This is why I want to be a lawyer

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Louisiana Carry

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http://lsac.org/SpecialInterests/information-lesbian-gay-bisexual-applicants.asp

Information for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Applicants

Introduction

We live in exciting times. The movement for social and legal recognition of the rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people is now a part of the national discourse, with new developments occurring at an unprecedented pace. While increasing numbers of corporations and churches are beginning to recognize and offer benefits to nontraditional families, the law is expanding at a dramatic rate. Issues like marriage, LGBT parenting, military service, hate crimes, and employment discrimination make headlines on an almost daily basis. Two recent decisions of the United States Supreme Court, Romer v. Evans, and Lawrence v. Texas, dramatically increase the civil rights protections afforded to homosexuals. Although the news is not always good, the fact that so many different issues are addressed so frequently speaks volumes about the mainstreaming of LGBT issues. Lawyers have played a key role in these developments, and will continue to do so for years to come.
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Look at the gay rights groups. Look at what they have done. By effective and focused use of the political & legal system, they have advanced their cause even to the point that most large corporations have included wording that they "do not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation" into their constitutions. Many businesses are scared to give homosexuals bad reviews or fire them for doing things that they would fire heterosexual employees for, because they are scared of the political clout of the gay lobby. There are fewer homosexuals than there are gun owners, but they have made enormous progress, while we have been inching along. If we would USE the legal system that is just as available to us as they are to the gay-rights groups, we could not only have the gun laws repealed, but have corporations scared to prevent weapons on their premises and so on.

I want to be the guy who doggedly defends the 2A like these guys do gay rights. I want to be a part of doing this type of thing for us. It may take me several years to get a degree, but I feel I should do it. I just saw that blurb on the Law Admission Council web site, and it really struck me as illustrating what I am trying to accomplish.

Just thought I'd share.
 
What can we learn from the projects and activities that have been engaged in in that arena?

Or are a sizable portion of y'all just gonna completely wig out because they're gay/lesbian/transohmigawdtheoperation?
 
Wow. I thought every lawyer's dream was to find the one case that would make them rich off other people's suffering. My bad. :evil:

Seriously though, good luck. I hope you can do it.
 
Or are a sizable portion of y'all just gonna completely wig out because they're gay/lesbian/transohmigawdtheoperation?
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I would hope we're open minded enough not to let that kind of thing bother us. For example, my girlfriend used to be male. Does it bug me? Not one bit.


Back on topic: There is a good point here, that a dedicated campaign can produce results short-term. I think the last 25 years in the USA for gun rights have been doing just that, for example concealed carry rights.
 
What can we learn from the projects and activities that have been engaged in in that arena?
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Lawyer 'em, I guess. Threaten to sue if you are injured on a premises that refuses you the right to carry. Paint it as discrimination, as a devaluing of you as a person, as a denial of a right (paint it as a right to safety, not just a right to bear arms).
Don't just go after the legislators, the courts, the media - go after businesses and corporations as well. Write letters, go and see 'em, get lawyers to write 'em letters... maybe do a few marches in front of company HQs.
 
Well, I did post here. The CLEO called me up monday mornin, had me run by his office that afternoon and we sat down and talked.

First off, one of his officers claimed to see my gun in my truck on campus Saturday night. This is a lie, it is BS. My gun is more than just 'out of plain sight' What he saw was an empty holster, he knows that.

(Oh, BTW, the cops came by my apartment sunday at 9am and woke my ass up about osme of this stuff too)

Basically, the CLEO said that they are in the process of finding a lawyer to handle the case if this entire thing ends up in court.
I am only breaking school policy, not the law. I had to prove that too him, I think the fact that I had all the relevent laws printed out pissed him off.
he conceeded that they will be unable to arrest me for carrying in my truck on campus, but the school (he says he has already talked in length with the vice dean of student affairs) will stick to their policy and uphold an expulsion if they find evidence of me carrying in my truck on campus (and they are lookin for that lawyer to handle the course if I take it to court (which I will) if this happens)

Right now, my truck is parked about 5 feet off campus.
Right now, I really do kinda need to start lookin at lawyers as well.

Two things I don't know for sure about and need some clarification.

1) Since I am not breaking the law, and the school needs a warrant to search my truck, and they have no RS or PC of me breaking a law (even knowing that I am carrying in the truck) can they get a judge to sign off on a warrant LEGALLY? Or if a judge where to sign off, couldn't I simply take him to court, the PD for performing an illegal search, and then also get the expulsion reversed since the information used was obtained through an illegal warrant?

2) If I am driving down the street that the campus police (along with the city, sheriff, and state troopers) have jurisdiction to give speeding tickets over, is that considered school property where they would be able to find me in violation of policy?


Few extra key notes:
AG Office said that I may possibly have a very good case, but they where unwilling to give any further advice since they say they can't give legal advice to non gov't

LSU has recently changed their vehicle carry policy, they allow it in accordance with 14.95.2, I discussed this with one of their judicial board review chairmen the other day at great length. Since this policy has changed before the scheduled rewrite of policy (which started a week ago actaully) there has to have been a reason, but he did not know what it was. I need to find that reason to have a case for precedent.

The local LEOs and sheriff's office are informing the campus PD every time that I carry a gun legally open in town. i.e. I was at Cane's the other day, OCing as normal, Cane's pays for a cop to be there after 8pm till close, was about 9 or 10. I walk in, get my food, the cashier comes up to me, convo goes like this:
"Is that a real gun?"
"Yes"
"Are you a cop?"
"No"
"Isn't that illegal?"
"No"
she then goes to the cop in the back of the dining area
"He has a gun!"
"It's ok, he isn't trying to conceal it, it is perfectly legal."

