The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) said recently that if state agencies and officials around the country who are responsible for issuing concealed-carry licenses or permits are not taking new applications because of the COVID-19 outbreak, they should not arrest people for carrying without a license/permit in the state.
“We’ve received reports that some agencies are using the coronavirus outbreak as an excuse for suspending the concealed-carry application process,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “The Constitution shouldn’t be put on hold because of the coronavirus.” At Gun Tests, we heartily agree.
SAF has been involved in several legal actions across the country stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. Two of those cases, which have been favorably resolved, involved gun-permit applications.
“The right to bear arms,” Gottlieb said, “translates to the right to carry, and like other rights protected by the Constitution, that right is not limited to the confines of one’s home. Ever since the SAF victory in McDonald v. City of Chicago 10 years ago, the Second Amendment has been incorporated to the states via the 14th Amendment. A lot of people apparently have forgotten that, but we haven’t. You cannot suspend a constitutionally guaranteed fundamental right, especially in times of emergency.
“The past few months have seen a significant increase in the number of new gun owners,” he noted. “Many, if not most, of those new owners bought firearms for personal protection, and not just in the home. Where state law requires a license or permit to carry concealed in public, issuing agencies cannot be allowed to arbitrarily stop that process, using the coronavirus outbreak as the reason.
“If a sheriff’s or police department is not accepting carry license applications,” Gottlieb said, “they should not arrest someone for carrying without a license.”
Also, while it’s disappointing that the U.S. Supreme Court has mooted the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association’s challenge of a now-defunct handgun law in the City of New York, there is a possibility for an important Second Amendment ruling coming from one of four cases now pending before the high court, SAF says.
The four SAF cases already submitted to the high court are Rodriguez v. City of San Jose; Pena v. Cid, Culp v. Madigan and Mance v. Barr. Let’s hope one advances to the high court sooner rather than later and hardens the effects of Heller and McDonald. Obviously, further rulings are necessary to stop infringements of our rights.
seems like a bit of playing the deaf, dumb, and blind kid in the pin ball arcade after they just refused to hear all of the current cases that were waiting and gave ample opportunity to straighten out a number of issues. The Supreme’s are not listening.
Yeah, sure. Let people in the regulatory agencies get sick and die because you fat-ass can’t stop LARPing like the jackass wannabe’s that you are. You don’t need to carry and if you have every pulled your gun on someone, then most likely, you’re just a piece of shit in the first place. Get an Masters degree, not a gun you friggin man-babys with your toys. You’re always the first clowns to shout “My Rights, My Rights” but you never give a shit about anyone else’s rights. You are the LEAST American citizens that exist. Everyone has the “right” to carry a weapon, but NOT until they go through a “in-person” manually performed background check w/ references by a duly charged government representative complete with neighborhood checks as well as required “formal training” and psychological testing. I have, you 100% believe that none of you should have the same freedoms unless you a extremely qualified for that responsibility. Short of those qualifications, carry some pepper spray you fantasizing fat-asses.
It should be said, “get a Master’s Degree,” not “get an Master’s Degree,” Mr. Genius.
bm.10703
You are way out of bounds! All we are hearing these days is “my Rights”
1st. Our government Representatives “The Police” are now asked to be defunded.
2nd. Sounds like to me if you went through the” Neigborhood Checks” your neighbors would flunk you in a heartbeat.
3rd. what do you say to someone who was raised with nature as his ally? Someone like me who can hunt and live off the land without any assistance from the likes of you? Shot my 1st round at the ripe age of 7 years. Same year bagged my first rabbit. Grandfather taught dad .. dad then taught me and so forth. NO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES HERE!!
4th. You can bet 1 thing for all of anybody that would subscribe to Gun-Tests should ever have to pull a weapon to defend themselves and or family or a stranger like you(because I could see you getting your ass kicked by spewing such un-supported facts like your comments above) would generaly try to retreat 1st. or calm the situation down rather than get heated and pull a weapon!
5th. THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING TO GUN TESTS. We’ll take your money and put it to good use like the 2ND Amendment Foundation.