Maryland Shall Issue - "Scarlet G for Gun Owner" Bills - Response

[Inigoes]

Maybe you can reach him at his district office:




Interesting, in examination of his personal site

He asks and interesting question, to wit...

And mysteriously.....

Some other bills I can’t discuss until they’re finalized and in the hopper. That deadline is February 11.

What Deadline????????????????

 

[HKB]

I am going to cross post this(original post) over on glocktalk.com, hope that is ok?

 

[Jaybeez]

From rosenburg's blog feb 2nd 2010

http://sandyssessiondiary2009.blogspot.com/2010/02/february-2-more-than-no.html

"We had a hearing on a bill requiring the police to get a search warrant approved by a judge before using a tracking device to determine the location or movement of an individual or object.

I will be introducing a bill requiring a warrant before the police obtain a record of where you were when you used your cell phone.

The arguments for and against today will be repeated when my legislation is heard.

One thing for sure. Unlike the bill sponsor today, I won’t go to the witness table alone. I’m no 4th Amendment scholar. If I’m going to be asked questions about the relevant Supreme Court holdings, I want someone who knows the law at my side.

Against wire taps for crimnals, but pro wiretaps for law abiding gun owners.

 

[Jaybeez]

We had finalized the changes to the bill draft.

“Should I try to get co-sponsors?” one of the advocates asked.

“For just one day,” I replied. “It’s more important to get the bill introduced and an early hearing date than to get more signatures.”

“Should we tell the people who’ve already signed on about the changes?” said another supporter.

“Don’t worry. They didn’t read the bill the first time,” I answered.

This guy is a piece of work.

“When I’m asked if gay rights are civil rights, my answer is always: ‘Of course they are.’

I close where I began by asking you to cast an affirmative vote when this legislation comes before you. You’ll be standing for right, and on the right side of history.”

But i guess constitutional rights dont count?

Once again, the Supreme Court has issued decisions that we can correct with legislative action.

“This bill is worse than I thought,” said the advocate. “Now that I’ve read it, it would do more damage than the bill summary led me to believe.”

“A bad bill is better for us,” I replied. “It will be easier to defeat than one that makes only minor changes to the existing law.”

 

[rambling_one]

The NRA could use the same rationale regarding HB820/SB645:

"...the NRA can't support new restrictions on lawful firearms owners and retailers at gun shows across the state."

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/nra-final-2-states-without-right-to-carry-gun-laws-will-fall

 

[md_rick_o]

I liked this response;

Dear Mr. "rick":

I oppose this bill and I am very curious why it was filed.

Susan McComas - District 35 B

 

[amarok111]

My favorite response was from Delegate Don Dwyer, Jr.

Thanks for the email. I have been a longtime and outspoken proponent of the Constitution including the Second Amendment. I will continue to vote for legislation which preserves our right to keep and bear arms and against any and all legislation which is in violation of the Second Amendment. Please keep up the pressure on the Sponsor of HB 820 Delegate Rosenberg- encourage him to withdrawl the bill. You can reach him at 410-841-3297. Same with Senator Frosh who is the sponsor for SB 645, reach him at 410-841-3124. Encourage your friends to call as well, we need to make sure our voices are heard!


Constitutionally Yours,
Delegate Don Dwyer, Jr.
Anne Arundel County, District 31

We sure could use a few more like him!

 

[md_rick_o]

Yeah i loved how he put in their phone numbers. Made it easy for me to call...

 

[Jaybeez]

Amarok,

Welcome to MDshooters and thank you for your help!

 

[rambling_one]

Just called Speaker Busch and President Miller to complain about the FOID bills and to ask that the power of their offices be brought to bear against them.

Busch's receptionist was polite and said she would pass my concern on.

Miller's receptionist said they have received an unbelievable amount of calls, e-mail and letters in opposition to SB645, and that she would add my call to the list.

Keep the pressure up folks.

 

[fightinbluhen51]

Input and approval appreciated before I send this off tomorrow.

