Unusal Allies
The ACLU and the NRA are allies in Texas over gun rights. Hard to believe, but true.
It seems there is a long tradition in Texas that it is legal to carry a gun, licensed or not, while "traveling". In fact the legislature of Texas has put it into their law code. They passed a bill in 1997 that removed the unlicensed carrying of a weapon as an offense while traveling. Then in 2005 they clarified what they meant by traveling by saying that anyone in a private vehicle who was not engaged in criminal activity or otherwise barred from possessing a firearm was “presumed to be traveling,” and thus exempt from restrictions on concealed handguns.
Terry Keel, a former member of the Texas House of Representatives who sponsored the bill, explained its intent in a statement entered into the record: “In plain terms, a law-abiding person should not fear arrest if they are transporting a concealed pistol in a motor vehicle.”
Seems pretty clear no?
Not it seems to District and County Attorneys in Texas. Their organization, the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, declared that the bill did not rule out arrests of otherwise law abiding citizens carrying a weapon. Their argument seems to be, as the D.S. of Harris County Texas said, “The presumption of innocence does not make the person innocent.” Now forgive me but I always sort of assumed "innocent until proven guilty" meant just that and that there had to be a real cause before someone could be arrested. (I know, I am a simplistic and idealistic soul at times.) But really, can the D.A.s just decide that they want folks arrested for something that the legislature had CLEARLY said is not a crime? It seems so in Texas at least. And this has brought the ACLU and the NRA together in Texas. (Actually they had been in contact before over the racial profiling of certain white males fitting a "bubba profile" being stopped for gun searches so the cooperation is more common than we think)
So for all of you folks who condemn the ACLU for never standing up for 2nd Amendment rights, here they are. And good luck to them.
It seems there is a long tradition in Texas that it is legal to carry a gun, licensed or not, while "traveling". In fact the legislature of Texas has put it into their law code. They passed a bill in 1997 that removed the unlicensed carrying of a weapon as an offense while traveling. Then in 2005 they clarified what they meant by traveling by saying that anyone in a private vehicle who was not engaged in criminal activity or otherwise barred from possessing a firearm was “presumed to be traveling,” and thus exempt from restrictions on concealed handguns.
Terry Keel, a former member of the Texas House of Representatives who sponsored the bill, explained its intent in a statement entered into the record: “In plain terms, a law-abiding person should not fear arrest if they are transporting a concealed pistol in a motor vehicle.”
Seems pretty clear no?
Not it seems to District and County Attorneys in Texas. Their organization, the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, declared that the bill did not rule out arrests of otherwise law abiding citizens carrying a weapon. Their argument seems to be, as the D.S. of Harris County Texas said, “The presumption of innocence does not make the person innocent.” Now forgive me but I always sort of assumed "innocent until proven guilty" meant just that and that there had to be a real cause before someone could be arrested. (I know, I am a simplistic and idealistic soul at times.) But really, can the D.A.s just decide that they want folks arrested for something that the legislature had CLEARLY said is not a crime? It seems so in Texas at least. And this has brought the ACLU and the NRA together in Texas. (Actually they had been in contact before over the racial profiling of certain white males fitting a "bubba profile" being stopped for gun searches so the cooperation is more common than we think)
So for all of you folks who condemn the ACLU for never standing up for 2nd Amendment rights, here they are. And good luck to them.
posted by exMI | 09:06
9 Comments:
Innocent until proven guilty has long since left the building in many situations.
People in some attempt to make themeselves feel as if they are doing something...anything to make themeselves safer always want to put a limit on the freedoms of innocent people.
Its almost as if they are saying we arent able to detect the crazies and criminals in the world...so we are going to put restrictions and limits on everyone in hopes of stopping a few.
But all they succeed in doing is making it worse for the law abiding..Because they are the only ones actually going by the rules.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ok now you have me wanting to post about this.
Good job ACLU. I expected the NRA to be on the correct side of the issue on this one.
Their argument seems to be, as the D.S. of Harris County Texas said, “The presumption of innocence does not make the person innocent.”
This guy a commie? This pisses me off.
The thing about Texas, love the gun laws (or lack thereof), hated living there.
Nice post.
I wonder who took their comment off?
Yes Jen, that is exactly what they are doing. they are saying since there is no way to tell who is really dangerous so they will deprive everyone of the right to do anything that might be dangerous to others.
ZS he ain't a commie, just a guy who is convinced that he knows how the world should be and the rest of us had better tow his line.
So maybe a fascist is a better description. (yes, I know that is hyperbole but it works)
Commies, fascists, I don't like either of them, because sooner or later, they'll be knocking on my door if I lived in one or the other. But of course, you know that already and we're in agreement here.
This is the problem with gun licenses. If you have to have a license to carry a gun, you don't have the right to carry a gun; it's a privilege granted by the State. And the State can decide at any time whether or not you are worthy based on any criteria they see fit. And if there is some ass in the State who thinks he knows what's best for the rest of us... well here we are.
Hey guy - I left you a present at my place.
Tag. You're it.
Update on the efficiency of law enforcement after they've finished playing around in court : this morning it comes out the Virginia crazy was processed for mandatory 'treatment' ( not to say such is demonstrated possible ) and it never happened ! May 8
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