bearingarms--2020-05-28--GQ Columnist Compares Minneapolis Looters To Armed Protesters In Michigan

My motto for 2020 has been “ Everything is stupid and it ’ s only getting worse ” for a few months now , and unfortunately , I ’ ve yet to be proven wrong .
In fact , every day provides new evidence backing up my thesis , including this little nugget from GQ columnist Julia Ioffe in response to the rioting and looting that erupted in south Minneapolis on Wednesday night after a day of boisterous but legal protests over the death of 46-year old George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers on Monday evening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes are de rigueur on social media , Ioffe ’ s attempt to equivocate between a permitted protest in which some protesters legally carried firearms inside the Michigan state capitol and the rioting in which some protesters illegally carried televisions , prescription drugs , and other items out of Minneapolis stores stands out for its utter inanity .
It ’ s perfectly legal ( at the moment , anyway ) to legally carry a firearm inside the Michigan state capitol .
It ’ s illegal to loot .
I ’ m not sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two or what larger point she ’ s trying to make .
If I had to guess , I ’ d say that Ioffe ’ s attempting to make the case that protesters in Michigan were treated differently than looters in Minneapolis , either for the color of their skin or because of their political leanings .
Given the fact that armed black and brown gun owners like Mike Lynn , Jr. also carried rifles inside the state capitol building shortly after the reopen protest as they escorted a Democrat lawmaker to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Capitol Police ) , I think it ’ s wrong to simply assume that racism or politics played a role in how officers at the capitol in Lansing handled the situation .
If Ioffe ’ s trying to make a point about how people online have reacted to the two incidents , it ’ s an even dumber comparison .
Again , no laws were broken during the Michigan protest .
The armed protesters weren ’ t even engaging in an act of peaceful civil disobedience because they didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were looting pharmacies , banks , and other businesses in Minneapolis .
Now , there is one valid comparison to make between the two incidents .
I ’ ve stated before that I don ’ t think the armed protesters at a reopen event are actually accomplishing much for their cause , and the same thing is true for those protesters who started fires , smashed windows , and grabbed what they could from the businesses in south Minneapolis on Wednesday evening .
Just as the armed protesters managed to turn the focus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a potential ban on firearms at the state capitol building , the rioters in Minnesota managed to turn the focus away from the death of George Floyd to the devastation of a neighborhood .
Both groups may have hurt their cause , but that ’ s where a fair comparison ends .

My motto for 2020 has been “Everything is stupid and it’s only getting worse” for a few months now, and unfortunately, I’ve yet to be proven wrong. In fact, every day provides new evidence backing up my thesis, including this little nugget from GQ columnist Julia Ioffe in response to the rioting and looting that erupted in south Minneapolis on Wednesday night after a day of boisterous but legal protests over the death of 46-year old George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers on Monday evening.
So the time when armed protestors stormed the Michigan state capital was fine…because they didn’t take anything? #looting — Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) May 28, 2020
In a time in which dumb takes are de rigueur on social media, Ioffe’s attempt to equivocate between a permitted protest in which some protesters legally carried firearms inside the Michigan state capitol and the rioting in which some protesters illegally carried televisions, prescription drugs, and other items out of Minneapolis stores stands out for its utter inanity. It’s perfectly legal (at the moment, anyway) to legally carry a firearm inside the Michigan state capitol. It’s illegal to loot. I’m not sure why Ioffe wants to try to compare the two or what larger point she’s trying to make.
If I had to guess, I’d say that Ioffe’s attempting to make the case that protesters in Michigan were treated differently than looters in Minneapolis, either for the color of their skin or because of their political leanings. Given the fact that armed black and brown gun owners like Mike Lynn, Jr. also carried rifles inside the state capitol building shortly after the reopen protest as they escorted a Democrat lawmaker to her office (and had no issues with the Capitol Police), I think it’s wrong to simply assume that racism or politics played a role in how officers at the capitol in Lansing handled the situation.
If Ioffe’s trying to make a point about how people online have reacted to the two incidents, it’s an even dumber comparison. Again, no laws were broken during the Michigan protest. The armed protesters weren’t even engaging in an act of peaceful civil disobedience because they didn’t break the law, unlike those who were looting pharmacies, banks, and other businesses in Minneapolis.
Now, there is one valid comparison to make between the two incidents. I’ve stated before that I don’t think the armed protesters at a reopen event are actually accomplishing much for their cause, and the same thing is true for those protesters who started fires, smashed windows, and grabbed what they could from the businesses in south Minneapolis on Wednesday evening. Just as the armed protesters managed to turn the focus away from reopening Michigan’s economy to a potential ban on firearms at the state capitol building, the rioters in Minnesota managed to turn the focus away from the death of George Floyd to the devastation of a neighborhood.
Both groups may have hurt their cause, but that’s where a fair comparison ends.


bearingarms--2020-05-28--Story About "Homemade" Guns Used In Crime Illustrates Rarity

In recent times , there ’ s been a concerted push by many in the anti-gun community to put a stop to backyard builds .
These so-called “ ghost guns ” keep them awake at night out of fear that someone , somewhere , might get a gun without begging for government permission first .
We ’ ve had a lot of stories over the last few months about how the number of these so-called “ ghost guns ” showing up at crimes are increasing all the time .
Usually without much in the way of hard numbers .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you normally find none , that ’ s an increase in the number , but not a particularly alarming increase .
What I can tell you is how rarely you see any mention of them in news reports , which is interesting .
In fact , this story here is one of the few I ’ ve seen .
The City of Tonawanda man accused of shooting an acquaintance in a drive-by early Tuesday and then wounding a police detective used two “ homemade ” guns in the attacks , Erie County District @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Matthew Gerwitz , 28 , was arraigned Wednesday on two counts of first-degree attempted murder of police officers , one count of second-degree attempted murder , and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon in an arraignment where the judge , Gerwitz and lawyers appeared via videoconferencing .
He pleaded not guilty and was remanded to the Erie County Holding Center .
Flynn said Gerwitz used a 9 mm pistol without a serial number and an illegally modified AR-15 style rifle in the attacks .
So…it sounds precisely one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The other was modified in a way that made it illegal in New York , but not necessarily in other states .
However , the deeper point is that this is one of the few stories , if not the only story , I ’ ve seen where it ’ s specifically mentioned that a so-called “ ghost gun ” was used .
Now , if these weapons represent such a growing threat , why is this one of the few specific examples of someone being accused of using such a weapon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tend to get vague comments about their use .
We hear that their numbers are “ growing ” and that police are seeing “ more ” of these , but very few specifics .
If the threat is that severe , shouldn ’ t we be hearing this all the time ?
Should I have come across tons and tons of such stories while researching for posts ?
I ask because I haven ’ t .
I ’ ve seen no such thing .
Now , that ’ s not to say that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guns floating around .
I ’ m just one guy , after all .
However , I ’ m also someone who spends a lot more time looking at news from all over the nation , particularly local news , than your average bear .
You ’ d still think I ’ d have seen something other than this , but…crickets .
In other words , the “ threat ” posed by these weapons is a fabrication .
It ’ s an effort to paint homemade , backyard built firearms as a clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to rally the public to call for their banning .
The problem is that you ’ ll never actually eliminate them .
It ’ s simply not going to happen .
The only people hurt by such a rule will be hobbyists who will remain law-abiding .
Criminals interested in building guns for criminals will keep doing it .
Even if there are no kits anymore nothing built by man can not be rebuilt by man .
They ’ ll keep doing it so long as there ’ s money in it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to some degree .
It ’ s a non-issue and the fact that this story is one of the few I ’ ve seen illustrates that quite nicely .

In recent times, there’s been a concerted push by many in the anti-gun community to put a stop to backyard builds. These so-called “ghost guns” keep them awake at night out of fear that someone, somewhere, might get a gun without begging for government permission first. We’ve had a lot of stories over the last few months about how the number of these so-called “ghost guns” showing up at crimes are increasing all the time.
Usually without much in the way of hard numbers. After all, if you find one when you normally find none, that’s an increase in the number, but not a particularly alarming increase.
What I can tell you is how rarely you see any mention of them in news reports, which is interesting.
In fact, this story here is one of the few I’ve seen.
The City of Tonawanda man accused of shooting an acquaintance in a drive-by early Tuesday and then wounding a police detective used two “homemade” guns in the attacks, Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn Jr. said Wednesday. Matthew Gerwitz, 28, was arraigned Wednesday on two counts of first-degree attempted murder of police officers, one count of second-degree attempted murder, and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon in an arraignment where the judge, Gerwitz and lawyers appeared via videoconferencing. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded to the Erie County Holding Center. Flynn said Gerwitz used a 9 mm pistol without a serial number and an illegally modified AR-15 style rifle in the attacks.
So…it sounds precisely one of these firearms was really a ghost gun. The other was modified in a way that made it illegal in New York, but not necessarily in other states.
However, the deeper point is that this is one of the few stories, if not the only story, I’ve seen where it’s specifically mentioned that a so-called “ghost gun” was used.
Now, if these weapons represent such a growing threat, why is this one of the few specific examples of someone being accused of using such a weapon specifically? As it stands, we tend to get vague comments about their use. We hear that their numbers are “growing” and that police are seeing “more” of these, but very few specifics.
If the threat is that severe, shouldn’t we be hearing this all the time? Should I have come across tons and tons of such stories while researching for posts?
I ask because I haven’t. I’ve seen no such thing.
Now, that’s not to say that I’ve seen every article on guns floating around. I’m just one guy, after all. However, I’m also someone who spends a lot more time looking at news from all over the nation, particularly local news, than your average bear. You’d still think I’d have seen something other than this, but…crickets.
In other words, the “threat” posed by these weapons is a fabrication. It’s an effort to paint homemade, backyard built firearms as a clear threat to the American people in an effort to rally the public to call for their banning. The problem is that you’ll never actually eliminate them. It’s simply not going to happen.
The only people hurt by such a rule will be hobbyists who will remain law-abiding. Criminals interested in building guns for criminals will keep doing it. Even if there are no kits anymore nothing built by man cannot be rebuilt by man. They’ll keep doing it so long as there’s money in it, and criminals will always have money to some degree.
It’s a non-issue and the fact that this story is one of the few I’ve seen illustrates that quite nicely.