Judiciary Committee Members:

It is with great disappointment that I must write a letter to my legislators, urging them to take a stand for freedom, and vote no against HB 820 / SB 645: The Maryland Gun Safety Act of 2010. I find it extremely shameful, that the Legislators of Maryland want to enact legislation that goes against the founding of our country, the tradition within our state, and will potentially cost the taxpayers millions of dollars defending against a lawsuit on the Constitutionality of this bill.

While I have many specific problems with this bill, the largest is the licensing requirements for a lawful citizen to purchase lawful handguns (and regulated long guns). I will be forced to be finger printed, vetted, and then issued a permit after paying my fees, for which I will then be input into a database managed by Maryland State Police and the Motor Vehicle Administration? I am sorry, but I do not put my full faith in exercising my rights when it comes to either one of those agencies, but specifically the notoriously error prone MVA.

We in this state have been often told that driving is a privilege, revoke-able or suspend-able by the whims of the state, and now too our Constitutionally guaranteed right will be administered by this erroneous agency? Does the state like the idea that non-vetted, non-security cleared personnel will have access to the records of who is and isn't a gun-owner? Can we be sure that the personal information held by the MVA will be safe guarded with the highest standards to prevent making the firearms license database a shopping list for criminals? Why is it ok for the MVA to discriminate against me by putting a "gun-owner's" scarlet G, on my driver's license. When stopped for a minor traffic infraction, will this "G" on my driver's license be automatic probable cause for a police officer to detain me and search my vehicle?

From the Maryland Reporter, Senator Frosh, the lone sponsor for the bill, stated that, “States like New Jersey and Massachusetts have these licensing requirements, and have much lower rates of gun-related violence and death. So we think we can significantly improve public safety.” Please do realize that Massachusetts, which has roughly the same population as Maryland, has issued approximately 224,000 concealed carry, handgun permits as of December 20, 2009 according to the Boston Globe. Maryland, by contrast, has roughly 12,000 carry permits issued and outstanding, which makes Senator Frosh's statement about public safety, highly contestable given other contributing factors.

Currently law abiding citizens of this state cannot be issued permits to wear and carry a handgun, which requires the exact same finger printing and vetting as proposed in this bill. For years, the pro-gun movement has heard from Maryland State Police top brass that it will "cost too much money to implement, and the costs will be born by the taxpayers to move from the may issue format to the shall issue format." Now, with this bill, it is conveniently appropriate to charge "a fee to cover the costs of licensing?"

In a time of an unprecedented financial crisis for governments and citizens alike, the anti-gun wing of the General Assembly is proposing a monstrous addition to the Maryland State Police's workload and then asking cash strapped citizens to back it so that they can be granted the privilege of exercising a fundamental right. In addition, such a law, if passed, would certainly be challenged in court, forcing the state to spend even more of its limited resources trying to defend indefensible regulations.

I ask that you vote this bill down for the egregious legislation that it is. Additionally, I urge you to do the noble thing and let the legislative process work by giving the Pro-Gun bills that are before your committee a fair hearing and vote as you will surly do with this bill.

Thank you for taking my comments.



Sincerely,


Fightinbluhen51
Concerned Maryland Constituent

 

[TheTruth]

What Deadline????????????????

http://mlis.state.md.us/2010rs/misc/2010SessionDates.pdf

Tomorrow is the deadline for regular house bills to be introduced. Anything after that goes to the House Rules Committee first. It is just a parliamentary procedure thing that requires a little extra scrutiny after that date.

I also received the same response from Delegate Dwyer. I really like his politics and emailed him back and said thanks for all you do for us - including 2A efforts. He wrote me back even though I am not in his district. He is a class guy all the way.

 

[rambling_one]

Please keep up the pressure on the Sponsor of HB 820 Delegate Rosenberg- encourage him to withdrawl the bill. You can reach him at 410-841-3297. Same with Senator Frosh who is the sponsor for SB 645, reach him at 410-841-3124.

Office closed, but messages left. Pound 'em, pound 'em. pound 'em.

 

[INMY01TA]

Input and approval appreciated before I send this off tomorrow.

Sounds great to me.

 

[Norton]

Don, God love him, is easy. You need to get that response from one of the antis

There's never a question where Del. Dwyer stands on our issues.

My favorite response was from Delegate Don Dwyer, Jr.

