Worriedman

Safe commute was never about "carrying" on the owner's property, simply an act of "keeping" inside one's "castle" as determined already by the State via 39-11-611, out of sight, unhandled, yet available for use if necessary for the trip home to wherever (or wherever to work), as the SCOT determined in Andrews v. State:   "The right to keep arms, necessarily involves the right to purchase them, to keep them in a state of efficiency for use, and to purchase and provide ammunition suitable for such arms, and to keep them in repair. And clearly for this purpose, a man would have the right to carry them to and from his home, and no one could claim that the Legislature had the right to punish him for it, without violating this clause of the Constitution. (Article 1 § 26)" Now before Dave jumps in to tell me we have LOST the Right to wear/bear arms in Tennessee under the 1871 "intent to go armed" clause, I do not disagree, but, this is not about wearing/bearing arms, it is about "keeping' them in our own castle as defined by Statutory law in Tennessee, and I have seen nothing that says I may not keep them.   The issue has been beat to death, and is moot, as the current TCA allows business owners to deny the Citizens ability to keep a firearm in their private vehicle, using the ability of a worker, ( and spare me JayC about quitting a job if you don't like your current employer's rules, with nearly 20% real unemployment, one must hit their knees if they have a job in today's economic environment) to feed their families as the cudgel to enforce their will.

You are correct as usual sir.  I have just had a permit for so long that I forget that not everyone does.

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Actually, it is not a criminal matter anymore, no one who can legally posses a firearm, and legally pilot a vehicle is subject to criminal charges for having a loaded weapon in their vehicle, if it (vehicle) is where the operator has a right to be. Loosing your job for violating a written Company policy or being kicked out of college is still OK.

I get the tilting at windmills thought process, but you will never know if you do not ask!

Rep. Goins is a really good guy, former Marine, and is doing his best to make this the right bill.  He absolutely deserves our support for his efforts on this.

Your skills in surmising the intent of my post are pretty poor.  I would much rather have your help than your money.  I do wish you would point out a single time on these pages that I have asked for money for any reason.  (no matter how much we might raise, it will never equal what the Chamber, Fed Ex, Volkswagen and Bloomberg have). I do not come to these pages to shill for membership in any organization, I try to inspire action.  If mine do not merit that, I will never beg for mere money.  It is pretty obvious you have never been around a real lobbyist, they have golden tongues, silk suits and bags of gold, I have none of these.  But the days and miles open a number of doors that in some way I hope further the cause.

Nobody is paying me anything, for doing anything, my labors are 100% volunteer.  I took another day's vacation, spent my gas money to drive to Nashville, and had 11 different meetings with legislators about the coming session just yesterday. Calling me a lobbyist is in fact an insult, they are paid hacks.  Talked to two yesterday who privately told me they were personally against the issue they were selling, at least I am not guilty of that.  By the way, I did not meet anyone else in the halls pushing firearms issues, had it all by my lonesome, again. TGO David had it correct, I was speaking in general to all who fuss about what the legislature or the NRA or the TFA or the Muffin Club should be doing, yet sit on their dead hinneys and type instead of doing something about it. When I mean to insult an individual, there is no mistaking it, it will be apparent to all who witness it, in print or in person. If a gentle remonstration about the actual actions that bear fruit for a cause are "insulting" to some, maybe the vicious halls of LP are not their best venue.  If you are actually making headway on an issue, your very job may in fact be threatened.  Oppositional research is employed against those who dare take issues to the various committees or Leadership, which by the way is where these battles are waged.  It has to be lived to be appreciated.   I do it for my grandchildren, there is not enough money to pay for the heartache and trouble that results, you win seldom, but the cost is monumental.

NRA will NEVER propose that bill in Tennessee.  In fact, I have spoken to no one has even heard from Trevor this year.

Having spent a great deal of time at LP working to further firearms Rights issues, (not key board time mind you), but boots on the ground actually working bills, one learns that force multipliers are absolutely necessary to offset Haslam's Mayors Against Illegal Guns mindset.  The groups who have at least some backbone and interest in doing anything about all this "Expanding" government power grab know each other.  We meet in the halls and question what each of us is running.  (If you think calls and e-mails make a difference, I have some beach front property in Weakly County for sale)  Face to face meetings, Town Halls called by grass roots organizations in an elected official's home district have a MUCH bigger influence.  If you do not have at least five meetings scheduled with legislators at LP tomorrow, you are talking, not doing. (a hint, they do not get there on Monday till after noon usually, catch them on their cell phones as the drive in, if you have enough moxie to show up and get them, they are captive in their cars, and if you are pushing hard enough, they will not like hearing from you, but they know they need to take the call. Too, you can text them after the aged parents are in bed and you get a few minutes away from work and duty to family.) When Beth Harwell sees an individual in the hearing room and scowls, you are making a difference.  When she sees the leaders of five grass roots groups sitting together, it upsets her entire day.

