Tennesseans - Heads-Up!

[oldfella]

Help Tennessee Throw off Unconstitutional Gun Control!

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org


Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Great news from Nashville!

No, this is not a report on a new song or album. Rather, there is
legislation that is moving in the state legislature that could roll
back the Congressional gun control laws that have been passed for
several decades.

That's right. State Rep. Ben West (R) and Sen. Mae Beavers (R) have
introduced the Firearms Freedom Act to repeal many federal gun control
laws in the state.

You may have heard about the big splash that Montana recently made when
they enacted a similar law which basically states that if a gun is
manufactured in that state -- and the firearm stays in the state -- it
is exempt from several federal gun control laws.

Tennessee could become the first state to follow in their footsteps.
In that vein, HB 1796 and SB 1610 would require that guns manufactured
in the state be stamped with the words, "Made in Tennessee."

This legislation states that, "A personal firearm, a firearm
accessory, or ammunition that is manufactured commercially or privately
in Tennessee and that remains within the borders of Tennessee is not
subject to federal law or federal regulation, including registration,
under the authority of congress to regulate interstate commerce. It is
declared by the legislature that those items have not traveled in
interstate commerce."

With President Obama talking about resurrecting the so-called Assault
Weapons ban which expired in 2004, these bills could ensure that
Tennessee residents could still buy semi-automatic firearms and
magazines that are made in the Volunteer State.

ACTION: Please urge your state representative and senator to vote for
HB 1796 and SB 1610. Both bills passed out of their initial committees
this month and should be on the floor of each house by next week.

To identify and contact your legislators, go to
http://www.legislature.state.tn.us and input your address in the box
provided. The results page will return contact info, to include e-mail
addresses. You can then copy and paste the letters below into e-mail
messages.

----- Pre-written letter for Representatives -----

Dear Representative:

Please vote for HB 1796, the Tennessee Firearms Freedom Act. This bill
essentially states that if a gun is manufactured in the state -- and
the firearm stays in the state -- it is exempt from federal gun control
laws. This bill is virtually identical to the law that was recently
passed in Montana.

This is one of the most important bills that you will vote on this
year. The Tennessee legislature might very well pass a Tenth Amendment
resolution before it adjourns in June, but HB 1796 is more than just a
resolution -- it is a bill that has teeth!

It's time that we sent a message to the U.S. Congress and tell them to
start legislating within the authority given it by the Constitution.
Please help continue the movement that began in Montana.

Sincerely,

----- Pre-written letter for Senators -----

Dear Senator:

Please vote for SB 1610, the Tennessee Firearms Freedom Act. This bill
essentially states that if a gun is manufactured in the state -- and
the firearm stays in the state -- it is exempt from federal gun control
laws. This bill is virtually identical to the law that was recently
passed in Montana.

This is one of the most important bills that you will vote on this
year. While the Tennessee Senate recently passed a Tenth Amendment
resolution, SB 1610 is more than just a resolution -- it is a bill that
has teeth!

It's time that we sent a message to the U.S. Congress and tell them to
start legislating within the authority given it by the Constitution.
Please help continue the movement that began in Montana.

Sincerely,

 

[woodsltc]

Thanks for the "heads-up" !!!

Don

 

[Centenniel]

oldfella,

Thanks for the info.

 

[windjammer]

Good information, Thanks

Ronnie Barett's fans will be proud.

 

[tomf52]

My wife always wanted to live in TN. HHHmmmmmm.

 

[Jellybean]

That would be great in TN, I'd suck up a Barrett or two in a hurry. But since I live in Ohio...where High Points are made.

 

[redlevel]

The United States Constitution, Article VI, paragraph 2, says what they are doing doesn't amount to a hill of beans. I would suggest to the people of Tennessee, and any other state whose legislature carries on such nonsense, that they would be much better served if their lawmakers concentrated on removing state restrictions to gunowners' rights first, and then worry about defying the Feds. What they are doing is nothing more than meaningless posturing and grandstanding.

According to the Brady gun grabbers, who are pretty good about keeping up with such stuff, there are 15 states with less restrictive gun laws than Tennessee has. Don't you think it would be better for Tennessee gunowners if their legislature set their goal at making Tennessee number 1 on Brady's bad list before they took on the Feds?

If GOA is pushing this, then they are wasting resources that could be better used supporting something meaningful, like helping us in Georgia with a better, less restrictive, "public gathering" definition. Our laws in Georgia are pretty good, about on a par with Tennessee, but they could be better.

Just for your edification, here is a copy of the Supremacy Clause. By the way, that "not involved in interstate commerce" nonsense won't fly, either. If the steel used in manufacturing a weapon comes from outside Tennessee, then that gun is involved in interstate commerce. If one of the machines used in the manufacturing process is manufactured outside Tennessee, ditto. Just ask the Southern states that tried some of the same ploys in the Civil Rights Movement.

OK, rant over.

"This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, <span class="ev_code_RED">shall be the Supreme Law of the land</span> ; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding."

 

[Idahoser]

It is indeed posturing because though there are some signs if you don't look too deep that TN has good laws, we also have a ton of bad ones. Surely not as bad as a lot of places and I DAMN Sure ain't taking the Brady Campaign's word on anything. The point is, yes, we're better than a lot of places, but we're going the same direction as the rest of you. We had the only freshman Republican senator in '06 when the rest of you were voting for Democrats; but he turned out to be as much a RINO as Alexander, so what good did it do?

We're about to get Restaurant Carry finally (translated for the Brady Bunch: "GUNS IN BARS!!!") and the parks will be better soon; but our 10th Amendment bill turned out to be a non-binding resolution rather than actual repudiation of the feds.

It's just not something that fits into a sound bite so it's hard to get people to realize that if you don't repeal the 17th Amendment it's never going to actually get better. THAT's where you start.

 

[oldfella]

I you don't dip your toe in the water, you'll never learn to swim; if more States join in on the "argument", the better chance we have to be heard by the Supreme Court. Let the lawyers iron it out, in the mean time I'm going to swing at every ball that comes my way... that's the American way.

Pete