And the NRA is rushing in to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Jeff Knox and his compatriots are working hard to dismantle the "may issue" and "may buy" machine and restore peoples rights. The NRA, as usual, is against that, choosing to compromise Iowans rights away.
via Gun Rights Examiner
Jeff Knox and his compatriots are working hard to dismantle the "may issue" and "may buy" machine and restore peoples rights. The NRA, as usual, is against that, choosing to compromise Iowans rights away.
via Gun Rights Examiner
Read the rest at the source.In his recent article, Jeff Knox of the Firearms Coalition has brought to light some very disturbing components of the NRA’s proposed concealed carry bill in Iowa. He mentioned our organization, Iowa Gun Owners, as the state based group that is opposed to this bill. He is correct. The 5,000 members and supporters of Iowa Gun Owners are concerned with the direction this new bill is heading.
As the Executive Director of Iowa Gun Owners, I have been asked by David Codrea to address the concerns that we have with this bill and explain why we are pushing so aggressively to pass the REAL Right-to-Carry bill. I will address our bill first. First let me give you some context on the current Iowa law.
Currently in Iowa, you have to obtain a permit to carry a concealed weapon. We suffer under a ‘may issue’ system that allows the sheriff complete discretion to deny permits for whatever reason he wants. Sometimes the sheriffs simply invent reasons or are bold enough to deny permits just because they don’t like guns. Likewise we have to obtain a permit to purchase a handgun in all but a few cases. Law abiding Iowans are not allowed to ‘open carry’ in any incorporated area, and most sheriffs will revoke permits and otherwise harass someone who open carries in a non-incorporated area. Iowa has no ‘stand your ground’ or ‘castle doctrine’ provision, and we can’t have class 3 weapons.
In this context Iowa Gun Owners produced and is fighting for the REAL Right-to-Carry bill. This bill would allow anyone, who is not a felon or barred by federal law, the right to carry a weapon for self-defense WITHOUT having to first beg government permission. This is currently the law in Vermont. Additionally, under this bill Iowans would be able to open carry if they so choose as well. Lastly, similar to the laws in Alaska, the bill would allow Iowans to apply for a ‘shall issue’ permit if they want one for reciprocity.
This is the best gun bill ever introduced in Iowa. We don’t believe that the 2nd Amendment talks about taking tests, begging permission, and paying fees before one should be allowed to exercise their constitutional rights. We do not believe that the best way to pass a gun bill is to make multiple concessions up front, trying to appease the anti-gunners at the capitol.
We want anti-gun politicians to vote on our gun bills in their pure form – declare their hostility to the 2nd Amendment in ways that we can use to show our members the true colors of their elected officials. If the anti-gun crowd wants to water down our bills on the floor, or outright ‘kill’ them, that’s on them. They may pay a price for that vote this November.