It is a farce, which is about 99% of all the "sausage" prepped and stuffed somewhere on the Hill. Do you have any of that substantive legislation written, sponsors in the House and Senate and a list of co-sponsors, vetted through Legal?  Session is beginning, most House members have their quota on the books (their promised paybacks to donors take first presidence) , if it is not picked up and filed by now, will be next year at best most likely.

I think Benjamin Franklin hit it dead on when he said "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."  The grassroots groups calling for the action succor the TFA in its calls for help on our legislation, and the e-mail explained the view point from that perspective.  You don't like the group, don't re-up.  

I guess they could use the hate mail to bolster readership, so for the first time, I have breached the wall of "Letters to the Editor" and now enjoy "Guest Columnist" status.   http://www.jacksonsun.com/story/opinion/columnists/2015/01/28/right-need-bear-arms/22429573/

I suspect it will pass, as it means nothing, is a "grand stand" act which is form over substance and the legislators can stand up and pound their chest about being "2nd Amendment friendly".  If they want to make a REAL difference and show support for firearms owners, pass a bill allowing HCP holders, hunting license holders and members of gun ranges a tax free weekend on everything!  I am truck shopping at the moment...

I can certainly identify with that statement.  Following a specific bill from inception, trying to find a House and Senate sponsor to get it filed, then pushing for co-sponsors.  Then, working the committee and sub committee chairs to allow the bill a hearing, and getting the sponsors to put them on notice, all the while Fed Ex and the Chamber working to buy the votes to kill it, with Haslam sending out his Turks to twist arms... If you get  gun bill to Judiciary in the Senate, one has to bear the stripes earned from testifying in a hostile environment.  It is certainly loney when you are the only person to seek passage and there are 50 lobbyist staked up and greased, ready to open those black satchels they all tote to figuratively beat you to the ground, they bring in the Chiefs of Police and they pray for the children... You spend your own money to drive to that pit of vipers, your vacation as the folks who you serve in your "real" job frown on your activities, get kicked around by the press and tick the wife off as going to Nashville seems more important than going  to Florida. You stay a constant target of "friends" who disagree on points, others who sit behind key boards and dissect your attempts, (everybody gets to be a critic) but you always wind up alone walking the halls of Legislative Plaza. With a million hunters and five hundred thousand HCP holders in Tennessee, looks like we could get their attention...I get your frustration.    

For what it is worth, along with Knight and Maloney, SOF endorses the following current BOD members for reelection: Scott Bach, Ronnie Barrett, David Coy, Joseph De- Bergalis, Antonio Hernandez, David Keene, Wayne Anthony Ross, Don Saba, William Satterfield, Ronald Schmeits, Robert Unkovic and Robert Viden.

There are a few NOT in Nashville any longer who wish the same thing.

The succession of officers is voted on by the Board of Directors. Then we have a three member Executive Board Grand Divisions).  I am the West TN Director, our East TN guy has retired, we are in process of replacing. Can only speak for myself, I do my best to put issues that are, (not necessarily what we would like them to be) before the membership here as facts.  I respect the division between the two organizations, and am simply a grunt in the fight. I work at building my own network of legislators in that den of iniquity, (have had some modicum of success) and we are slowly moving forward on removing those impediments to gun rights progress that we can. (Vance Dennis getting gone is GOOD, we shot at Sargent also but fell short on money and influence there, but he is BAD, Haslam company man all the way, is on the radar if he runs again, Barrett Rich cozied up to Haslam and they flooded that district with cash and candidates to keep Hal Rounds from winning, that was a setback for sure, but we tried).   We have a couple of Bills in progress for this session, will see if any but Mae Beavers will Sponsor in the Senate, nothing is going anywhere in the House, Beth has the Vader Death Grip on the House Members (ask Judd Matheny, you can find him in the basement bathroom closet) but as least we got her wingman Maggart...a combination of efforts to be sure, Tea party, TFA, Andy Miller, NRA, but we were up against the "A" team, and won. In 4 years the Big Fight is coming, Harwell v. Green for Governor.  Now is the time to start getting Green obligated to our way of thinking.  He wants the Mansion, we can (if we just would) help him get there. Lots to be done if folks want results and not accolades.

