Well, here we go again:
Rhode Island Democrat House members are pushing legislation to require Rhode Islanders to obtain a “Firearm Safety Training Certificate” prior to purchasing a gun.
The text of H 7755 requires the would-be buyer of a handgun to “Present to the person selling the firearm a valid firearm safety training certificate issued by the office of the attorney general.”
The text further states: “The firearm safety training certificate shall certify that the purchaser has completed and passed an approved basic firearm safety training course within the previous five (5) years.”
Of course, your initial reaction to this is going to be a snort of fury and the ensuing Red Curtain Of Blood coming impeding your vision — as was my initial reaction.
But then I started thinking.
Somebody remind me: what does that Constitution thing say about guns? Oh yeah (sing along with me):
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
…and a damn fine piece of writing it is, too.
Now, for the benefit of the hoplophobes, let’s just get a few definitions out of the way.
“Regulated”, when it was written, did not mean “subject to laws and regulations” (as it might mean today). Back then, “regulated” meant “trained”, as exemplified by how several states used to mandate some kind of monthly military training (marching in step, learning to obey military commands, and so on). That regulation also required learning proficiency in the use of firearms (and other military equipment, such as cannon). We’ll get back to this in a moment.
“Militia”, also when it was written, did not mean the National Guard or anything like that, simply because the Guard hadn’t been invented yet. A militia meant armed citizenry — and the United States Code goes on to define who constituted the armed citizenry as “every able-bodied man of at least 17 and under 45 years of age” (Teh Wimmens were added later, by the way). And just so we’re all clear on the concept: membership of the militia was compulsory.
So let’s take this proposal of the legislators of Rhode Island (lest we forget, one of the first states in the union) and make it comply with the spirit of the Constitution (because otherwise? it’s un-Constitutional).
- Install mandatory firearms training in the operation, safety and handling for all high school seniors. The only exclusions are students who have a conviction for a violent crime resulting in a juvenile criminal record.
- Certification must come from designated, qualified volunteer instructors (probably the sole reason for the NRA’s continued existence) who perform the function as a civic (i.e. unpaid) duty.
- A passing grade — 90% or better, because this is serious business (as opposed to English Lit., which isn’t) — will entitle the student to a state-certified proficiency license which will guarantee the holder the right to purchase any firearm, most definitely including “military” ones, after their eighteenth birthday.
- Re-certification must take place every five years until age 30 — once again, said service to be provided by volunteer agency and not the state — and after then at age 45 (kinda like how driver’s licenses require re-testing), whereupon the re-certification requirement ends.
- The proficiency certificate can be withdrawn only in the event the holder is convicted of a violent crime (any, not just firearms-related).
So, Rhode Island legislators (and others of the same ilk): how about it?
And by the way: this is an either/or choice: either institute mandatory firearms training in high schools, or drop your current idea in the trash because it’s un-Constitutional.
Oh, and fuck you, all of you.
Kim
“ And by the way: this is an either/or choice: either institute mandatory firearms training in high schools, or drop your current idea in the trash because it’s un-Constitutional.”
Let’s go with the second option. Nothing government run. Just keep letting people get guns no training that is government run or even over seen by the govt or even just looked at by govt.
Why? Look at how people drive. I don’t want the same people over seeing training and licenses and vehicle registration, aka the govt, overseeing guns.
The atf is already another good example of why myself and many others want the govt out of our lives more, not in it more.
Also – well regulated also means well armed and well equipped.
Want training? How about educating people on the constitution.
# Fuck liberals
# I don’t give a fuck if someone else is scared of guns
# untrained idiots drive on the roads and no one gives a fuck.
# my rights don’t even where others fears begin
Spell check is retarded.
# my rights don’t END where others fears begin
– FUCK AI
As the song goes, “They’ll let anyone with money buy himself a car,
And they’ll give you a license no matter how dumb you are;
They’r all jerks, not a one knows how to drive;
And you gotta pay attention to make it home alive.”
So many people act like driving is a right, not a privilege.
So let’s apply the same rules to a constitutionally protected privilege
I’m waiting for my daily dose if GhostSniper to post and tell us why he also doesn’t want government HACKS training or overseeing or regulating training on how we the people can buy or use guns.
I am so interested in his post if he’s up for it.
On an unrelated, or at best tangentially-related note, I briefly (very briefly) looking into a NJ non-resident CCW permit simply because my son lives there. Believe it or not, they actually DO have a process for obtaining a non-resident permit.
One condition is completion of a safety course specific to the state of NJ, including range qualification. I researched if anything could take the place of the course, I happen to be an NRA Certified Pistol Instructor (like Kim, I have little use for the organization, politically, but they do provide first-class training, especially for youth) and inquired if that would suffice. Nope.
Basically there is NO substitute for their course, you could be an 18-Bravo on a green beret A-Team (weapons specialist) and you’d still have to take the course. Retake it every 4 years, pay the state fees for renewal (which are not insubstantial) every two years.
