of Floridas 67 counties have established similar policies.

According to County Attorney Bill Clague, the resolution declares the countys support of the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

County officials discussed adopting the policy in February and the board, made up of seven conservative Republicans, expected no problems approving the resolution.

According to the resolution, Manatee County will take no action whatsoever to jeopardize, diminish or impair our residents Second Amendment rights and will legally defend against laws seeking in any way to jeopardize, diminish or impair such rights.

The board voted 6-1 to approve the resolution, with Commissioner George Kruse voting against the measure.

Kentucky legislators vote to override the governors veto on an anti-trans law

The Kentucky legislature voted on Wednesday to override the governors veto of a bill that will create a package of restrictions and regulations on transgender youth.

The bill was vetoed on Friday, March 24 by Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat, but was overridden in both the State House and Senate, where Republicans hold supermajorities.

The law bans surgeries, puberty blockers and hormone therapy for children under 18. It also compels doctors to stop treating patients who are undergoing gender-transition care, adding that if physicians deem that ceasing treatment is likely to harm the minor, they can set a time frame to phase out treatment.

The law is part of a wave of legislation filed by Republican state legislatures in recent years to regulate the lives of transgender youth. At least 10 states have passed bans on transition care, including Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Tennessee and Utah.

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UM News Briefs: second amendment sanctuary, transition care and ... - The Miami Hurricane