bearingarms--2020-05-28--How The Coronavirus Is Changing NYC's 2A Community

Most of the country have taken at least baby steps in recent days to reopen local and state economies , New York City remains locked down for the most part .
“ Non-essential ” businesses are still closed , mask mandates apply to nearly every New Yorker who steps foot outside their home , and residents are still encouraged to call the authorities if they suspect their neighbor may be violating social distancing rules by hosting a party or even doing some non-essential home repair .
One of the fiercest critics of New York ’ s belated response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill De Blasio ’ s performance in handling the crisis , is New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz , who joins me on today ’ s Bearing Arms ’ Cam & Co to discuss life in the Big Apple in a time of a pandemic , and why she believes it ’ s long past time for the city to begin to reopen .
Markowicz , who was born in the Soviet Union and moved to the United States as a child , says she ’ s deeply concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is developing in the city .
As a resident of the Park Slope neighborhood in Brookly , Karol ’ s used to helicopter parents and nanny-statism , but she says things are getting worse .
I knew I was dealing with a Karen when the police showed up .
We had only recently moved in and we had a serious leak in one of our bathrooms .
We called a plumber for emergency repairs .
A woman on our block confronted my husband about it and , despite his explanation that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cops .
Along with all the other problems coronavirus had wrought on our society , we are witnessing the rise of the ‘ Karen ’ .
Pre-corona , the term ‘ Karen ’ was used to describe the neighborhood busybody , the woman in front of you at Target who gets into an argument at the check-out and demands to see the manager .
But coronavirus has given Karen a new role in life and more power than she ’ s ever had before .
In many cities across the US , people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see anyone breaking the government ’ s COVID-19 guidelines .
In New York , Mayor Bill de Blasio introduced a tip line for the Karens of the city to call in when they see people not social distancing .
Tell on your neighbors , New Yorkers !
What could go wrong ?
Markowicz tells me that she has noticed one interesting phenomenon : left-leaning New Yorkers who ’ ve previously been just fine with the city ’ s draconian gun control laws , but are now ticked off that the process of acquiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months and cost hundreds of dollars in fees .
Even as the coronavirus has claimed businesses like John Jovino ’ s Gun Shop and left others like the Westside Range clinging to life support , Markowicz believes that the new demand for firearms among New Yorkers could ultimately have a positive impact on gun culture , and perhaps even gun laws in the city .
Be sure to check out my entire conversation with Karol in the video window above , and thanks as always for watching , listening , and spreading the @ @

Most of the country have taken at least baby steps in recent days to reopen local and state economies, New York City remains locked down for the most part. “Non-essential” businesses are still closed, mask mandates apply to nearly every New Yorker who steps foot outside their home, and residents are still encouraged to call the authorities if they suspect their neighbor may be violating social distancing rules by hosting a party or even doing some non-essential home repair.
One of the fiercest critics of New York’s belated response to the coronavirus, as well as Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill De Blasio’s performance in handling the crisis, is New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz, who joins me on today’s Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co to discuss life in the Big Apple in a time of a pandemic, and why she believes it’s long past time for the city to begin to reopen.
Markowicz, who was born in the Soviet Union and moved to the United States as a child, says she’s deeply concerned about a “culture of Karens” that is developing in the city. As a resident of the Park Slope neighborhood in Brookly, Karol’s used to helicopter parents and nanny-statism, but she says things are getting worse.
I knew I was dealing with a Karen when the police showed up. We had only recently moved in and we had a serious leak in one of our bathrooms. We called a plumber for emergency repairs. A woman on our block confronted my husband about it and, despite his explanation that the work was essential, she called the cops. Along with all the other problems coronavirus had wrought on our society, we are witnessing the rise of the ‘Karen’. Pre-corona, the term ‘Karen’ was used to describe the neighborhood busybody, the woman in front of you at Target who gets into an argument at the check-out and demands to see the manager. But coronavirus has given Karen a new role in life and more power than she’s ever had before. In many cities across the US, people are encouraged to alert authorities if they see anyone breaking the government’s COVID-19 guidelines. In New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio introduced a tip line for the Karens of the city to call in when they see people not social distancing. Tell on your neighbors, New Yorkers! What could go wrong?
Markowicz tells me that she has noticed one interesting phenomenon: left-leaning New Yorkers who’ve previously been just fine with the city’s draconian gun control laws, but are now ticked off that the process of acquiring a firearm for home defense can take months and cost hundreds of dollars in fees. Even as the coronavirus has claimed businesses like John Jovino’s Gun Shop and left others like the Westside Range clinging to life support, Markowicz believes that the new demand for firearms among New Yorkers could ultimately have a positive impact on gun culture, and perhaps even gun laws in the city.
Be sure to check out my entire conversation with Karol in the video window above, and thanks as always for watching, listening, and spreading the word.


bearingarms--2020-05-28--Potential Mass Shooter Stopped, No Red Flag Law Needed

The state of California has never met a gun law it didn ’ t seem to like .
That ’ s especially true of something like a red flag law .
I mean , giving California an excuse to disarm someone ?
Sign them the hell up , am I right ?
However , we ’ ve had a number of high-profile mass shootings that have taken place in the state where the red flag law was completely useless such as Thousand Oaks and San Bernardino , just to name a couple .
If red flag laws are supposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suck at it .
Especially when authorities in California may have stopped a potential mass shooting without needing any such thing .
A former Upland resident was charged last week with threatening his employer and co-workers after he was furloughed from his job at an Irwindale tire warehouse , officials confirmed Tuesday , May 26 .
Police had also confiscated firearms , ammunition and a machete from Eder Simiano during the course of the investigation , Irwindale police Sgt .
Rudy Gatto said .
The investigation ended Tuesday , he added .
Simiano @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts of making criminal threats and one count of a prohibited person in possession of ammunition , court records show .
The alleged crimes occurred April 13 , according to court records .
Why , it ’ s almost like red flag laws aren ’ t actually needed at all .
Then again , that might be because they ’ re not .
Simiano was arrested because he made threats–a criminal action–which gave them probable cause to see if he had the means to carry out his threats .
It turned out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of another crime , at least allegedly .
No matter how many laws you pass , what you need to thwart mass shootings often isn ’ t some new law , but actual use of the ones we have .
Planning a mass shooting is illegal .
Further , that planning rarely happens in a vacuum .
There ’ s rarely a shooter so put together that no one ever gets a glimpse of what ’ s transpiring .
The problem is , for the longest time , people just didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m not saying people necessarily knew the other person was planning a mass shooting and just let it happen .
What I ’ m saying is that these people always acted suspiciously , but folks didn ’ t want to get involved .
Well , they ’ re willing to now .
Simiano is being charged because he threatened people ’ s lives .
That ’ s also something many mass shooters have done but wasn ’ t reported for whatever reason .
Now , he ’ s facing criminal charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ m not writing about how Simiano shot up the warehouse he worked at before being furloughed and flipping his gourd because people took the threats seriously .
Look , if you suspect something is going on , call the police .
Let them investigate .
If it ’ s nothing , no big deal .
Better to find that out than to watch in horror as the news unfolds that this person slaughtered innocent people because you kept quiet .
Simiano will now face trial for his alleged crimes while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s how it should go .

The state of California has never met a gun law it didn’t seem to like. That’s especially true of something like a red flag law. I mean, giving California an excuse to disarm someone? Sign them the hell up, am I right?
However, we’ve had a number of high-profile mass shootings that have taken place in the state where the red flag law was completely useless such as Thousand Oaks and San Bernardino, just to name a couple.
If red flag laws are supposed to stop mass shootings, they kind of suck at it.
Especially when authorities in California may have stopped a potential mass shooting without needing any such thing.
A former Upland resident was charged last week with threatening his employer and co-workers after he was furloughed from his job at an Irwindale tire warehouse, officials confirmed Tuesday, May 26. Police had also confiscated firearms, ammunition and a machete from Eder Simiano during the course of the investigation, Irwindale police Sgt. Rudy Gatto said. The investigation ended Tuesday, he added. Simiano pleaded not guilty last week to four counts of making criminal threats and one count of a prohibited person in possession of ammunition, court records show. The alleged crimes occurred April 13, according to court records.
Why, it’s almost like red flag laws aren’t actually needed at all.
Then again, that might be because they’re not. Simiano was arrested because he made threats–a criminal action–which gave them probable cause to see if he had the means to carry out his threats. It turned out, he did and they even uncovered evidence of another crime, at least allegedly.
No matter how many laws you pass, what you need to thwart mass shootings often isn’t some new law, but actual use of the ones we have. Planning a mass shooting is illegal. Further, that planning rarely happens in a vacuum. There’s rarely a shooter so put together that no one ever gets a glimpse of what’s transpiring.
The problem is, for the longest time, people just didn’t think it meant anything.
Now, I’m not saying people necessarily knew the other person was planning a mass shooting and just let it happen. What I’m saying is that these people always acted suspiciously, but folks didn’t want to get involved.
Well, they’re willing to now.
Simiano is being charged because he threatened people’s lives. That’s also something many mass shooters have done but wasn’t reported for whatever reason.
Now, he’s facing criminal charges and no one has lost their lives. I’m not writing about how Simiano shot up the warehouse he worked at before being furloughed and flipping his gourd because people took the threats seriously.
Look, if you suspect something is going on, call the police. Let them investigate. If it’s nothing, no big deal. Better to find that out than to watch in horror as the news unfolds that this person slaughtered innocent people because you kept quiet.
Simiano will now face trial for his alleged crimes while everyone else goes about their day. That’s how it should go.


