State Rights?
# Bill St. Clair at The Albany (NY) Times Union - State has no right to regulate handguns - they cut the teeth out of my letter. No L. Neil Smith "gun control = treason" quote. And their title invents a new concept: state rights. States have no rights. Only individuals have rights. States have delegated powers which are supposed to be, but no longer are, severely limited by their constitutions. You can re-read what I wrote here. Below is what they printed.
State has no right to regulate handguns
First published: Thursday, February 12, 2004
The Times Union published on Feb. 5 a letter from Andy Pelosi of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence supporting Gov. George Pataki's proposed fee increases and five-year renewal period for handgun permits. This proposal stinks. New York's pistol permit holders already jump through incredible hoops to prove their competence to exercise what is supposed to be an inalienable right.
We need fewer, not more, roadblocks in the way of people using effective tools to defend themselves and their families.
The state Legislature cannot legally regulate handguns or any other arms. The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution mandates that "the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." Sadly, this restriction on what government is allowed to do has never been enforced. It's way past time to do so.
BILL ST. CLAIR
New Lebanon
bill@billstclair.com
# I received my signed copy of Boston T. Party's Molôn Labé! There goes the weekend. Yay!