A Good Gun Law for a Change

[Nathang]

Subject: FW: A Gun Registration Plan That Will Work


Vermont State Rep. Fred Maslack has read the Second Amendment to the U.S.. Constitution, as well as Vermont's own Constitution very carefully, and his strict interpretation of these documents is popping some eyeballs in New England and elsewhere.

Maslack recently proposed a bill to register "non-gun-owners" and require them to pay a $500 fee to the state. Thus Vermont would become the first state to require a permit for the luxury of going about unarmed and assess a fee of $500 for the privilege of not owning a gun.

Maslack read the "militia" phrase of the Second Amendment as not only affirming the right of the individual citizen to bear arms, but as a clear mandate to do so. He believes that universal gun ownership was advocated by the Framers of the Constitution as an antidote to a "monopoly of force" by the government as well as criminals.

Vermont's constitution states explicitly that "the people have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the State" and those persons who are "conscientiously scrupulous of bearing arms" shall be required to "pay such equivalent." Clearly, says Maslack, Vermonters have a constitutional obligation to arm themselves, so that they are capable of responding to "any situation that may arise."

Under the bill, adults who choose not to own a firearm would be required to register their name, address, Social Security Number, and driver's license number with the state. "There is a legitimate government interest in knowing who is not prepared to defend the state should they be asked to do so," Maslack says

Vermont already boasts a high rate of gun ownership along with the least restrictive laws of any state. It's currently the only state that allows a citizen to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. This combination of plenty of guns and few laws regulating them has resulted in a crime rate that is the third lowest in the nation.

EDIT: I checked to see if this was legit, and it is quite old, it was in the Vermont papers in Feb 2000

[MrMarty51]

I like that law.
Think I will contact our legislators and see if We can get something similar here.

[zetaseven]

There was a county in Georgia, the Sheriff required all residents to have a firearm in the house. course there was exceptions.

[Nathang]

I remember that, it was a direct response to Downer's Grove Illinois law prohibiting any gun ownership, that Ga. town said Oh Yeah well send 'em all down here, we'll mandate gun ownership.

Imagine a town where gun ownership was not only required, but also regular proficiency testing? What's a Goblin to do, when he's got the urge to pillage and rape, if he knows that no matter which house he breaks in to, somebody there is ready, willing and able to shoot him dead?

[Drum Dog]

You know the anti-gunners would use it to do a reverse search, i.e., all persons not registered as "non-gun-owners" would be assumed to possess a firearm.

[Nathang]

I think that would be kind of pointless in a place like Vermont or Texas.

Just assume every home has guns and you won't be wrong often enough to matter.



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[Blackdog 15]

About time...............

[Driften]

I agree lets have all the anti-gun people post a sign in the front yard saying they don't care to protect them selves... then let natural selection work

[Driften]

That and the tax it a great idea..

[BamaHDRocker]

Originally Posted by Nathang

I think that would be kind of pointless in a place like Vermont or Texas.

Just assume every home has guns and you won't be wrong often enough to matter.



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Don't forget about your well-prepared friends down here in Bama. LOL

We loves us some guns. Matter of fact went fishing with a buddy today and couldn't pass up the perfect chance to shoot his new Smith & Wesson 686 6" .357 Mag that he just got back from the S&W Performance Center and had a master revolver package done on it...

It was SWEET! I'm sending my S&W 629 .44 Mag in a few weeks to have the same package done. I had them do a trigger job a year or so ago, but I want them to slick it up a little more.