bearingarms--2020-05-28--Armed Citizens Protect Minneapolis Businesses Amid Riots

There can be some strange thinking at work in this country , especially lately .
In particular , the idea that the best way to protest what you see as an unjust action and protect your community is to burn it to the ground .
I ’ m never really going to understand that one .
To be fair , nothing about the video that has surfaced paints the Minneapolis Police Department in a positive light , nor should it .
However , people rampaging through the city isn ’ t likely to improve the situation in the long run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time we ’ ve seen riots , especially over perceived racial injustice .
Recently , we ’ ve seen rioting in Baltimore and Ferguson , Missouri , but for me , the definitive riot of my lifetime were the L.A. riots following the Rodney King incident .
One of the memes that still survives to this day are the “ Roof Koreans.
” Those were men and women who used their Second Amendment rights to protect their businesses from rioters .
Well , not everyone in Minneapolis was rioting .
Some were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shop owners in L.A. That ’ s right , good guys with guns tried to protect businesses .
Two men decided to utilize their Second Amendment rights to prevent people from looting nearby stores .
“ Basically , you ’ ve seen the records the cops keep and the cops are a lot less likely to tread on people ’ s rights when there ’ s other armed Americans with them .
So we figured it ’ s about damn time – or at least I figure it ’ s about damn time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with fellow citizens , ” the one man explained .
The two men were asked why they were protecting the particular businesses they were in front of .
They said they had been patrolling businesses nearby and ended up in that parking lot because the smoke shop was closed but the owners were having the defend their business .
“ We heard that and figured ‘ Well , we better get up and go see if these guys need help , ’ ” the second man said , pointing to the smoke shop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these guys are out here with machetes and trying to keep looters out of their business because the cops can ’ t get out here .
And so , I figured , before there were cops there were Americans .
So here we are.
” Here ’ s a video of the gentlemen in question .
These two armed citizens make it clear that they don ’ t actually disagree with the protests .
They think what happened to George Floyd was uncalled for and unjust .
They support justice for what transpired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with looting and destroying businesses .
Sorry , but I can ’ t really find anything wrong with that .
Especially since my take as that they ’ d be willing to protect the protestors too .
“ Leave it to the cops , ” some might say , which is fine .
Where are they ?
As noted in the video , the police can ’ t make it out there .
So just how are they going to stop anyone from doing anything ?
You can ’ t leave it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any cops around to leave it to .
Frankly , I ’ m glad these guys were there and were able to provide at least some protection for those businesses .
As it is , we ’ ve got a virus doing enough damage to the economy that the last thing we need is to destroy small businesses already reeling from disaster .

There can be some strange thinking at work in this country, especially lately. In particular, the idea that the best way to protest what you see as an unjust action and protect your community is to burn it to the ground.
I’m never really going to understand that one.
To be fair, nothing about the video that has surfaced paints the Minneapolis Police Department in a positive light, nor should it. However, people rampaging through the city isn’t likely to improve the situation in the long run.
Yet it’s not the first time we’ve seen riots, especially over perceived racial injustice. Recently, we’ve seen rioting in Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri, but for me, the definitive riot of my lifetime were the L.A. riots following the Rodney King incident. One of the memes that still survives to this day are the “Roof Koreans.” Those were men and women who used their Second Amendment rights to protect their businesses from rioters.
Well, not everyone in Minneapolis was rioting. Some were making a stand not unlike the Korean shop owners in L.A.
That’s right, good guys with guns tried to protect businesses.
Two men decided to utilize their Second Amendment rights to prevent people from looting nearby stores. “Basically, you’ve seen the records the cops keep and the cops are a lot less likely to tread on people’s rights when there’s other armed Americans with them. So we figured it’s about damn time – or at least I figure it’s about damn time – for some heavily armed rednecks stood with fellow citizens,” the one man explained. The two men were asked why they were protecting the particular businesses they were in front of. They said they had been patrolling businesses nearby and ended up in that parking lot because the smoke shop was closed but the owners were having the defend their business. “We heard that and figured ‘Well, we better get up and go see if these guys need help,’” the second man said, pointing to the smoke shop behind him. “It turns out these guys are out here with machetes and trying to keep looters out of their business because the cops can’t get out here. And so, I figured, before there were cops there were Americans. So here we are.”
Here’s a video of the gentlemen in question.
WATCH: Armed citizens are attempting to stop looters in Minneapolis “Before there were cops, there were just Americans. So, here we are.” “Justice for Floyd but we don’t support looting…”@maxnesterak pic.twitter.com/0R5zeBR5GF — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 28, 2020
These two armed citizens make it clear that they don’t actually disagree with the protests. They think what happened to George Floyd was uncalled for and unjust. They support justice for what transpired.
They just don’t agree with looting and destroying businesses.
Sorry, but I can’t really find anything wrong with that. Especially since my take as that they’d be willing to protect the protestors too.
“Leave it to the cops,” some might say, which is fine. Where are they? As noted in the video, the police can’t make it out there. So just how are they going to stop anyone from doing anything? You can’t leave it to the cops when there aren’t any cops around to leave it to.
Frankly, I’m glad these guys were there and were able to provide at least some protection for those businesses. As it is, we’ve got a virus doing enough damage to the economy that the last thing we need is to destroy small businesses already reeling from disaster.


bearingarms--2020-05-28--Permitless Carry, Campus Carry Bills Advance In TN Legislature

Lawmakers in Tennessee continued their work on two big pieces of pro-Second Amendment legislation this week , with House committees giving the nod to a permitless carry bill and a campus carry measure as well , but not without some controversy .
During testimony on HB 2817 , the permitless carry bill , both Second Amendment advocates and gun control activists raised objections to the current language , though for very different reasons .
“ I ’ ve got some pretty good news for the folks who just testified before me [ against the bill ] , because this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parten , the southeast regional director for the National Association for Gun Rights , said during testimony Tuesday in front of the House Judiciary Committee .
“ … True constitutional carry is simple and straightforward : If you can legally possess a firearm , you should legally be able to carry it openly or concealed without a permit.
” Parten said HB 2817 would put Tennessee behind other permitless carry states because it ties the right to carry to the ability to get a permit rather than tying it to the ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could cause confusion among gun owners and could land otherwise law abiding citizens in jail for misunderstanding the law .
If lawmakers made this change , he said NAGR would fully support the bill .
The legislation does not make gun control advocates happy , either .
Bill Gibbons , president of the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission , told the committee his organization opposes this bill , saying the organization believes it will embolden people to illegally carry firearms because police would have no basis to stop them and ask them for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current law .
He said Tennessee has a good permit system and getting rid of it likely would increase violent crime .
The Memphis Police Department also opposes the legislation .
Memphis Police Director Mike Rallings was on hand to testify in opposition to the bill , which he says could lead to increased violence in the city .
“ I fully support the Second Amendment , but we face the challenge of managing the coronavirus pandemic across the state and across the world , and the last thing Tennessee needs is gun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unconstitutional handguns that are either concealed or unconcealed without a permit , ” said Rallings .
I ’ m not sure what an unconstitutional handgun looks like , but Rallings will have some opportunities in the future to provide more testimony , so perhaps he can enlighten us the next time he addresses lawmakers on the issue .
The simple fact is that there are now 15 states across the country that don ’ t require a permit in order for legal gun owners to carry , and in no state have we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after permitless carry became the law .
A campus carry bill has also passed out of its first committee this week , and the prospects look pretty good for the legislation at the moment .
Under the bill as its currently written , carrying on campus would require an enhanced concealed carry license , even if permitless carry legislation is signed into law .
Currently , faculty and staff can carry on campus ( with some restrictions ) , but visitors and students are still forbidden to do so .
The bills will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the floor of the state House .
If they pass , they ’ ll then move over to the state Senate where the committee process will begin again .
In the meantime , Tennessee gun owners should be contacting their state representative and state senator to urge them to support these measures .

