Gun Rights Must be Honored by Private Companies in Tennessee Parks

/in /by

A private organization operating a public park in Tennessee can’t stop licensed handgun permit holders from carrying their weapons into an event, according to a new opinion from the Tennessee attorney general.

The opinion seems to apply to events at Nashville’s new Ascend Amphitheater and for next year’s Memphis in May celebration. Both take place at public parks but are organized and operated by private organizations.

Although state lawmakers passed a new law that says cities and counties can’t stop legal gun carriers from taking their guns to public parks, organizers of Memphis and Nashville events told The Tennessean they planned to ban guns. The new attorney general opinion says they are not allowed to ban those guns when carried by legally licensed permit holders.

“Since counties and municipalities cannot use direct means to prohibit handgun possession by individuals with valid handgun carry permits in their parks, they cannot use indirect means — such as contracting with nonprofit entities to disallow the possession of such handguns in their parks or other recreational facilities,” states the opinion from Attorney General Herbert Slatery.

“Since a county or municipality no longer has the authority to prohibit handgun carry permit holders from possessing handguns in public parks and other recreational facilities, a county or municipality cannot convey or delegate any such authority to anyone else, either directly or indirectly.”

Lieutenant Commander Tim White confirms he opened fire on Mohammad Abdulazeez with personal weapon during Chattanooga attack

/in /by

On July 30 the Times Free Press reported that Tim White the commanding officer at the Navy Operational Support Center returned fire with his personal weapon when his facility was attacked by the terrorist know as Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez.

Abdulazeez attacked the U.S. Naval and Marine Reserve Center on July 16 with a handgun and an assault rifle. Abdulazeez killed four Marines and a Navy specialist in the bold daytime attack.

Commander White’s wife, Franicia White told Stripes she was proud of her husband for fighting back. Franicia said, “He values human life enough to protect his sailors and others. I am honored to be his wife and stand by him 100 percent.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Ed Reinhold held a press conference in which he did not identify White by name, but said, “A service member inside the building saw Abdulazeez approaching and fired at him.” An unnamed Marine allegedly opened fire on Abdulazeez with a “sidearm” as well, but there is no confirmation on whether he found his target either.

Many politicians after the terrorist attack immediately called for a change in policy to allow more service members to be armed. Within two days, six states either ordered their National Guard recruiting personnel to be armed or ordered those in recruitment relocated to armories or similar facilities.

The Associated Press reported, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter directed the military branches to review security policies, including adding armed personnel in the wake of the Chattanooga attacks, “The tragic shooting on July 16 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, illustrates the continuing threat to DOD personnel in the U.S. homeland posed by homegrown violent extremists,” Carter wrote in a memo released by the Pentagon.

Citizens Band Together, And Get Governor to Overturn illegal ‘Gun Free Zone’

/in /by

A story featured at the Alabama news outlet Yellowhammer exemplifies the American ideal that government is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people, as Abraham Lincoln so famously said during his Gettysburg Address. And for the citizens of Alabama, they have reason to celebrate that foundational American truth — though slipping quickly away — for this brief moment in time.

Writer Cliff Sims penned the article “Indisputable proof Alabamians have the power to demand the government they deserve” after witnessing a relatively unknown law that made public rest areas “gun free zones” become abolished in less than a week.

In great detail, Sims gives a play-by-play of what exactly went down — and it all started with one person’s e-mail. (Redacted version below)

On Sunday, July 19, an Alabamian named Jayson wrote to Sims asking him to investigate the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) overstepping its authority in turning the state’s rest areas into “gun free zones.” By Monday, Sims’s editor and a fellow journalist began the investigation and found that signs declaring “no weapons beyond this point” were indeed present at the rest stops. Yellowhammer began reporting on the story during the week asking about the legality of the ban. ALDOT didn’t initially responded to comment requests.

On Sims’s radio program Tuesday, he urged listeners to “politely” call ALDOT and express their complaints with the department’s decision. Though ALDOT fielded many complaints, they deferred to the state attorney general’s office without much other response.

An ALDOT spokesperson finally told Sims on Wednesday that the attorney general was “reviewing the matter” and said:

“We don’t want this to be a distraction for us. You can probably imagine we have a lot of issues we deal with day in and day out.”

