10-21-2009, 04:06 PM
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#372 |
| Gentleman Gardener
Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: high above ground
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| Finally ... a sensible gun law. | |
Quote:
Vermont State Rep. Fred Maslack has read the Second Amendment to
the U.S.. Constitution as well as Vermont 's own Constitution very
carefully, and his strict interpretation of these documents is popping
some eyeballs in New England and elsewhere.
Maslack recently proposed a bill to register non-gun-owners and
require them to pay a $500 fee to the state. Thus Vermont would become
the first state to require a permit for the luxury of going about
unarmed and assess a fee of $500 for the privilege of not owning a gun.
Maslack read the "militia" phrase of the Second Amendment as not
only affirming the right of the individual citizen to bear arms, but as
a clear mandate to do so. He believes that universal gun ownership was
advocated by the Framers of the Constitution as an antidote to a
"monopoly of force" by the government as well as criminals.
Vermont 's constitution states explicitly that "the people have
a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the State" and
those persons who "conscientiously scrupulous of bearing arms" shall be
required to "pay such equivalent." Clearly, says Maslack, Vermonters
have a constitutional obligation to arm themselves so that they are
capable of responding to "any situation that may arise".
Under the bill, adults who choose not to own a firearm would be
required to register their name, address, Social Security Number, and
driver's license number with the state. "There is a legitimate
government interest in knowing who is prepared to defend the state
should they be asked to do so," Maslack says.
Vermont already boasts a high rate of gun ownership along with
the least restrictive laws of any state - it's currently the only state
that allows a citizen to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.
This combination of plenty of guns and few laws regulating them has
resulted in a crime rate that is the third lowest in the nation.
| Vermont's Right Not to Bear Arms | The American Prospect
I have no idea if the bill even made it to the floor for a vote .... back in 2000. I heard about it from an email a friend sent ... not new news that's for sure, but interesting none the less  
JV
__________________ Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe ... Teddy Roosevelt |
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