Lawmakers in Tennessee continued their work on two big pieces of pro-Second Amendment legislation this week, with House committees giving the nod to a permitless carry bill and a campus carry measure as well, but not without some controversy. During testimony on HB 2817, the permitless carry bill, both Second Amendment advocates and gun control activists raised objections to the current language, though for very different reasons.
“I’ve got some pretty good news for the folks who just testified before me [against the bill], because this is not true constitutional carry,” DJ Parten, the southeast regional director for the National Association for Gun Rights, said during testimony Tuesday in front of the House Judiciary Committee. “… True constitutional carry is simple and straightforward: If you can legally possess a firearm, you should legally be able to carry it openly or concealed without a permit.” Parten said HB 2817 would put Tennessee behind other permitless carry states because it ties the right to carry to the ability to get a permit rather than tying it to the ability to possess a firearm. He said this could cause confusion among gun owners and could land otherwise law abiding citizens in jail for misunderstanding the law. If lawmakers made this change, he said NAGR would fully support the bill. The legislation does not make gun control advocates happy, either. Bill Gibbons, president of the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission, told the committee his organization opposes this bill, saying the organization believes it will embolden people to illegally carry firearms because police would have no basis to stop them and ask them for a permit, which they can do under current law. He said Tennessee has a good permit system and getting rid of it likely would increase violent crime. The Memphis Police Department also opposes the legislation.
Memphis Police Director Mike Rallings was on hand to testify in opposition to the bill, which he says could lead to increased violence in the city.
“I fully support the Second Amendment, but we face the challenge of managing the coronavirus pandemic across the state and across the world, and the last thing Tennessee needs is gun legislation that will allow for permitless, unconstitutional handguns that are either concealed or unconcealed without a permit,” said Rallings.
I’m not sure what an unconstitutional handgun looks like, but Rallings will have some opportunities in the future to provide more testimony, so perhaps he can enlighten us the next time he addresses lawmakers on the issue. The simple fact is that there are now 15 states across the country that don’t require a permit in order for legal gun owners to carry, and in no state have we seen a huge spike in violent crime after permitless carry became the law.
A campus carry bill has also passed out of its first committee this week, and the prospects look pretty good for the legislation at the moment. Under the bill as its currently written, carrying on campus would require an enhanced concealed carry license, even if permitless carry legislation is signed into law. Currently, faculty and staff can carry on campus (with some restrictions), but visitors and students are still forbidden to do so.
The bills will face one more committee vote before heading to the floor of the state House. If they pass, they’ll then move over to the state Senate where the committee process will begin again. In the meantime, Tennessee gun owners should be contacting their state representative and state senator to urge them to support these measures.


bearingarms--2020-05-28--Mob Mentality, Armed Citizens On Display As Minneapolis Neighborhood Burns

A day of unrest turned into a night of rioting in a south Minneapolis neighborhood on Thursday night as crowds looted local businesses and set fires to an AutoZone store and a six story affordable housing complex under construction .
Police say at least one person was shot in the riots sparked by the death of George Floyd , who died while Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin held him down with a knee on his neck during a stop and arrest after allegedly passing a counterfeit bill at a business over the Memorial Day weekend .
Chauvin and three other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s death were fired on Tuesday , and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Wednesday called for Chauvin to be charged with murder , even as crowds clashed with police officers outside the 3rd Precinct building on the city ’ s south side .
As the sun set over the Lake Street neighborhood , the crowd became more violent , and soon after the looting and fires began .
Firefighters raced from one blaze to the next , often with police in tow for crowd control .
After someone started a fire at an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firefighters worked to douse the flames , knocking down the majority of them .
But within a matter of hours , the store was ablaze again , as was a half-built affordable housing development that caught fire , sending flames more than a hundred feet into the air .
Vandals broke into Chicago-Lake Liquor , and also shattered a few windows at the Midtown Market down the block .
They also targeted businesses along W. Broadway Avenue , north Minneapolis ’ main commercial drag , and in the Uptown area .
Several pharmacies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with handfuls of prescription pill bottles .
A Target and Cub Foods anchoring the corner of E. Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue were looted , along with other small businesses , including Minnehaha Lake Wine & Spirits .
Flames and smoke shot into the air when a nearby AutoZone auto parts store was set ablaze .
As some protesters tried to put out the fire , others danced gleefully in front of it , snapping selfies .
The Star-Tribune newspaper reports at least three shootings took place during the rioting , including one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the owner of a pawn shop who told police he shot someone trying to loot his store .
A 59-year-old man was booked into the Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of the pawn shop shooting , according to online jail records .
“ The facts of what led up to the shooting are still being sorted out .
We are truly in the infancy of this investigation , ” Elder said .
Another shooting happened in the 2600 block of Longfellow Avenue , and a victim from a third shooting walked into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scanner traffic .
The shootings continued a rash of gun violence across the city , even before Floyd ’ s killing .
Armed citizens , meanwhile , stood guard outside of other local businesses .
Two men told reporters that while they were there to support the non-violent protests and wanted justice for George Floyd , they were also prepared to protect businesses from any looting .
Mayor Frey has now requested that the Minnesota National Guard be deployed in the city , though some National Guard members were already guarding the 3rd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ all should know by now that I ’ m a big supporter of peaceful protest and non-violent acts of civil disobedience , but that isn ’ t what unfolded in Minneapolis on Wednesday night .
This was the mob at work , and the mob wasn ’ t out for justice .
It was simply out to destroy .
The death of George Floyd may have been the ostensible reason for the riot , but looting a Target or a CVS , or destroying a small restaurant does nothing to further the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be surprised if gun stores in the Twin Cities are busier than normal today as residents seek to purchase a firearm for self-defense and home protection .
In the meantime , Mayor Frey and Gov .
Tim Walz need to get their act together and ensure that the protests over death of George Floyd , which are sure to continue today , don ’ t devolve into the mayhem that took place on Wednesday night .

A day of unrest turned into a night of rioting in a south Minneapolis neighborhood on Thursday night as crowds looted local businesses and set fires to an AutoZone store and a six story affordable housing complex under construction. Police say at least one person was shot in the riots sparked by the death of George Floyd, who died while Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin held him down with a knee on his neck during a stop and arrest after allegedly passing a counterfeit bill at a business over the Memorial Day weekend.
Chauvin and three other officers who were present at Floyd’s death were fired on Tuesday, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Wednesday called for Chauvin to be charged with murder, even as crowds clashed with police officers outside the 3rd Precinct building on the city’s south side. As the sun set over the Lake Street neighborhood, the crowd became more violent, and soon after the looting and fires began.
Firefighters raced from one blaze to the next, often with police in tow for crowd control. After someone started a fire at an AutoZone store at Minnehaha and Lake, firefighters worked to douse the flames, knocking down the majority of them. But within a matter of hours, the store was ablaze again, as was a half-built affordable housing development that caught fire, sending flames more than a hundred feet into the air. Vandals broke into Chicago-Lake Liquor, and also shattered a few windows at the Midtown Market down the block. They also targeted businesses along W. Broadway Avenue, north Minneapolis’ main commercial drag, and in the Uptown area. Several pharmacies were reportedly burglarized, with suspects fleeing with handfuls of prescription pill bottles. A Target and Cub Foods anchoring the corner of E. Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue were looted, along with other small businesses, including Minnehaha Lake Wine & Spirits. Flames and smoke shot into the air when a nearby AutoZone auto parts store was set ablaze. As some protesters tried to put out the fire, others danced gleefully in front of it, snapping selfies.
The Star-Tribune newspaper reports at least three shootings took place during the rioting, including one individual who was shot and killed by the owner of a pawn shop who told police he shot someone trying to loot his store.
A 59-year-old man was booked into the Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of the pawn shop shooting, according to online jail records. “The facts of what led up to the shooting are still being sorted out. We are truly in the infancy of this investigation,” Elder said. Another shooting happened in the 2600 block of Longfellow Avenue, and a victim from a third shooting walked into the emergency room at HCMC, according to scanner traffic. The shootings continued a rash of gun violence across the city, even before Floyd’s killing.
Armed citizens, meanwhile, stood guard outside of other local businesses. Two men told reporters that while they were there to support the non-violent protests and wanted justice for George Floyd, they were also prepared to protect businesses from any looting.
WATCH: Armed citizens are attempting to stop looters in Minneapolis “Before there were cops, there were just Americans. So, here we are.” “Justice for Floyd but we don’t support looting…”@maxnesterak pic.twitter.com/0R5zeBR5GF — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 28, 2020
Mayor Frey has now requested that the Minnesota National Guard be deployed in the city, though some National Guard members were already guarding the 3rd Precinct building by Wednesday afternoon.
Y’all should know by now that I’m a big supporter of peaceful protest and non-violent acts of civil disobedience, but that isn’t what unfolded in Minneapolis on Wednesday night. This was the mob at work, and the mob wasn’t out for justice. It was simply out to destroy. The death of George Floyd may have been the ostensible reason for the riot, but looting a Target or a CVS, or destroying a small restaurant does nothing to further the cause of justice.
I wouldn’t be surprised if gun stores in the Twin Cities are busier than normal today as residents seek to purchase a firearm for self-defense and home protection. In the meantime, Mayor Frey and Gov. Tim Walz need to get their act together and ensure that the protests over death of George Floyd, which are sure to continue today, don’t devolve into the mayhem that took place on Wednesday night.


bearingarms--2020-05-28--Mexican Criminals, Not American Guns, Fuels Cartel Violence

