Red Flag Gun Laws
Updated: Apr 25, 2020
Its kind of hard to know where to begin on this subject matter, we are not even talking about the 2nd Amendment and what it all means anymore and how it should be applied, and just moving right along to violating it all together. It seems we need to hit a reset button somewhere. So before we begin our arguments against Red Flag Gun Laws, lets have a recap on the 2nd Amendment. In fact we need to go back a little further than the 2nd Amendment and make sure we have a proper understanding that rights are inherent, they are natural to human beings and are not granted by a government, which is another reason we are in this mess, people have and are continuing to confuse the rights outlined in the Bill of Rights as government granted and not God ordained; however, while that is related to this issue, it is larger in scope, we only mention it for context.
Here is what the 2nd Amendment says:
"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
Here at KLR we don't want to do too much re-inventing of the wheel, but to keep it as simple as possible. When the war for American Independence started there was no standing army initially, they had to pull their soldiers from colonial citizens, particularly able bodied males, it was preferable these able bodied males be able to operate the weapons they were about to use against the English, the greatest super power known to man at the time and probably the course of human history up to that point. So a well regulated militia at the time were the people. Granted it is a little more to it than that, and with the passage of time words have changed meaning surprisingly as well as those that wish to strip people of this right have gotten very cleaver in obfuscating the truth of the matter for whatever reason, some to ensure their own power, others out of good intentions because bad people have done bad things with guns. If you want to take a deep dive into this subject matter we suggest you go to GunCite.com, as it will give you more ins and outs to this issue than you thought possible, once you see it you will know they have done their homework.
The nuts and bolts of it though is this:
1) YOU have the right to defend yourself whatever way possible.
2) That right is natural and God given.
3) That right is not limited to defending one's self personally, but also against governments (See the American War for Independence)
4) That right SHALL NOT be infringed.
Now onto the reason why we are having this debate on Red Flag Gun Laws. To put it bluntly the powers that be that would prefer to see this right go away or lose it's effectiveness are using the tragedies of mass shootings and gun crime, the victims of it, and those that mean well in advocating for those victims, by playing on feelings and not facts.
We can spend a lot of time talking about the facts, and we will provide references (Gun Cite above has a lot), but the fact of the matter is most of these mass shootings happen in areas that are declared gun free zones. Take for instance the city of Chicago, it is no secret they have some of the strictest gun laws in the country while at the same time have the highest amount of gun violence and deaths. This gun violence isn't even being committed with what is being termed "assault rifles" but mere handguns.
Here are some links to some facts on the issue
2) More Gun Data Manipulation and Tricks
3) 5 Gun Myths Debunked - One nice tid-bit of information is the CDC says more lives are saved by guns than taken by guns. So while some advocate that gun control will save lives, it could be argued just as well it could cost lives. In a perfect world we would want no one to die due to gun violence but bad people will find a way and so good people need to be prepared and allowed to defend themselves. In a free society there is risk, the only way we are all "safe" is to be locked up in cages and never let out the rest of our lives.
Finally what are Red Flag Gun Laws? In short it is a legal mechanism set up in which the government can suspend a persons right to own a gun based on reports that an individual is unstable or might do something, forgetting the 5th Amendment of due process or the 4th Amendment the right to your own property. The reason this legislation is coming about is that more often than not those that commit mass shootings are a bit mentally unstable, so Red Flag Gun Laws are the supposed answer, when in many instances these people already gave legitimate reasons for law enforcement to, detain them, question them, or even lock them up but failed to do so. The Parkland school shooting was the perfect example, the man was known to the FBI even, and nothing was done, yet we are going to create another gun control law that will punish people who have done nothing and lose the presumption of innocents. If the reason this is dangerous already in that it violates 3 of the 10 rights in the Bill of Rights without even a trial is not clear, then there is even more reason this type of law is dangerous, it becomes a slippery slope to where you are held accountable for your thoughts or worse what people think you thoughts are. In our highly politized environment what is to stop someone of a different political persuasion of reporting someone for merely thinking differently than them. We will put this bluntly this is not just gun control it is thought policing, does anybody remember the movie Minority Report, fiction is becoming reality. For a more in-depth look at Red Flag Gun Laws take a look at this article from The New American: Presume Dangerous, No Guns.
Kentucky has historically been one of the most gun friendly states in the US but even here Red Flag talk is starting to get traction and our neighbors in Virginia are so concerned they are starting Sanctuary Counties for Gun Owners where local sheriffs won't enforce a Red Flag state law, whether or not this will be effective remains to be seen, but it does send a strong message nonetheless. In fact a few counties here in Kentucky have started having discussions about becoming 2nd Amendment Sanctuary Counties. Earlier this year our state legislature had a interim joint hearing of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees on Red Flag law potential, there wasn't even a bill yet we are having discussions about it.
which is not only a Red Flag Gun Law but also an "assault" weapons ban and large capacity magazine ban.
Representative George Brown (D) has filed BR 342 which is not only a Red Flag Gun Law but also an "assault" weapons ban and large capacity magazine ban. Nima Kulkarni (D) als has a Red Flag Bill BR 835 relating it to domestic violence. In a Republican controlled legislaure his bill probably won't see the light of day, but what very well may happen is a more bi-partisan bill will be put forth and the "marketing" will be "oh but this isn't the same as THAT bill, this one is different, its better." We cannot fall for that lame tactic. You should be calling your state representatives and state senators at 1-800-372-7181 and letting them know you are opposed to ANY Red Flag Gun Law. Some of the discussion revolves around if citizens could report, or only law enforcement, neither seem palatable, allowing law enforcement discretion is the same as issuing them Writs of Assistance, one of the grievances we revolted against England for.
Banning guns will be like trying to close Pandora's Box, it cannot be done, it will only keep the guns in the black market where bad guys can get them and leave good law abiding citizens defenseless against crime and mass shootings, or worse and God forbid a tyrannical government.
Below is a clip of State Representative Savanah Maddox (R) giving her arguments of why should would be opposed to any Red Flag Gun Law. We would also direct you to a couple of good national 2nd Amendment/Gun Advocacy Groups: Gun Owners of America (GOA) and National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR)