Laws and Sausages

A considerable group of folks from the Allegheny County Sportsmans League, Firearm Owners Against Crime, Beaver Valley Sportsmen, and others from across the Commonwealth attended the annual Second Amendment Rally in Harrisburg on the 8th. This rally is sponsored by Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, and supported by a distinct majority of our legislators. Its purpose is to call attention to the Pennsylvania Constitution, Article I, Section XXI, and to rally both the legislators and law abiding firearms owners to support and to pass laws that roll back some of the draconian Pennsylvania gun laws, and enhance the laws that favor the law abiding.

This year we focused on HB 1523, Preemption, which is currently in the House awaiting a vote; HB 2176, which would provide for Constitutional Carry. Those who are not otherwise prohibited would no longer have to pay a hidden tax to exercise their right to carry concealed firearms; HB 2127, elimination of the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) in favor of the National Instant Check System (NICS). PICS has cost the Commonwealth 91 million dollars from 1998 through 2011, and costs taxpayers nearly 7 million dollars annually to administer. NICS is an established program, paid for with tax payer dollars at the Federal level.  Both HB 2176 and HB 2127 are held up in Pennsylvania's House Judiciary Committee.

Mark Twain once penned that "...men should not know how two things are made; laws, and sausages..." With due deference to Samuel Clemens, I'll agree with him on sausages, and suggest that none of you ever watch how sausage is made.

Laws, on the other hand, are complicated, and the process involved in getting an idea to the Governor's mansion is laborious. For example, it took nearly 9 years to pass Act 10, which among other things, provides a shield of immunity from civil prosecution when force at any level is used appropriately. Until Governor Corbett signed Act 10 during his first year in office, even police officers acting in the interest of the citizens could be taken to civil court for using force.

I'd encourage all to participate in the process, first by voting in every election, and secondly by staying in touch with your Representative and your Senator and expressing your desires. Its an unfortunate situation, but good law often dies on the vine because the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee refuses to put it on his calendar. Actually, it surpasses "unfortunate", and borders on criminal.

A lesser known way of creating law exists within the Pennsylvania State Police, who by executive fiat, make up rules as they go along. Did you know that you Constitutional right to keep and bear arms is going to be suspended on Sunday, the 20th of May, and will remain suspended until Tuesday, the 22nd. By a simple letter, the State Police have informed all of us that the Constitution is suspended for 60 hours (perhaps more).

Please call your elected representative and the Governor's office and insist that the Constitution, the centerpiece of our Commonwealth, never be suspended. If you haven't read it, Article I, Section XXI of the Commonwealth's Constitution is one simple and clear sentence: "The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned."