In this week’s President’s Message, I’ll provide a brief legal news update. First, we will start with some international news. A while back I wrote about Brazil and its experience that when the good guys are armed, murder rates drop.
This week it’s Trinidad and Tobago farmers who are asking that they be allowed to acquire firearms to defend themselves from rampant crime and cattle theft. From the Trinidad Daily Express:
“Farmers throughout the country should be granted firearm user’s [licenses] (FULs) to protect their farms from praedial larceny, according to Couva North Member of Parliament Ravi Ratiram, who called on Commissioner of Police Erla Christopher to issue licensed firearms to those affected.
Speaking at yesterday’s United National Congress (UNC) press conference, Ratiram said the country should equip farmers with the necessary tools to protect their livelihoods and safeguard produce and livestock.
… “I call upon Commissioner Erla Christopher to issue licensed firearms to registered farmers through firearm user’s [licenses] (FULs), granting them the power to safeguard their produce and livestock. This is not a plea, it’s a resounding demand for action, for change, and for justice…Commissioner Erla Christopher, the choice is yours—stand with our farmers or sit back and watch them fall victim to the criminal elements. The choice is clear, and the solution lies in your hand,” he said.
… “I spoke to one farmer who lost approximately nine head of cattle on his farm. We are talking about nearly $100,000. Farmers and fishermen have been asking for this type of relief where the Government cannot protect them, they are prepared to protect their families, their livelihoods, and properties…this is why we have issued these calls. This is something that came about in consulting with our farmers,” he said.”
Go figure…
Meanwhile, in California…
Out of the Ninth Circuit (yes, President Trump’s judicial appointments are making a difference out West) California’s law prohibiting the marketing of firearms and shooting sports to minors has been struck down for now on First Amendment grounds. Judge Kenneth Lee, writing the majority opinion stated:
“While California has a substantial interest in reducing gun violence and unlawful use of firearms by minors, its law does not “directly” and “materially” further either goal. California cannot straitjacket the First Amendment by, on the one hand, allowing minors to possess and use firearms and then, on the other hand, banning truthful advertisements about that lawful use of firearms. There is no evidence in the record that a minor in California has ever unlawfully bought a gun, let alone because of an ad. Nor has the state produced any evidence that truthful ads about lawful uses of guns—like an ad about hunting rifles in Junior Sports Magazines’ Junior Shooters—encourage illegal or violent gun use among minors. Simply put, California cannot lean on gossamers of speculation to weave an evidence-free narrative that its law curbing the First Amendment “significantly” decreases unlawful gun use among minors. The First Amendment demands more than good intentions and wishful thinking to warrant the government’s muzzling of speech.
California’s law is also more extensive than necessary, as it sweeps in truthful ads about lawful use of firearms for adults and minors alike. For instance, an advertisement directed at adults featuring a camouflage skin on a firearm might be illegal because minors may be attracted to it.”
This law’s overly broad reach to make lawmakers feel good about doing something, even if it is ineffective or unprovable, does not pass any First Amendment test whatsoever. Maybe if the Ninth Circuit keeps up this kind of behavior, it will lose its nickname “Ninth Circus”.
Moving On…
Then, in the continuing saga out of New Mexico: As you know, Governor Grisham imposed an unconstitutional Executive Order banning the open or concealed carrying of firearms for thirty days in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. It was quickly slapped down in Federal Court. An excellent analysis can be read by our friends at BearingArms.com and of course, she’s now trying to guilt the rest of us for not agreeing with her and trying to repackage it to only include parks and playgrounds. If nothing else, Gov. Grisham has displayed true contempt for both the Federal Constitution and New Mexico’s. “Karen’s” like her should never be allowed in elected office.
Lastly, in my recent Ready at All Times President’s Message I wrote about the growing ChiCom threat not just to Taiwan but also to the United States. One has to wonder why Chinese companies are smuggling suppressors and Glock Full Auto Switches into the USA packaged as toys. Well, if I were planning Mumbai-style attacks and sabotage in the US, I’d be smuggling those item’s here for the thousands of military-age Chinese males that Biden is allowing to walk across the US-Mexican border unimpeded, to provide them with the tools they need to attack Americans and our infrastructure.
If you read through the 9-11 Commission Report, a recurring theme was that our intelligence agencies did not connect the dots before the attacks. Hopefully, any post ChiCom attack on Taiwan and the USA will not cite the same errors in the future. But under apparently-compromised Joe Biden, I doubt it.
Those gun control dangerous quacks are playing a long game but so are we at IFC. Help us by joining or renewing your IFC membership here today.
Shoot Straight, Speak The Truth, and Never Surrender Our Liberties.
Dave Funk
President, IFC
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