Thanks Oh Shoot, I can turn a computer on and off, and that is about it.  Will pass along to the guys working on the new start-up site.  Board members take no pay, (no reimbursement for travel or meals for the run to Nashville or other points, I personally spend a lot of tire rubber for that duty, John being "Bad Cop" me being "Good", I burn 95% of my vacation days at the legislature during Session) we all have "regular" jobs as well.  We tried hiring "help", some of that worked out well, some was really bad.  We are back to a couple of part time paid staff and the rest volunteer.  Membership cards are sent out once a month to curtail cost, we try to spend the membership money on backing the right candidates. Takes a lot of green to fight in this stadium, Haslam is pretty well heeled, and his best friend  the Chamber of Commerce even more so. Like most volunteer organizations, you will get out of it what you put into it. Find the nearest local Chapter, that is where you can do some good.  Pols in Jackson know they have to make the "meeting" here, we get them on record. I kiss and tell, once they come into the meeting, I talk about the results on the radio.  Sitting Mayor is next in the frying pan here. Jackson was the first municipality of over 5000 to defeat the Parks "Opt Out", I had some part in that accomplishment.  A knitting club , if vociferous enough can put spin on local issues.  Numbers count, letters, e-mails, phone calls, but most of all showing up at their offices and meetings and contacting folks personally, is how I have learned to affect the outcomes of issues.

We are working on it.

I qualified, notice I said "could possess", inference that the readers of this page were well informed enough to know that minors can not legally possess a handgun by themselves (without a parent or qualified adult in attendance), but they can a long gun. Do you deny that a 15 year old can carry a loaded shotgun in their vehicle to go squirrel hunting under the new Public chapter IF they have legally obtained a "Hardship License"?

The GA last year shoved a knife into the back of revenue generation from HCP program, by allowing anyone who can possess a firearm to carry one loaded in their vehicle if they can legally operate said vehicle, sans permit. I look to see that Public Chapter revisited, as our genius legislature (including the governor) signed off on allowing 15 year olds to carry a loaded firearm (hardship license drivers license holders) in the vehicles they legally pilot. Seems inconsistent with the rest of their actions re firearms over the last 4 years...  

Let's just lock all the mentally unstable people up, take care of them, feed them and give them phones and free medical care.  That will fix it.  If their every need and want is met, and they are controlled, they will not be out looking for a gun for any reason.

I wonder says I, I do, if the restaurant Carry Bill were to be proffered in today's GA, if it would have a chance of being passed, and the veto overridden? (Make no mistake, if it was passed currently, which I do no think there is a chance it would, Haslam would veto). Current speaker of the House voted against it 4 times, twice on passage and twice to not override the governor's veto. That particular Bill was passed with a smidgen over 50% Republicans in the House, had they then held the "Supermajority" it would never gotten out of committee.

The relevance of the statement in red is that Haslam was a member of Bloomberg's Mayors Against Illegal Guns until he made his mind up to seek the Presidency using the governor's mansion as a stepping stone.   The link shows that he believes he should be able to garner all power unto himself, shouldering the GA out of its responsibility, and the ability of the People to hold them responsible for their actions.  If a bureaucrat can make all decisions then the People are further removed from their Constitutional Right to control the government, and he can charge his fellow mega-business friends for doing their bidding.   The two are mutually exclusive, we passed a Constitutional Amendment to that guarantees the Citizens of Tennessee the Right to hunt and fish, but allows the General Assembly to be in charge, so that is not in truth a right, just as they control the individual's ability to carry firearms outside one's property.  Our Constitution intends the lawful citizen to be able to, our General Assembly has made it a crime.   As you are new to the State, here is a link to our Constitution: http://www.tncrimlaw.com/law/constit/   Pay particular attention to Article 1 §s 1, 2, 8, 21 and 26, as well as Article II § 1, Article X § 2 and Article XI § 16.  You get your head around those, and you will be better informed than 99% of the legislators and all the Executive Branch of this State.