Hoplophobes To Oppose Three Gun Bills - Granite Grok

Hoplophobes To Oppose Three Gun Bills

”Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples’ liberty’s teeth.”—George Washington

Governor Lynch and his hoplophobite cronies at the New Hampshire Police Chiefs Association are ramping up once again to put the kibosh on three Gun Bills slated to taken up this week by the legislature.

House Bill 334, relative to the state’s authority to prohibit or regulate firearms, firearms components, ammunition, or firearms supplies. Many find this legislation confusing because there is a belief that Public institutions fund with tax payer dollars already fall within the purview of RSA 159:26. In fact, Attorney Penny Dean told the Union Leader, current state law prohibits the University System from banning guns. Yet, somehow those educrats have carved out a little niche of unaccountability and have made an end-run around the legislature, ruling over their fiefdoms as they see fit.
“I think this would be a huge mistake considering the age of the students here, and to have some possess firearms would be extremely dangerous,” UNH Police Chief Nicholas Halias tells the Union Leader. “Some students use alcohol and others use drugs, and having any weapon available would be catastrophic.”

Yet, Chief Halias neglects to acknowledge that a significant number of UNH students’ peers presently serve in the U.S. Armed forces where they are being asked to go out on patrols in Afganistan with a fully-loaded firearm and make split-second life or death decisions. Is this a “context” problem? Are the eighteen, through twenty-one year olds at UNH any demographically different than those spilling their blood overseas?

It is also indisputable that the highest amount of carnage has occurred on college campuses presently considered “gun-free zones,” where there was an absence of ability for someone to meet such force with force. The Union Leader article also points out that publicly financed buildings such as the Verizon Wireless Arena Pease International Tradeport, which are leased to private companies, ban guns. Hospitals will really give somebody a hard time about guns as well.

While Attorney Penny Dean, asserted that the university is a subdivision of the state, and like cities and towns, cannot regulate firearms, neither Lynch nor his anti-gun crowd ever meaningfully rebut that point.
Lynch tells the Union Leader, House Bill 536 would allow just about anyone to carry a gun without a license, effectively stripping away the permitting process that has been in place for decades. But, as Penny Dean pointed out, Vermont has had no licensing provision for decades,” and we have yet to see the streets in the Green Mountain State run red with blood.  This is a dishonest notion on the part of the governor because that is not the case. The licensing process would still remain allowing a gun owner who wants to use the reciprocity system with other states to continue to obtain a license.

the UL article errantly stated HB 194 would repeal a law banning loaded “weapons” in vehicles. This simply is not true. Handguns are carried loaded in vehicles and the only prohibition on loaded firearms in vehicles is on “long guns”…rifles and shotguns. Fact is, it is the Fish & Game Department who oppose this measure because lifting the prohibition is perceived by them to affect poaching and night hunting laws and their enforcement.

In speaking with the UL, Lynch press mouthpiece Colin Manning asserted, that such a law change, “Would dramatically increase risks for accidental discharge.” Colin Manning does not strike me as a guy who, based on his presentation and word use of the topic, has any degree of experience with firearms. If such is the case, I remain unconvinced.

But for all that is said about the opposition to this bill, little is said about those in both the Senate and House that seek those sought-after NRA endorsements and high marks, but then vote against legislation such as this. The soft rationalization that somehow we, “don’t really need this legislation” or my favorite RINO platitude…“We have better things to do” Well, we ten sessions of the legislature can come and go and the same old RINO’s will always say the same darned thing.

Simply put, we need to call this what it really is. This is the anti-gun cadre opposing such legislation for the mere sake of opposing it. Nothing more. Wonder if Lynch is going to have another one of his important Hoplophobe suit parades?

>