It seems like once a week someone at some publication pens a story all about how American guns are somehow responsible for the violence taking place in Mexico .
Seriously , we ’ ve all seen these stories and the opinions they form in the minds of millions of Americans .
It ’ s an opinion that was shared by President Obama who famously tried to use that violence to justify gun control here in this country…just before news broke that his administration was facilitating the sale of guns to the cartels in the first place .
That didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the stories continue to roll out , almost as if journalists as a whole are somehow obligated to continue spouting this .
The latest example comes from Foreign Policy .
In Nov. 25 , 2019 , while thousands of women took to the streets of Mexico City to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women , Abril Pérez was shot to death by a hitman .
The 48-year-old executive of a Mexican online retail store and mother of three was on her way to the airport to return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She ’ d recently divorced Juan Carlos García , a former Amazon Mexico CEO and the father of her children , whom she had accused of attempted murder 11 months prior for allegedly creeping into her home in the middle of the night and beating her with a baseball bat .
The gunman and his driver were arrested in March , but García , the suspected mastermind behind Pérez ’ s death , has reportedly fled to the United States .
What remains an open question is what role the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus-related lockdowns worsen the threat of domestic violence for women around the world , women in Mexico face an additional danger : the flood of American guns into the country .
“ The U.S. talks about how drugs and migrants cross the border from Mexico , ” said Maura Roldán , a researcher on gun violence from Mexico City .
“ But it hasn ’ t recognized its role in the rise in violence in Mexico .
It doesn ’ t mention the fact that it ’ s providing the guns.
” While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provenance of the murder weapon in Pérez ’ s case—Mexican homicide databases do not include this information—what is certain is that a steady stream , or torrent , of American firearms since the early 2000s has contributed to a spike in gun-related deaths in Mexico , in turn transforming and exacerbating gender violence .
Seventy percent of guns recovered as part of a criminal investigation in Mexico are traced back to the United States , according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives .
The problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it continues to ignore the reality on the ground in Mexico .
First , while many guns in Mexico did come from the United States , it ’ s important to note that almost all of them are purchased illegally .
They ’ re either black market guns in the first place or , as we learned from the uncovering of Operation Fast and Furious , they ’ re purchased through illegal straw buyers .
We ’ re already trying to prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands .
However , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems that no amount of American law is going to fix .
For one thing , they ’ ve been notoriously corrupt for decades , long before the rise of the cartels .
I recall hearing from my fellow sailors about how they ’ d get shaken down by police in Tiajuana for a few extra dollars .
That doesn ’ t happen in a vacuum .
No , it happens because the agency and the culture surrounding it approve of that sort of thing .
Unfortunately , that ’ s the kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oppose the cartels in the first place .
After all , if cops can be bought , they will be bought by whoever has the most money .
That means large , well-funded criminal organizations are going to basically own the police .
Now , let ’ s address the claim that Roldán makes about how the U.S. is being hypocritical because we focus on the drugs and human trafficking coming our way , but not the guns .
Roldán clearly doesn ’ t understand a thing about American gun laws because , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flow of guns south .
It ’ s illegal and we don ’ t just hand out guns like party favors up this way .
However , the problem is that those guns use the exact same pipelines the cartels use to shuttle drugs and people across the border .
Those pipelines are damn hard to find on our end but often located in larger cities on the Mexican side .
The problems with violence in Mexico lay at the feet of the cartels .
No one else .
After all , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is it that even our most violent cities aren ’ t even a pimple on the butt of Mexican violence ?

It seems like once a week someone at some publication pens a story all about how American guns are somehow responsible for the violence taking place in Mexico. Seriously, we’ve all seen these stories and the opinions they form in the minds of millions of Americans.
It’s an opinion that was shared by President Obama who famously tried to use that violence to justify gun control here in this country…just before news broke that his administration was facilitating the sale of guns to the cartels in the first place. That didn’t exactly help his case.
Regardless, the stories continue to roll out, almost as if journalists as a whole are somehow obligated to continue spouting this.
The latest example comes from Foreign Policy.
In Nov. 25, 2019, while thousands of women took to the streets of Mexico City to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Abril Pérez was shot to death by a hitman. The 48-year-old executive of a Mexican online retail store and mother of three was on her way to the airport to return home to Monterrey after a custody hearing. She’d recently divorced Juan Carlos García, a former Amazon Mexico CEO and the father of her children, whom she had accused of attempted murder 11 months prior for allegedly creeping into her home in the middle of the night and beating her with a baseball bat. The gunman and his driver were arrested in March, but García, the suspected mastermind behind Pérez’s death, has reportedly fled to the United States. What remains an open question is what role the United States played in the murder itself. As coronavirus-related lockdowns worsen the threat of domestic violence for women around the world, women in Mexico face an additional danger: the flood of American guns into the country. “The U.S. talks about how drugs and migrants cross the border from Mexico,” said Maura Roldán, a researcher on gun violence from Mexico City. “But it hasn’t recognized its role in the rise in violence in Mexico. It doesn’t mention the fact that it’s providing the guns.” While it’s impossible to know the provenance of the murder weapon in Pérez’s case—Mexican homicide databases do not include this information—what is certain is that a steady stream, or torrent, of American firearms since the early 2000s has contributed to a spike in gun-related deaths in Mexico, in turn transforming and exacerbating gender violence. Seventy percent of guns recovered as part of a criminal investigation in Mexico are traced back to the United States, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The problem with this, however, is that it continues to ignore the reality on the ground in Mexico.
First, while many guns in Mexico did come from the United States, it’s important to note that almost all of them are purchased illegally. They’re either black market guns in the first place or, as we learned from the uncovering of Operation Fast and Furious, they’re purchased through illegal straw buyers. We’re already trying to prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands.
However, the bigger issue is that Mexico has serious problems that no amount of American law is going to fix.
For one thing, they’ve been notoriously corrupt for decades, long before the rise of the cartels. I recall hearing from my fellow sailors about how they’d get shaken down by police in Tiajuana for a few extra dollars. That doesn’t happen in a vacuum. No, it happens because the agency and the culture surrounding it approve of that sort of thing.
Unfortunately, that’s the kind of culture that also was ill-prepared to oppose the cartels in the first place. After all, if cops can be bought, they will be bought by whoever has the most money. That means large, well-funded criminal organizations are going to basically own the police.
Now, let’s address the claim that Roldán makes about how the U.S. is being hypocritical because we focus on the drugs and human trafficking coming our way, but not the guns.
Roldán clearly doesn’t understand a thing about American gun laws because, well, we already try to stop the flow of guns south. It’s illegal and we don’t just hand out guns like party favors up this way. However, the problem is that those guns use the exact same pipelines the cartels use to shuttle drugs and people across the border. Those pipelines are damn hard to find on our end but often located in larger cities on the Mexican side.
The problems with violence in Mexico lay at the feet of the cartels. No one else.
After all, if guns were responsible alone, why is it that even our most violent cities aren’t even a pimple on the butt of Mexican violence?


bearingarms--2020-05-29--Colorado Gun Control Bills Killed By Coronavirus

A pair of gun control bills that were the top priorities for anti-gun activists in the state aren ’ t likely to be taken up this session , according to Democrat lawmakers in Denver .
With just weeks to go before the legislative session ends , and lawmakers still far apart on a budget for the state in 2021 , dozens of bills are headed for the chopping block , and among them are bills that would have imposed a requirement that gun owners report stolen firearms to the police , as well as a gun storage measure .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the gun storage bill , House Bill 1355 , were assigned to the House State , Veterans and Military Affairs Committee where they are expected to be postponed indefinitely , or killed .
The secure storage bill would make unlawfully storing a firearm a misdemeanor .
This would apply to guns stored where a minor can access them without permission from their parent and those stored in the residence of a person who isn ’ t allowed to have a firearm .
Sponsors say a large component of the bill is educating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Boulder Democrat , said she believes the gun bills are still a priority , but coronavirus “ has changed everything.
” “ That legislation always draws huge crowds , so that ’ s an issue , ” Becker said .
“ Also huge resistance .
And to get those bills that are starting in the House and that are currently in the House that have a long way to go , all done in a couple weeks , with everything else we have going on , is just challenging.
” Frankly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a priority for lawmakers to begin with .
The reporting requirement for lost or stolen firearms has been a fairly popular agenda item for gun control advocates for nearly a decade , but there ’ s absolutely no evidence that the laws do anything to prevent criminal access to firearms .
When gun control groups first began pushing the measure , they billed it as a way to cut down on straw purchases , but even in states where the measures have been on the books for years , the law isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owners actually do report their firearms stolen if that ever happens , after all , and straw buyers can simply tell police that their gun was stolen after they ’ ve delivered it to the prohibited person they purchased it for in the first place .
As for the proposed gun storage law , it too suffers from major flaws .
For example , storing a firearm in the home of someone who ’ s not allowed to possess a gun would be a misdemeanor under the the bill , even though possessing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already a felony under both state and federal law .
The state also already has a child access prevention law on the books that makes it a felony to “ intentionally , knowingly , or recklessly provides a handgun to any person under the age of 18 , ” and it ’ s a misdemeanor to allow a juvenile to have access to a long gun without the consent or knowledge of their parents .
These are both do-nothing bills that fail to address the increase in violent crime across the state since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ban on ammunition magazines that can accept more than 15-rounds and a “ universal background check ” bill .
Both the gun storage bill and the lost-or-stolen legislation are aimed squarely at legal gun owners , as opposed to the state ’ s violent criminals , and are another sign that the Democrats in control of the statehouse are still far more interested in attacking the right to keep and bear arms than they are in tackling the growing violence in the state .
Coloradans are better off with lawmakers passing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but unfortunately , the sponsor of the legislation has already indicted both bills will be back in 2021 .