When I leave, give the officer a nod, tell him to have a nice night, and away I go. All seems good. While in the CLEOs office though, he brought this up, and asked me "What happened at Cane's the other night?" I have a serious f'in problem with this bs harrassment crap I am getting now for doing something perfectly legal.

Right now, the only reason I am still in school, is that the PO cannot prove, nor can anyone else, prove that I have a firearm in my vehicle while on campus. From what I have gathered, they can see me carrying at the gas station, I can hop in my truckm drive straight to campus, and get out, leaving the gun in the truck, (with them following me the entire time) and they still cannot prove that I do indeed have a firearm in my truck on campus....with the fact that the campus stuff is not in fact law but 'policy.' which I think is BS, I need to see about pushing hte fact that it does amount to the same thing in-so-far as the punishments involved
 
Jimmy Dean,

I feel your pain. My school has a similar problem, and as best as I can tell (IANAL):
1. The administration can't search your vehicle for any reason.
2. The police (including campus police) can only search your vehicle if they believe you are in violation of the law.
3. Possessing a firearm on campus is an academic offense, not a criminal one. This means:
4. The administration wants to know what's in your car so they can kick you out, but doesn't have the authority to do so. The police might have the authority to inspect your car, but they don't have a reason to as no laws are being broken.

The problem with an illegal search-and-seizure is that your college isn't bound by the same rules of evidence as the court is: they can kick you out if they find out for a fact that you have a firearm. However, if an illegal S&S causes you to be expelled, you may be able to seek damages from the police (you may be able to remind them of this, but IANAL and you should consult an attorney before trying this).

I don't know whether the streets where the campus police have jurisdiction would put you in violation of the policy; I'd say not to give them cause to pull you over but it sounds as though they might be willing to invent a cause. Just don't leave your gun out on the seat and you should be okay (last time, though: IANAL).
 
I wuz you, I'd park off campus... And not drive on campus streets.

WHO ELSE HERE IS AT EL-ES-WHO?

(I went to UK and EKU...)

It's not like it's a little bitty place. It's time that the school had an Empty Holster Protest.
 
Another idea... Might not be a bad thing to have a few of y'all who have kids who attend, or who attend yourself, to give the security folks a call, and just ask "Can my daughter/me/my wife/whatever have a gun in his/her/it's car on campus?"
 
JD, you're fortunate.

In my state, it's a felony to possess a firearm within 1000 feet of a campus that you attend as a student.

Good luck to you. Fight the good fight.
 
I think one thing that you cannot overlook is the very vocal and effective PR campaign that GLBQT (or whatever that acronym has been expanded to these days...) members have waged. I'd argue that their legal campaigns pale in comparison to their PR and networking campaigns.

Gun owners just aren't very good about getting together and voicing their rights. It happens, but it's nowhere near the % participation that the GLBQT people get. And that's the key right there. To show up with those numbers, and be very vocal and assertive about what your rights are and should be.
 
In my state, it's a felony to possess a firearm within 1000 feet of a campus that you attend as a student.
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What if you live within 1000 feet? Do they require you to not own any weapons?

Man, I'd be screwed if they had that law here. I live within 300 feet.
 
What can we learn from the projects and activities that have been engaged in in that arena?
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Lesson No. 1 is to get the MSM on your side, shaming anyone who dares to disagree with you. Fortunately for us, the MSM is becoming less relevant every day.
 
I'd say at this point Lawyer up. Have the lawyer send a letter to the University threatening a legal suit if you are continually harassed, or thrown out of school. This is beyond harassment with the police keeping tabs on you for the University.

The plus side of this, is it's possibly FOIA able information. ESPECIALLY if it was E-mailed. Send in a request regarding communications between the University and Law Enforcement on all students being monitored and legally carrying off campus and see what you get. If they have information, they will most likely hide behind one of the exemptions in your FOIA law. If so, that's good b/c that means that information will be subpeonable in a court of law. Or, they might just outright give it to you with names redacted out. That's even better because since these communications are considered state records you can get the unfiltered text through a subpeona.

There is a plus with the LEO monitoring, you can have them testify that you were minding your own business and obeying the law. Having guaranteed witnesses are wonderful things.

Another thing to consider here, park a little further from campus if possible so that the police can't talk to the property owners about posting a sign or some other nonsense. Then, go through your car and pull out every holster, spent piece of brass, cleaning rod, and box of ammo that might be in there. You don't want to provide them with ANY evidence if they do manage to legally search your vehicle. Also, keep a small lockbox in the trunk just in case you do store your firearm in there while on campus. Just ensure that you use it.

I hope you kept documented records of when you spoke to the CLEO, as you can subpeona him and have him testify on your behalf. :evil:

Just some thoughts.
 
The problem being gun owning / toting is it's not the same as being a gay, mexican, female over the age of 65 with a limp. Being a gun owner can be changed :)uhoh:), being a protected class can't.
 
Louisiana Carry - that's why you want to be a lawyer? Bahh...

I want to be a lawyer just so I can wear suspenders and a tie and have a secretary named "Amber".

jk.
 
What if you live within 1000 feet? Do they require you to not own any weapons?
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There is no exception for residency. If you have a gun in your own home less than 1000 feet from a school that you attend, you're in violation of the law. Heck, if you DRIVE PAST a school you attend with a gun in the car, you could be in trouble.
 
Louisiana Carry said:
I want to be the guy who doggedly defends the 2A like these guys do gay rights.
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I really do think that is the only way to win. I wish you the best of luck.
 
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