[ad_1]
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.
The latest victim of the COVID-19 pandemic is not a health care worker, a first responder, or a cruise line traveler. The purveyor is not an invisible microbe. The perpetrators of the latest assault on men and women in cities and states across the country are left-wing governors and mayors who have decided the pandemic provides a convenient excuse to deny law abiding citizens the freedom to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
As I wrote last week, we already have seen examples of the COVID-19 pandemic being used as an excuse to do just this; and the trend is accelerating.
Just last weekend, for example, the New Jersey State Police sent a message to all of the state’s Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL), telling them that Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy had decided to deactivate the Commonwealth’s ability to access the National Instant Criminal Background Check System that is required to be used during the purchases of all firearms in business transactions. According to Murphy, firearm purchases are not “essential” during the COVID-19 outbreak, and thus are within his “emergency” jurisdiction to slow the spread of the viral disease. The Bill of Rights be damned.
Second Amendment advocates have long pointed to the background check system as a potential chokepoint in the gun purchase process; exploitable by anti-gun officials to cripple the Second Amendment without the need for congressional or even state legislative action. As a National Rifle Association alert points out, while a majority of states use the FBI directly to run NICS searches, New Jersey is one of twelve “full point of contact” (POC) states (a group that includes California and Virginia) in which background checks are the responsibility of the state police; a most convenient mechanism for anti-gun governors like Murphy.
The difference is extremely important for the effective protection of Second Amendment rights. While federal interference in the FBI’s execution of background checks is possible, thanks to limitations placed in the statute when passed by Congress in 1993 this is far less likely to occur than a governor suspending the required background checks by executive order, or a general assembly refusing to fund the procedures. Given the continued spread of COVID-19, it is not a matter of if, but when further such restrictive measures are mandated.
This is precisely the danger inherent in broad “emergency powers” that go beyond resource management or financial relief; and which have no direct or even indirect relationship to the problem on which the “emergency” declaration is based. For example, the Mayor of New Orleans, a city infamous for confiscating firearms in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina 15 years ago, issued a COVID-19 emergency order last week allowing her to suspend the sale of firearms. That order is similar to ones issued this month by mayors in Champaign, IL, Fresno, CA, New York City, and elsewhere. Even without specific emergency powers, some local governments, such as the city of San Jose in California, are declaring gun stores “non-essential” and therefore subject to summary closure as a way to prevent citizens from acquiring firearms.
There is already a much needed, and legitimate debate about whether governors and local government officials may constitutionally issue blanket orders to close private businesses that summarily put tens of thousands of people out of work. However, there can be no legitimate argument that there exists a local “emergency” exception that allows officials to prohibit individuals from exercising rights expressly protected by the Bill of Rights. Indeed, it is precisely in times of emergency, when the risk of looting and other criminal behavior increases, that the rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment become most important.
Americans who think our judicial system will step in and stop such unwarranted and unconstitutional edicts as we now are seeing, are sadly mistaken. Just this week the Pennsylvania Supreme Court let stand an order by that state’s Democrat Governor Tom Wolf that forced the closure of all gun stores. And, as Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas lamented in 2017, the nation’s High Court has been distressingly averse to even taking under review cases that would protect this fundamental right from actions such as those we are witnessing in this most recent “emergency
[ad_2]
Source link
643431 279014Nicely picked details, numerous thanks towards the author. Its incomprehensive in my experience at present, nevertheless in common, the convenience and importance is mind-boggling. Regards and all the best .. 780678
42107 66337You appear to be extremely skilled within the way you write.::~ 573638
967688 805681In fact your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own site now. Really the blogging is spreading its wings quickly. Your write up is a great example of it. 876980
905295 845063Really informative and great bodily structure of content material material , now thats user friendly (:. 269782
158439 699132Thank you for this fantastic post! It has long been extremely beneficial. I wish which you will carry on posting your expertise with us. 158431
94765 595014 I discovered your blog site on google and check several of your early posts. Continue to maintain up the really good operate. I just additional up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking forward to reading far more from you later on! 459869
799689 776779Great day! Do you know if they make any plugins to protect against hackers? Im kinda paranoid about losing everything Ive worked hard on. Any tips? 372565
452469 325047Hey! Very good stuff, please keep us posted when you post something like that! 307873
638395 215725Someone necessarily assist to make critically articles Id state. This really is the initial time I frequented your web page and thus far? I amazed with the analysis you made to make this actual submit incredible. Exceptional activity! 85740
929114 547672Cpr KIts very excellent read you know alot about this subject i see! 348545
860797 870634Most reliable human being messages, nicely toasts. are already provided gradually during the entire wedding celebration and therefore are anticipated to be really laid back, humorous and as effectively as new all at once. very best man speech 272588
185294 291271Hey there! Excellent stuff, do keep us posted when you finally post something like that! 772172
190140 758382I really like forgathering utile info, this post has got me even far more info! . 821239
184488 924747Hello there, I discovered your blog by way of Google at the same time as searching for a comparable subject, your website got here up, it seems to be wonderful. Ive bookmarked it in my google bookmarks. 616523
19011 168658hey there i stumbled upon your web site looking about the web. I wanted to let you know I enjoy the appear of items about here. Maintain it up will bookmark for confident. 944029
623518 364132If youre still on the fence: grab your favorite earphones, head down to a Greatest Buy and ask to plug them into a Zune then an iPod and see which one sounds much better to you, and which interface makes you smile far more. Then youll know which is proper for you. 559733
64013 34863Im not that significantly of a internet reader to be honest but your blogs actually nice, maintain it up! Ill go ahead and bookmark your internet site to come back in the future. All the best 155401
555543 144269Thank you for sharing with us, I think this site truly stands out : D. 833531
704189 842954This really is a very good common sense article. Really beneficial to 1 who is just obtaining the resouces about this part. It will undoubtedly assist educate me. 81205
31988 158423I would like to see more posts like this!.. Wonderful blog btw! reis Subscribed.. 469761
558757 482739This post post created me believe. I will write something about this on my blog. 324184