A pair of gun control bills that were the top priorities for anti-gun activists in the state aren’t likely to be taken up this session, according to Democrat lawmakers in Denver. With just weeks to go before the legislative session ends, and lawmakers still far apart on a budget for the state in 2021, dozens of bills are headed for the chopping block, and among them are bills that would have imposed a requirement that gun owners report stolen firearms to the police, as well as a gun storage measure.
The gun loss or theft bill, along with the gun storage bill, House Bill 1355, were assigned to the House State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee where they are expected to be postponed indefinitely, or killed. The secure storage bill would make unlawfully storing a firearm a misdemeanor. This would apply to guns stored where a minor can access them without permission from their parent and those stored in the residence of a person who isn’t allowed to have a firearm. Sponsors say a large component of the bill is educating the public. House Speaker KC Becker, a Boulder Democrat, said she believes the gun bills are still a priority, but coronavirus “has changed everything.” “That legislation always draws huge crowds, so that’s an issue,” Becker said. “Also huge resistance. And to get those bills that are starting in the House and that are currently in the House that have a long way to go, all done in a couple weeks, with everything else we have going on, is just challenging.”
Frankly, neither of these bills should have been a priority for lawmakers to begin with. The reporting requirement for lost or stolen firearms has been a fairly popular agenda item for gun control advocates for nearly a decade, but there’s absolutely no evidence that the laws do anything to prevent criminal access to firearms. When gun control groups first began pushing the measure, they billed it as a way to cut down on straw purchases, but even in states where the measures have been on the books for years, the law isn’t widely used. Most gun owners actually do report their firearms stolen if that ever happens, after all, and straw buyers can simply tell police that their gun was stolen after they’ve delivered it to the prohibited person they purchased it for in the first place.
As for the proposed gun storage law, it too suffers from major flaws. For example, storing a firearm in the home of someone who’s not allowed to possess a gun would be a misdemeanor under the the bill, even though possessing a firearm as a prohibited person is already a felony under both state and federal law. The state also already has a child access prevention law on the books that makes it a felony to “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly provides a handgun to any person under the age of 18,” and it’s a misdemeanor to allow a juvenile to have access to a long gun without the consent or knowledge of their parents.
These are both do-nothing bills that fail to address the increase in violent crime across the state since the passage back in 2015 of Colorado’s ban on ammunition magazines that can accept more than 15-rounds and a “universal background check” bill. Both the gun storage bill and the lost-or-stolen legislation are aimed squarely at legal gun owners, as opposed to the state’s violent criminals, and are another sign that the Democrats in control of the statehouse are still far more interested in attacking the right to keep and bear arms than they are in tackling the growing violence in the state. Coloradans are better off with lawmakers passing by these bills for the year, but unfortunately, the sponsor of the legislation has already indicted both bills will be back in 2021.


bearingarms--2020-05-29--Rally Against Racism Features Several 2A Advocates

Dozens of men and women , many of them armed , held a rally entitled Blacks And Latinos Against Racist Empowerment at the Michigan state capitol in Lansing on Thursday , decrying the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia , Breonna Taylor in Kentucky , and George Floyd in Minnesota while calling for accountability for those responsible .
Rally organizer Rick Ector said the deaths are a “ sober reminder that the world is not a safe place , ” but he believes it can be made a little safer with effort .
Ector is the owner of Legally Armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sadness and anger over what happened into putting on the “ Rally Against Hate.
” “ I said you know what , I ’ m surprised someone hasn ’ t done it already .
Okay , I ’ m going to do it I ’ m going to organize a rally against hate .
Let ’ s hold the the evil , dangerous people in our society accountable and let ’ s talk about eliminating this dreadful scourge in our society , ” said Ector .
I ’ ve known Rick for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a tremendous advocate for the right to bear arms in Michigan and a tireless champion of responsible gun ownership .
Each year , usually around Mothers Day , Rick hosts an event to provide a free gun safety lesson to women , and last year more than 800 women turned out for the training session .
Thursday ’ s rally may have been smaller , but the message was a powerful one , and on today ’ s Bearing Arms ’ Cam & Co , Ector tells me that based on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may try to put together a similar rally in the near future .
Ector says there were no issues with the Capitol Police and the armed protesters and Second Amendment advocates on hand , though some politicians in Michigan have been pushing for a ban on firearms on the capitol grounds and in the state capitol building .
Bearing arms wasn ’ t a requirement to attend the rally , and Ector says he neither encouraged or discouraged attendees to carry at the capitol , but was pleased that armed self-defense was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speakers , including Maj Toure of Black Guns Matter and Lansing activist Mike Lynn , Jr , who recently provided an armed escort to a lawmaker who had said she felt intimidated by a reopen rally at the capitol last month that also featured a number of armed protesters .
The men and women at the rally in Lansing aren ’ t the only ones calling for black Americans to embrace the Second Amendment .
Michael Render , aka “ Killer Mike ” , who ’ s been an outspoken advocate for black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the website Color Lines this week on why he believes the right to keep and bear arms is so important .
God gave you the right to use whatever tools are available to defend your rights .
Nothing—including gun ownership—should be discarded .
I encourage gun ownership to my wife , my son and daughters , your sons and daughters and all Black people .
I wish the Black woman in Baltimore , Korey T. Johnson who was recently chased and followed by a deranged brother , had a gun to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hotel or from the police .
My heart goes out to her and her running buddy .
 The challenge is for Black people , Black media and allies to normalize gun ownership .
We should be highlighting and showcasing responsible gun owners .
We should be looking to Black organizations such as the National African American Gun Association , which offers firearms training , self-defense training and other services .
They understand the cultural nuances of gun ownership and speak directly to our needs .
We should be looking to people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Black woman who owns My Sister ’ s Keeper Defense and teaches women how to shoot , stay safe and defend against threats .
We should also be considering the perspective of people like attorney Colin Noir , who is a gun rights advocate with a plethora of online resources ranging from reviews of firearms , commentary on gun laws and educational content .
We should also be talking about Black Freedom Fighters ( see Harriet Tubman , Ida B .
Wells , Malcolm X , Deacons for Defense and Justice , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embraced gun ownership and protected their families and community in the process .
Even the Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. applied for a concealed carry permit in 1956 .
Meanwhile , attorney Benjamin Crump , who ’ s representing the family of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor , wondered in a column for USA Today whether black Americans truly can enjoy the right to keep and bear arms .
In his piece , Crump contrasts the arrests of Gregory and Travis McMichael in the death of Ahmaud Arbery with the arrest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boyfriend .
Only after the case made national news when a video of the shocking killing surfaced months later were suspects Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael finally arrested and charged with murder .
Contrast the treatment of the McMichaels ’ with that of Kenneth Walker , a black man who fired one nonfatal round from a legally registered firearm against armed intruders in the middle of the night .
Walker was defending his castle and his woman when police burst into his apartment unannounced on a misdirected drug raid .
Just before 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asleep alongside his girlfriend , Breonna Taylor , a 26-year-old EMT and hero in the COVID-19 pandemic , who daily put her life on the line to help others .
Three plainclothes Louisville Metro Police officers stormed into Taylor ’ s apartment on a “ no-knock warrant.
” Walker called 911 , grabbed his gun and fired a single shot .
After an officer was hit in the leg , police opened fire , spraying more than 20 bullets .
Taylor , who was shot at least eight times , died .
Walker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police officer .
And unlike what happened to the McMichaels , it didn ’ t take months for authorities to press charges .
Walker was charged immediately .
The charges were dropped only after months of advocacy and national media attention .
The police were looking for narcotics but didn ’ t find any .
The suspect they were seeking was already in custody .
Walker was a licensed gun owner who thought someone was breaking in .
Clearly , he felt threatened .
Where was his right to self-defense ?
Obviously there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , but Crump is correct in noting that in both situations , it took media attention and a public outcry for charges to be dropped against Walker and to be filed against the McMichaels .
Will the media ever get behind the idea of armed self-defense for racial minorities ?
I tend to doubt it , simply because of the anti-gun attitudes that so many in the news media have .
However , even if the media can ’ t or won ’ t embrace the idea , I do believe that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the idea that self-defense is a human right , that the right to keep and bear arms is a right of all people , and we ’ ll do everything we can to ensure that every law-abiding American is empowered to exercise their right to armed self-defense .

