The entire nation is out of compliance with the 2nd Amendment. The right to keep and bear arms has been infringed – everywhere. Tennessee sometimes displays leadership in following the US Constution.
Here are the bills we demand of the Tennessee state legislature:
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- School Children Defense Bill – adults need to be able and willing to protect children in schools, period. Fake “gun free” zones don’t stop psychos – they attract psychos. It is the responsibility of good adults to protect children in schools. Resource officers are expensive and can cause other problems, but teachers, administrators, other staff, and parents can protect those who depend upon them and trust them to do so.
A school-zone carry law would need to allow all free adults to carry. This will, once again, enable good people to provide defense. Current laws stop no bad people – current laws call out to bad people, “hey, come here, this is a good spot, because no one can stop you…” A school-zone carry law would need to protect the public from the federal government – from federal law enforcement and prosecutors – by providing felony criminal penalty for arrests or lodging charges against citizens for carrying on school grounds.
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Amend Tennessee Constitution – remove the old language that says the legislature can regulate guns for public safety. This language comes from old racist laws and is completely in violation of the 2nd Amendment and the Heller and Bruen decisions.
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Long Gun Constitution Carry – remove the vague and unconstitutional prohibition about having ammunition in the vicinity of long guns. The 2nd Amendment is not about pistols. While covering pistols is a bonus, the 2nd Amendment is truly about military battle arms – rifles.
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Remove All Other Prohibited Places – there shouldn’t be any prohibited places except inside a prison, jail, or psych ward. Only those places that are containing unfree persons in order to protect the public may prohibit carry. Even though we agree the public should be protected from legislators – all guns need to be allowed in the Capitol complex buildings as well. The 2nd Amendment doesn’t stop, anywhere. The 2nd Amendment is actually even more universal than the 1st. Self-defense existed in human history before speech existed. Self-defense and self-governance exists everywhere – it is not subject to “time and place” restrictions.
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Get Rid of Enhanced Permit – Tennessee needs to be a Constitution Carry state – for real. Not fake Constitution Carry as it is right now. Get rid of the permit. Or at the very least make the permit free for everyone and remove training requirements, then make this permit allow school carry which would shield citizens from the federal government. Though we would prefer express and explicit criminal penalties for federal actors who violate civil rights using the so-called “Gun Free School Zone” Act.
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Criminal Penalties for False Detainment for Guns – Create criminal liability for an officer who detains a citizen merely for possessing a firearm or firearms, whether they be pistols or rifles or shotguns or a combination. It is a constitutionally-protected right to bear arms – to carry them – in public. It should be a crime to convert this civil right into reason for illegal detainment. While it already is illegal under TCA 39-17-309, it should be either amended or a new statute passed to specifically list the right to bear arms openly and concealed as a civil right with criminal penalties for violation.
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End Federal Officer Complete Immunity – federal courts have been giving federal law enforcement officers complete immunity against wrongdoing. Example here. Once again explicitly state in law criminal penalties for federal agents who arrest, charge, and prosecute citizens for any gun laws. There are not any gun laws that are constitutional. Only a weapon that is both unusual and dangerous (imagine a gun with multiple barrels pointing multiple directions) can be banned. Other guns and gun accessories may not be restricted in any way. Make it illegal for any TN law enforcement officer to work as a federal liason or federal-immunity-empowered officer in any capacity.
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Remove Criminal Penalties for Private Property Carry – current TN law makes it a crime to carry on private property if the owner has put up a sign. Remove criminal penalties. Only if an owner or manager of private property asks someone to leave, and they refuse, has a crime actually taken place. The state should not be enforcing dress code on private property.
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Private Businesses That Received Incentives Remove Bans or Pay Back – require “private” businesses that have had relationships with government and received tax incentives, subsidy, or any other assistance to allow firearms. Optionally, such private entity could cease receiving special benefits from taxpayers and pay back the ones they already received and then direct their private property firearms policy as they see fit.
- School Children Defense Bill – adults need to be able and willing to protect children in schools, period. Fake “gun free” zones don’t stop psychos – they attract psychos. It is the responsibility of good adults to protect children in schools. Resource officers are expensive and can cause other problems, but teachers, administrators, other staff, and parents can protect those who depend upon them and trust them to do so.
These reforms will once again allow Tennesseans to actually enjoy their real constitutionally-protected rights. We think these 9 items would fix all of the constitutional issues facing Tennessee citizens and all free Americans traveling or staying in Tennessee. Suppressors, machineguns, rifle carry, and restoring the ability of the militia to assemble and stand guard would be reality with these needed reforms.