I decided screw it, I’ll just continue to carry there anyway. While I have my state’s permit, if I’m out of the house these days, I’m strapped, EVERYWHERE, until I’m back in the house again. No exceptions, I just avoid any place that has metal detectors or scanners.
The entire country is my oyster now that I’ve adopted that attitude. If you simply read the news every day, you’ll come to the conclusion that is the only rational choice.
…I decided screw it, I’ll just continue to carry there anyway…
Yep. I’ve always relied on the “concealed” part of ccw, while minding my Ps & Qs when I’m out of state. No speeding, steering clear of govt buildings, etc.
Since the 2nd is NOT a rule for the citizenry but rather a restriction on the gov’t, any attempt to violate the 2nd should be a criminal offense requiring, upon swift conviction (90 days), forfeiture of all assets and containment in a federal prison for a term of no less than 10 years.
Also – almost forgot to post this
– is Chode Island (Rhode Island) going to regulate chicks with dicks who wear dresses?
Reason I ask is – ya know – like a month or so ago some mentally ill dude with a penis and a dress went fucking nuts at a hockey game.
I think Rhode Island might want to address mental illness. Cuz last I checked murder is and has been illegal and that fucking weirdo who had a dress and a penis who identified as a woman had some serious mental illness and didn’t seem to give a fuck about the laws we already have.
Does anyone with a modicum of intelligence think more laws will fix this when criminals and mentally defective people don’t give a flying fuck about laws?
Teetotaler, those laws aren’t meant to restrain “some mentally ill dude with a penis and a dress”; they’re meant to make felons out of the rest of us.
Crazyeighter – no offense but, I NEVER said i wanted gun laws to address mentally ill people.
I want a focus on mentally ill people, of which, most if not all trannies are mentally ill
Please let me know where I said gun laws should address this?
# We need to re open the loonie bins
# fill the loonie bins with trannies who think having a penis makes them a female
# Fuck the liberals
If training and safety instruction is mandatory, then the government will over regulate it and make it unobtainable or ineffective.
Someone wider than me said something to the effect of “the government that governs best is the one that governs the least”
Yeah. It’s “may issue” all over again. Create a pathway, then close it off to everyone who isn’t well connected to the local Politburo.
OK, I’ll do you one better. Provide free training, then provide a free rifle thru the CMP to all eligible participants who pass the training. Obviously there’s not enough Garands left at this point, but I’ll be happy with a Vietnam era M16 (full auto, BFYTW).
No free rifle courtesy of the govt, then no training required. It’s not an either/or, it’s both or none.
> The only exclusions are students who have a conviction for a violent
> crime resulting in a juvenile criminal record.
Nope. They get the training too. We just have them use air guns (where legal, airsoft where not) for the handling and shooting portions.
In fact I’d suggest that training the criminals will have the net effect of *reducing* deaths as they’ll aim better and not shoot random un-involved people.
Tangentially related, from Timmy Tampon’s Minnesota: SF 4290 shall require all Minnesota gun owners to surrender their 4th Amendment protections & submit to warrantless entry into their homes by law enforcement to verify compliance.
The bill stipulates that current owners who want to keep their guns & magazines must secure an additional certification from local law enforcement, and “agree to allow the appropriate law enforcement agency to inspect the storage of the device.”
You’ve legally purchased your guns & mags after clearing the required background checks. But you can keep them ONLY if you allow the police to inspect your home without a warrant and issue yet another certification, which in turn registers the weapon with Big Bro.
If it lands on Timmy’s desk he’ll surely sign it, & off to the courts it will go. Unlikely to make it past the current SCOTUS. But if the Dems win in 2028, all bets are off. Packing the court will be a done deal, and the Bill Of Rights will be repurposed as toilet paper.
Tampon Timmy.
He doesn’t seem to worried about all the fraud from Somali’s and other illegals.
# FREE GOVT MONEY FOR OPENING A LEARING CENTER
No
I guess everyone missed the part where I said that training and certification would be provided by volunteers from the NRA, and NOT by the state?
Kim I passed by that part simply because I do not trust the state to keep their word. If they don’t get what they want during this legislation session then they’ll get in next year or the year after.
Nah, I’ve had enough compromise. In 1933 we had a whole cake symbolizing our rights. In 1934 a piece was taken. Another slice was taken in 1968, again in 1986, 1994 by the feds then given back in 2004 but still taken and kept by various states. Now I have a small sliver of cake left! I want my entire cake back!!!!
“I guess everyone missed the part where I said that training and certification would be provided by volunteers from the NRA, and NOT by the state?”
Kim, this does NOT work either – and NOPE I did NOT miss this.
If a citizen chooses on their own to train with the NRA (Negotiating Rights Away) so that Wayne La Pee Pee air or whatever other figure head is in charge can buy more nice suits – that is the citizens choice.
I and many other citizens do NOT want to be forced to pay for and take this training – so that some govt beurocrat can look at my cert and say ok, you can pass go and collect a permit that also costs money to be able to exercise my 2nd ammendment rights.
# Fuck govt oversight
# Most alphabet agencies couldn’t find a hooker in a whorehouse
# FUCK THE NRA