Dozens of men and women, many of them armed, held a rally entitled Blacks And Latinos Against Racist Empowerment at the Michigan state capitol in Lansing on Thursday, decrying the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, Breonna Taylor in Kentucky, and George Floyd in Minnesota while calling for accountability for those responsible. Rally organizer Rick Ector said the deaths are a “sober reminder that the world is not a safe place,” but he believes it can be made a little safer with effort.
Ector is the owner of Legally Armed in Detroit and says he turned his sadness and anger over what happened into putting on the “Rally Against Hate.” “I said you know what, I’m surprised someone hasn’t done it already. Okay, I’m going to do it I’m going to organize a rally against hate. Let’s hold the the evil, dangerous people in our society accountable and let’s talk about eliminating this dreadful scourge in our society,” said Ector.
I’ve known Rick for a long time, and he’s been a tremendous advocate for the right to bear arms in Michigan and a tireless champion of responsible gun ownership. Each year, usually around Mothers Day, Rick hosts an event to provide a free gun safety lesson to women, and last year more than 800 women turned out for the training session. Thursday’s rally may have been smaller, but the message was a powerful one, and on today’s Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co, Ector tells me that based on the online reaction to the event, he may try to put together a similar rally in the near future.
Ector says there were no issues with the Capitol Police and the armed protesters and Second Amendment advocates on hand, though some politicians in Michigan have been pushing for a ban on firearms on the capitol grounds and in the state capitol building. Bearing arms wasn’t a requirement to attend the rally, and Ector says he neither encouraged or discouraged attendees to carry at the capitol, but was pleased that armed self-defense was a central component of the messaging from several speakers, including Maj Toure of Black Guns Matter and Lansing activist Mike Lynn, Jr, who recently provided an armed escort to a lawmaker who had said she felt intimidated by a reopen rally at the capitol last month that also featured a number of armed protesters.
The men and women at the rally in Lansing aren’t the only ones calling for black Americans to embrace the Second Amendment. Michael Render, aka “Killer Mike”, who’s been an outspoken advocate for black gun ownership, wrote a powerful piece for the website Color Lines this week on why he believes the right to keep and bear arms is so important.
God gave you the right to use whatever tools are available to defend your rights. Nothing—including gun ownership—should be discarded. I encourage gun ownership to my wife, my son and daughters, your sons and daughters and all Black people. I wish the Black woman in Baltimore, Korey T. Johnson , who was recently chased and followed by a deranged brother, had a gun to protect herself. She found no safety at a hotel or from the police. My heart goes out to her and her running buddy.  The challenge is for Black people, Black media and allies to normalize gun ownership. We should be highlighting and showcasing responsible gun owners. We should be looking to Black organizations such as the National African American Gun Association, which offers firearms training, self-defense training and other services. They understand the cultural nuances of gun ownership and speak directly to our needs. We should be looking to people like Marchelle “Tig” Davis, a Black woman who owns My Sister’s Keeper Defense and teaches women how to shoot, stay safe and defend against threats. We should also be considering the perspective of people like attorney Colin Noir, who is a gun rights advocate with a plethora of online resources ranging from reviews of firearms, commentary on gun laws and educational content. We should also be talking about Black Freedom Fighters (see Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells, Malcolm X, Deacons for Defense and Justice, Robert Williams, etc.) who embraced gun ownership and protected their families and community in the process. Even the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. applied for a concealed carry permit in 1956.
Meanwhile, attorney Benjamin Crump, who’s representing the family of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, wondered in a column for USA Today whether black Americans truly can enjoy the right to keep and bear arms. In his piece, Crump contrasts the arrests of Gregory and Travis McMichael in the death of Ahmaud Arbery with the arrest of Kenneth Walker, Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend.
Only after the case made national news when a video of the shocking killing surfaced months later were suspects Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael finally arrested and charged with murder. Contrast the treatment of the McMichaels’ with that of Kenneth Walker, a black man who fired one nonfatal round from a legally registered firearm against armed intruders in the middle of the night. Walker was defending his castle and his woman when police burst into his apartment unannounced on a misdirected drug raid. Just before 1 a.m. on March 13, Walker was asleep alongside his girlfriend, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT and hero in the COVID-19 pandemic, who daily put her life on the line to help others. Three plainclothes Louisville Metro Police officers stormed into Taylor’s apartment on a “no-knock warrant.” Walker called 911, grabbed his gun and fired a single shot. After an officer was hit in the leg, police opened fire, spraying more than 20 bullets. Taylor, who was shot at least eight times, died. Walker was charged with attempted murder of a police officer. And unlike what happened to the McMichaels, it didn’t take months for authorities to press charges. Walker was charged immediately. The charges were dropped only after months of advocacy and national media attention. The police were looking for narcotics but didn’t find any. The suspect they were seeking was already in custody. Walker was a licensed gun owner who thought someone was breaking in. Clearly, he felt threatened. Where was his right to self-defense?
Obviously there are some big differences in the two cases, but Crump is correct in noting that in both situations, it took media attention and a public outcry for charges to be dropped against Walker and to be filed against the McMichaels. Will the media ever get behind the idea of armed self-defense for racial minorities? I tend to doubt it, simply because of the anti-gun attitudes that so many in the news media have. However, even if the media can’t or won’t embrace the idea, I do believe that the Second Amendment community is squarely behind the idea that self-defense is a human right, that the right to keep and bear arms is a right of all people, and we’ll do everything we can to ensure that every law-abiding American is empowered to exercise their right to armed self-defense.


bearingarms--2020-05-29--Michigan Bust Shows Why Gun Control Fails

Time and time again , anti-gunners try to tell us that gun control works .
They tout countless flawed studies that show correlations , but not causation .
We tend to counter with other studies that show the opposite , particularly how guns save lives .
Yet , at the end of the day , the truth is that gun control would never work , even if guns didn ’ t save more lives .
Why ?
Because the people who represent the problem when it comes to guns simply don ’ t care about gun laws .
Or any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trio of search warrants served by a police task force in Troy and Detroit uncovered a stash of drugs , guns and cash .
[ Michigan State Police ] said it was part of an ongoing investigation by MNET — a multi-jurisdictional task force consisting of state , local and federal law enforcement agencies — into a group trafficking prescription pills in metro Detroit .
Seized today , police said , were two AR-15 pistols , one AK pistol and two semi-automatic pistol .
Officers also seized body armor , thousands of prescription @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for many , this is alarming because of the presence of two AR-15 pistols and an AK pistol .
However , it also illustrates the futility of gun control Well , take a look at what else was found .
Yes , there were a couple of handguns , some body armor , and a pile of cash .
Also was a lot of prescription pills .
Now , medication is tightly controlled in this country .
You can ’ t just walk into a store and order prescription pills .
You have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a prescription from someone licensed to write them .
Doctors , physician assistants , nurse practitioners , or whoever with the appropriate permissions has to say , “ Yes , these people actually need these medications.
” Then , depending on the medication , there may be limits on how many can be given at a time .
I spent six months of training time in the Navy learning this stuff during a “ C ” school , so I know what I ’ m talking about here .
The drugs most likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prescribed for more than a month ’ s supply and there can ’ t be any refills .
Inside the pharmacy , these particular meds also tightly controlled .
Each pill has to be accounted for or else someone faces jail time .
They don ’ t play around with controlled substances .
Further , prescription medications can ’ t easily be made in backyard workshops .
It takes a great deal of specific knowledge to make pharmaceuticals , something your average person doesn ’ t have .
I went through a whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even then , I wouldn ’ t have been up to trying to replicate controlled substances in pill form So , with all of this , just how did these individuals get their hands on thousands of controlled pills ?
If you can answer that , then you also know how these same people will get their hands on firearms no matter what laws you try to put in place .
You ’ re not going to stop bad people from getting guns .
You ’ re just going to stop the good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That puts them at the mercy of the criminal , and no one wants to be there .

Time and time again, anti-gunners try to tell us that gun control works. They tout countless flawed studies that show correlations, but not causation. We tend to counter with other studies that show the opposite, particularly how guns save lives.
Yet, at the end of the day, the truth is that gun control would never work, even if guns didn’t save more lives. Why? Because the people who represent the problem when it comes to guns simply don’t care about gun laws. Or any laws, for that matter.
Take this Detroit drug bust.
A trio of search warrants served by a police task force in Troy and Detroit uncovered a stash of drugs, guns and cash. … [Michigan State Police] said it was part of an ongoing investigation by MNET — a multi-jurisdictional task force consisting of state, local and federal law enforcement agencies — into a group trafficking prescription pills in metro Detroit. Seized today, police said, were two AR-15 pistols, one AK pistol and two semi-automatic pistol. Officers also seized body armor, thousands of prescription pills and $99,000.
Now, for many, this is alarming because of the presence of two AR-15 pistols and an AK pistol.
However, it also illustrates the futility of gun control
How?
Well, take a look at what else was found. Yes, there were a couple of handguns, some body armor, and a pile of cash. Also was a lot of prescription pills.
Now, medication is tightly controlled in this country. You can’t just walk into a store and order prescription pills. You have to get permission in the form of a prescription from someone licensed to write them. Doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, or whoever with the appropriate permissions has to say, “Yes, these people actually need these medications.”
Then, depending on the medication, there may be limits on how many can be given at a time. I spent six months of training time in the Navy learning this stuff during a “C” school, so I know what I’m talking about here. The drugs most likely to be abused can’t be prescribed for more than a month’s supply and there can’t be any refills.
Inside the pharmacy, these particular meds also tightly controlled. Each pill has to be accounted for or else someone faces jail time. They don’t play around with controlled substances.
Further, prescription medications can’t easily be made in backyard workshops. It takes a great deal of specific knowledge to make pharmaceuticals, something your average person doesn’t have. I went through a whole class on how to compound medications and even then, I wouldn’t have been up to trying to replicate controlled substances in pill form
So, with all of this, just how did these individuals get their hands on thousands of controlled pills?
If you can answer that, then you also know how these same people will get their hands on firearms no matter what laws you try to put in place.
You’re not going to stop bad people from getting guns. You’re just going to stop the good people from being able to do so. That puts them at the mercy of the criminal, and no one wants to be there.


bearingarms--2020-05-29--Anti-Gunners Continue Scare-Mongering Amid Pandemic Gun Sales

Gun control advocates aren ’ t happy .
Not only are mountains of gun control laws likely not passing this year because of abbreviated legislative sessions , but millions of people are becoming new gun owners .
They ’ re learning they were fed a line of bull about what gun laws actually were .
That makes them naturally skeptical of what anti-gunners might try to push .
However , anti-gunners are going to continue pushing their agenda , even if they have to engage in a bit of scare-mongering to do it .
“ These disturbing statistics could surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , they don ’ t have any evidence that they will .
They have fears that they will .
And to back that up , she presents biased research from an anti-gun organization with a known history of opposing the ownership of firearms .
Yeah , I ’ m sure that ’ s research you can trust .
Especially since the “ 43 children ( newborns to 19-year-olds ) ” that supposedly die every day include a significant number of gang members and others involved in illegal activity .
These murders are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vast majority of cases as well , something new gun control law is likely to address .
Further , suicides are a mental health issue , not a gun issue , and failing to address it as such is legislative malpractice .
Now , when it comes to domestic violence , let ’ s not sugar coat it .
It ’ s awful and it ’ s something I wish simply did not exist .
Yet it does , unfortunately .
However , most domestic abuse doesn ’ t result in someone being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be shot by an intimate partner , this is in a nation of almost 330 million .
Let ’ s not pretend this is an epidemic , especially in light of the fact that 20 people per minute are abused by an intimate partner .
Yes , each one is a tragedy , but there ’ s a bit of cool logic we have to throw into the discussion , and that ’ s the number of people who successfully use a firearm to defend their own lives each year .
Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talking about tens of thousands of people .
Many of them are women who use a gun to defend themselves from a domestic abuser .
Further , let ’ s note that while 52 women per month equates to 1.7 women per day shot and killed ( 52*12/365 ) , as many as four women per day are killed in total .
In other words , fewer than half are shot and killed , which tells us that domestic partners can murder their wives and girlfriend quite easily without firearms .
But those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everytown ’ s research page .
They won ’ t show up in blatantly biased and one-sided op-eds by people who have never looked at the issue beyond their own confirmation bias .
Heaven forbid some folks look beyond their fearmongering and focus on the actual facts .