Thursday, Sims rallied his radio listeners to contact the attorney general’s office, again “politely,” and relay their concerns there. And this is where it gets good!

By Friday — less than a week since one person stood up against the government —  Sims received an e-mail from Republican Alabama Governor Robert Bentley’s administration saying that the governor himself reviewed the rule and took action. Governor Bentley later tweeted, “I have ordered the Alabama Department of Transportation to remove signs banning weapons at all Alabama rest stops to comply with state law.”

Federal court says state can enforce ‘docs vs. Glocks’ law

/in /by

Florida can start enforcing a contentious law that restricts what doctors can say to patients about guns.

The measure was first adopted by the Florida Legislature four years ago, but had been caught in a lengthy court battle in which a federal judge in Miami had blocked the law from taking effect.

But the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta on Tuesday issued a new ruling that lifts the injunction that had blocked enforcement of the law.

The measure, signed into law in 2011 by Gov. Rick Scott, prohibited doctors from asking patients about their gun ownership or recording that information in medical records unless it was medically necessary.

A panel split 2-1 over the law with the majority of judges finding that the law is constitutional and doesn’t violate First Amendment speech rights of doctors. It is the second time the appeals court has ruled on the measure and the decision is likely to be appealed.

“The act codifies the commonsense conclusion that good medical care does not require inquiry or record-keeping regarding firearms when unnecessary to a patient’s care—especially not when that inquiry or record-keeping constitutes such a substantial intrusion upon patient privacy,” said the opinion written by U.S. Circuit Judge Gerald Tjoflat.

Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature adopted the Firearm Owners’ Privacy Act after an Ocala couple complained that a doctor had asked them about guns. The two say they refused to answer and the physician refused to see them again.

The 2011 law, which had become popularly known as “Docs vs. Glocks,” was challenged by organizations representing 11,000 state health providers, including the Florida chapters of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Doctors who break the law could potentially be fined and lose their licenses.

 

Pro-Second Amendment Pastor Shoots Church Intruder

/in /by

According to ABC 13 Eyewitness News in Houston. a pastor shot and injured an intruder at the Church of New Beginnings in Baytown, Texas sometime after 6 a.m. Tuesday, police say.

Pastor Benny Holmes was sleeping in his office when he woke up to the sound of someone attempting to break into the church. Holmes then armed himself and shot the burglary suspect in the right shoulder.

The alleged intruder, identified as Lee Marvin Blue, was immediately taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital and is now in stable condition. Police described Blue as having an extensive criminal history.

Last year, Pastor Holmes made national news for taking down a suspected package thief in his front yard. Holmes gave a sermon after the incident, telling his congregation why he believes that God approves of the Second Amendment.

Officials in Florida Vow to Expedite Concealed Carry Permits for Active Duty Military Personnel and Veterans

/in /by

Amid reports of armed citizens standing guard at military recruiting stations and recommendations on how best to protect military personnel, Florida officials announced today that they will expedite concealed weapons permits for active duty military and veterans.

The move comes on the heels of the murder of five military members in Chattanooga, Tennessee earlier this month.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs said its goal is to issue licenses to qualified active military and veterans within 30 days, a third of the time allotted by law.

“The men and women who serve and have served our country deserve all of the support we can provide,” Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam said. “We are pleased to expedite active military members and veterans’ applications for a concealed weapon license, and our partnership with tax collectors throughout the state will make this process even more convenient.”

Military and veterans must submit official military identification with their applications or a copy of service members’ current orders as proof of active duty status. Honorably discharged veterans should submit a copy of their DD 214 long form.

A concealed weapons permit would allow a military member or veteran to carry such weapons outside of military installations in the state. The military has strict rules about who can carry weapons on bases and installations. Generally, only those with duties related to law enforcement, security and of guarding classified information or equipment are allowed to carry weapons.

The Florida move to expedite the process for military and veterans comes amid debates about how best to protect recruiting stations, many of them in shopping center storefronts, and reports of armed citizens showing up at recruiting stations.

Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said that secretary of Defense Ash Carter was reviewing safety recommendations.