26 Jan 15

“Rights” and “Privileges”

From a friend in NY:

“New York State treats ‘Pistol Permits’ as a privilege, not a right. Most Americans would call NY State policy on carry permits ‘discretionary issue,’ or ‘may issue.’

Words have meaning!

Once politicians can change the word ‘right’ into ‘privilege,’ the door opens to abuse by elected officials and bureaucrats alike. Both quickly forget who is working for whom, as they use a mysterious and incomprehensible bureaucracy, combined with ‘discretionary enforcement,’ to terrorize critics, and reward obedient lap-dogs!

Recently, a NY Pistol Permit holder’s license was suspended, and all of his handguns immediately confiscated by police. The official ‘reason’ claimed was that a third party (never identified) had sent a letter to the Pistol Permit Office, claiming that the Permit holder, when walking on his own private property, had been observed wearing a handgun in an external-carry holster. NYS has a policy that handguns be ‘carried concealed.’

This was obviously a dubious accusation. There was no sworn testimony, and no investigation ever took place. Just a single letter from an “anonymous” source. Yet, on the sole basis of this one letter, permit holder had his carry permit revoked, and handguns seized, all without advice nor warning. He never saw his guns again!

No presumption of innocence. No due process. No opportunity for appeal. Not even an investigation! Just revocation of citizenship based on ‘Pistol Permit office policy’. And, sequestered bureaucrats administering this ‘policy’ are completely insulated from inquiry. They refuse to make themselves available to the press. They answer to no one!

It gets worse!

Now, under the ‘SAFE Act,’ having a Pistol Permit automatically opens the door to precipitous confiscation of long guns as well. New Yorkers are currently encouraged to ‘turn-in their neighbors’”

Comment:

I’ve never heard of a “Bill of Privileges” being added to the Constitution! I’ve always heard it described as a “Bill of Rights!” In NY, leftist/Democrat politicians apparently read it the first way!

Friends who are professing Democrats constantly assure me, “… these people (NY’s governor, NYC’s mayor, the president, et al) are not ‘real’ Democrats.”

Well then, God deliver us from all these “phoney” ones!

“Who will not reason are bigots
Who cannot are fools
Who dare not are slaves”

Lord Byron

/John