Thanks for the email. I have been a longtime and outspoken proponent of the Constitution including the Second Amendment. I will continue to vote for legislation which preserves our right to keep and bear arms and against any and all legislation which is in violation of the Second Amendment. Please keep up the pressure on the Sponsor of HB 820 Delegate Rosenberg- encourage him to withdrawl the bill. You can reach him at 410-841-3297. Same with Senator Frosh who is the sponsor for SB 645, reach him at 410-841-3124. Encourage your friends to call as well, we need to make sure our voices are heard!


Constitutionally Yours,
Delegate Don Dwyer, Jr.
Anne Arundel County, District 31

We sure could use a few more like him!

 

[Inigoes]

Don, God love him, is easy.

Yep, we'll leave that right there

 

[Norton]

I also received the same response from Delegate Dwyer. I really like his politics and emailed him back and said thanks for all you do for us - including 2A efforts. He wrote me back even though I am not in his district. He is a class guy all the way.

Remember that following the session. Del. Dwyer is one of the people that the other side traditionally targets. Our folks made the difference in his being elected in 2006.....by something like 36 votes.

 

[Rattlesnake46319]

Yep, we'll leave that right there

Do we have to???????

 

[Norton]

Yep, we'll leave that right there

You know what I meant



.

 

[MDFF2008]

I sent this to the email on his personal website, delsandy@aol.com

Hello

I want to talk to you respectfully about HB820. I have to ask you why you have offered this bill for consideration. First of all, let me say I am a registered Democrat and I live 2 miles from the Baltimore City line and not one of those ultra-right wing tea party people. That said, I have to say I find this bill to be terrible, unconstitutional and I don’t understand how it will make our streets safer. I read your personal website so I could learn more about your stand on the issues. You ask some very cogent questions when you consider the bill: “Is this conduct already illegal?” “Why aren’t people being prosecuted?” These are excellent questions.

I don’t understand what harassing law abiding gun owners will do. Owning a gun is not illegal, it is a right protected by our constitution. HB820 seems to create a ton of new laws and regulations that will only affect honest gun owners, because we both know criminals will not follow the law anyway. A registry of guns is also a dangerous thing. History has shown that every time a country begins gun registration, it is followed up with confiscation. Our right to keep and bear arms is sacred to our system of government. My rights to defend myself and those I love is a right more primordial than the roots of government. It is an instinct built into everyone. Why would anyone, Democrat or Republican, want to take this away? You might say I could call the police, but the police can take time to arrive, time I might not have. Time the rapist who’s raping my girlfriend can use to get away.

The other thing I don’t like about this bill is the warrantless wiretapping. Why is it ok to require judges to approve wiretaps on criminals, or terrorists, but gun owners it’s ok to wiretap without a warrant? What happened to “innocent until proven guilty?” What happened to the 4th amendment? Do you really consider legal, honest gun owners to be worse than criminals and terrorists?

I respect what your trying to do, which is cut down on crime. Why don’t we take the advice of the Baltimore City police chief: The problem is NOT guns. The problem is a justice system that lets criminals go free. The problem is a justice system who plea bargains murders and robbers and lets them out on the street. How many criminals in our city are repeat offenders? How many are felons that have guns they stole from people. Let’s punish these people, not honest gun owners.

Speaking of stolen guns, if people have their driver’s license branded showing they are a gun owner, not only does it open them up to discrimination, it also is a calling card if they lose their wallet.

Please do the right thing and withdraw this legislation. Work with people to propose ways to keep criminals behind bars, and protect honest citizens rights.

Speaking of branding, during a trip to MA, I began spending a lot of time with a Chassidic Jewish family. I have since continued my studies of Judaism and I feel like branding gun owners is no different than branding Jewish people with a star of David. It’s not a crime to be Jewish, Jewish people deserve equal rights and freedom from discrimination. Gun owners deserve the same thing.

Well, I thank you very much for taking the time to read this email. I hope that I have given you something to think about. If you would like to discuss any of this with me, I would be happy to offer any ideas I have.

My name is Greg, I am a democrat, a student of Judaism, and supporter of the 2nd amendment.