Gun control advocates aren’t happy. Not only are mountains of gun control laws likely not passing this year because of abbreviated legislative sessions, but millions of people are becoming new gun owners. They’re learning they were fed a line of bull about what gun laws actually were. That makes them naturally skeptical of what anti-gunners might try to push.
However, anti-gunners are going to continue pushing their agenda, even if they have to engage in a bit of scare-mongering to do it.
For example:
“These disturbing statistics could surge,” the author says.
Could.
Of course, they don’t have any evidence that they will. They have fears that they will. And to back that up, she presents biased research from an anti-gun organization with a known history of opposing the ownership of firearms.
Yeah, I’m sure that’s research you can trust.
Especially since the “43 children (newborns to 19-year-olds)” that supposedly die every day include a significant number of gang members and others involved in illegal activity. These murders are committed with firearms obtained illegally in the vast majority of cases as well, something new gun control law is likely to address.
Further, suicides are a mental health issue, not a gun issue, and failing to address it as such is legislative malpractice.
Now, when it comes to domestic violence, let’s not sugar coat it. It’s awful and it’s something I wish simply did not exist. Yet it does, unfortunately. However, most domestic abuse doesn’t result in someone being shot. While 52 women per month may be shot by an intimate partner, this is in a nation of almost 330 million. Let’s not pretend this is an epidemic, especially in light of the fact that 20 people per minute are abused by an intimate partner.
Yes, each one is a tragedy, but there’s a bit of cool logic we have to throw into the discussion, and that’s the number of people who successfully use a firearm to defend their own lives each year. Even by conservative estimates, we’re talking about tens of thousands of people. Many of them are women who use a gun to defend themselves from a domestic abuser.
Further, let’s note that while 52 women per month equates to 1.7 women per day shot and killed (52*12/365), as many as four women per day are killed in total. In other words, fewer than half are shot and killed, which tells us that domestic partners can murder their wives and girlfriend quite easily without firearms.
But those statistics won’t show up on Everytown’s research page. They won’t show up in blatantly biased and one-sided op-eds by people who have never looked at the issue beyond their own confirmation bias.
Heaven forbid some folks look beyond their fearmongering and focus on the actual facts.


bearingarms--2020-05-29--Northam's Mask Mandate In Effect: What Does It Mean For Concealed Carry?

Gov .
Ralph Northam ’ s mask mandate for Virginians is in effect as of today , and while I suspect that the mandate is going to be largely unenforced throughout much of the state ( and may very well be challenged in court ) for gun owners who plan on wearing masks while shopping there ’ s still a question about the legality of carrying a firearm while wearing a mask .
Augusta County Sheriff Donald Smith says gun owners don ’ t have to worry about running into any legal troubles , despite a Virginia law that bans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a Facebook post Thursday evening , the sheriff explained why he believes carrying while masked isn ’ t illegal , at least at the moment .
The VA Code Section that restricts you from concealing your identity does NOT apply in this situation .
In this case , the Commonwealth of VA is under a “ state of emergency ” and the masks are in response to the Governor ’ s orders .
This order doesn ’ t restrict your ability to conceal a firearm legally .
Wearing a face mask ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while carrying a weapon is not a violation of this VA Code Section .
Below I have attached the Code of VA addressing this .
Section ( b ) at the very bottom addresses this specifically as to what does NOT apply to this code .
I hope this clears up any confusion and helps ease everyone ’ s concerns .
Here ’ s the section of Virginia code that the sheriff referenced .
§ 18.2-422 .
Prohibition of wearing of masks in certain places ; exceptions .
It shall be unlawful for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to , with the intent to conceal his identity , wear any mask , hood or other device whereby a substantial portion of the face is hidden or covered so as to conceal the identity of the wearer , to be or appear in any public place , or upon any private property in this Commonwealth without first having obtained from the owner or tenant thereof consent to do so in writing .
However , the provisions of this section shall not apply to persons ( i ) wearing traditional holiday costumes ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trades , employment or other activities and wearing protective masks which are deemed necessary for the physical safety of the wearer or other persons ; ( iii ) engaged in any bona fide theatrical production or masquerade ball ; or ( iv ) wearing a mask , hood or other device for bona fide medical reasons upon ( a ) the advice of a licensed physician or osteopath and carrying on his person an affidavit from the physician or osteopath specifying the medical necessity for wearing the device and the date on which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer be necessary and providing a brief description of the device , or ( b ) the declaration of a disaster or state of emergency by the Governor in response to a public health emergency where the emergency declaration expressly waives this section , defines the mask appropriate for the emergency , and provides for the duration of the waiver .
I appreciate the sheriff ’ s explanation , but I still have some questions .
In the governor ’ s executive order requiring masks , Northam did not expressly waive this section @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide for a duration of the waiver ( or even the duration of the order itself ) .
Northam ’ s original order declaring a state of emergency back in March also failed to waive the section of Virginia law that makes it illegal to wear a mask in most circumstances .
In practice , I think it ’ s highly unlikely that any concealed carry holder is going to run into trouble for carrying while wearing a mask , but despite the sheriff ’ s explanation , it ’ s still unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s technically legal to do so .
Until the governor actually follows the law by specifically waiving this section of Virginia code and providing for an expiration date for his order , I ’ d check with my local sheriff ’ s office to ask them if they plan on enforcing the prohibition against carrying while masked .
Again , in most parts of the state I don ’ t think it will be an issue , but I ’ m less confident about that being the case in some of the northern @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Gov. Ralph Northam’s mask mandate for Virginians is in effect as of today, and while I suspect that the mandate is going to be largely unenforced throughout much of the state (and may very well be challenged in court) for gun owners who plan on wearing masks while shopping there’s still a question about the legality of carrying a firearm while wearing a mask.
Augusta County Sheriff Donald Smith says gun owners don’t have to worry about running into any legal troubles, despite a Virginia law that bans the wearing of masks while armed. In a Facebook post Thursday evening, the sheriff explained why he believes carrying while masked isn’t illegal, at least at the moment.
The VA Code Section that restricts you from concealing your identity does NOT apply in this situation. In this case, the Commonwealth of VA is under a “state of emergency” and the masks are in response to the Governor’s orders. This order doesn’t restrict your ability to conceal a firearm legally. Wearing a face mask (that covers your nose and mouth) while carrying a weapon is not a violation of this VA Code Section. Below I have attached the Code of VA addressing this. Section (b) at the very bottom addresses this specifically as to what does NOT apply to this code. I hope this clears up any confusion and helps ease everyone’s concerns.
Here’s the section of Virginia code that the sheriff referenced.
§ 18.2-422. Prohibition of wearing of masks in certain places; exceptions. It shall be unlawful for any person over 16 years of age to, with the intent to conceal his identity, wear any mask, hood or other device whereby a substantial portion of the face is hidden or covered so as to conceal the identity of the wearer, to be or appear in any public place, or upon any private property in this Commonwealth without first having obtained from the owner or tenant thereof consent to do so in writing. However, the provisions of this section shall not apply to persons (i) wearing traditional holiday costumes; (ii) engaged in professions, trades, employment or other activities and wearing protective masks which are deemed necessary for the physical safety of the wearer or other persons; (iii) engaged in any bona fide theatrical production or masquerade ball; or (iv) wearing a mask, hood or other device for bona fide medical reasons upon (a) the advice of a licensed physician or osteopath and carrying on his person an affidavit from the physician or osteopath specifying the medical necessity for wearing the device and the date on which the wearing of the device will no longer be necessary and providing a brief description of the device, or (b) the declaration of a disaster or state of emergency by the Governor in response to a public health emergency where the emergency declaration expressly waives this section, defines the mask appropriate for the emergency, and provides for the duration of the waiver.
I appreciate the sheriff’s explanation, but I still have some questions. In the governor’s executive order requiring masks, Northam did not expressly waive this section of Virginia law, nor did he provide for a duration of the waiver (or even the duration of the order itself). Northam’s original order declaring a state of emergency back in March also failed to waive the section of Virginia law that makes it illegal to wear a mask in most circumstances.
In practice, I think it’s highly unlikely that any concealed carry holder is going to run into trouble for carrying while wearing a mask, but despite the sheriff’s explanation, it’s still unclear to me whether or not it’s technically legal to do so. Until the governor actually follows the law by specifically waiving this section of Virginia code and providing for an expiration date for his order, I’d check with my local sheriff’s office to ask them if they plan on enforcing the prohibition against carrying while masked. Again, in most parts of the state I don’t think it will be an issue, but I’m less confident about that being the case in some of the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.