11 Apr 13

In NY yesterday the NYSP seized privately-owned guns and the state pistol permit, all legally owned, of a law-abiding state resident. He was not charged with anything.

The NYSP, shortly afterward, sheepishly admitted it was all a “mistake!” They had foolishly acted on little more that an unsubstantiated rumor.

Now, at great personal expense, the owner is trying to get his property and rights reinstated.

The poorly-written state law (“SAFE Act,” hurriedly passed in the middle of the night) states that anyone “… likely to engage in conduct that would result in serious harm to self or others” loses his rights. “Likely,” according to whom? What does that mean? Of course, no one read any of it before they voted!

In our Country, “due diligence” is supposed to be applied before one loses his rights, liberty, or property to the state. Some are apparently interpreting this new law to mean that no species of due diligence need be applied at all!

Lessons:

1) Registration of privately-owned guns, always touted as “harmless,” never helps the law-abiding citizen, in any way.

2) Once your legally-owned guns are unlawfully impounded, they will never be voluntarily returned to you, even when it is pointed out that the “mistake” was entirely the state’s. No bureaucrat will ever be charged, nor even disciplined, for the error. You’ll have to get a court order, at your expense. Even then, the process may take months, even years, and you’ll be defenseless in the interim.

3) Leftist/liberal politicians are looking for any excuse to forcibly confiscate privately-owned guns, while simultaneously making the process of legally obtaining guns so onerous that most will be discouraged from even trying. Their goal is to make gun-owners such a minuscule minority, that the rest of our rights can then be trampled with scant political risk.

4) The goal of leftists is universal confiscation of privately-owned guns. It always has been! “Registration” is just a necessary intermediate step. “Enforced-helplessness” is difficult to impose on armed citizens!

“When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them, either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred.”

Niccolo Machiavelli, From “The Prince,” 1520

/John