Would it be taking the high road...

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Personally, I don't have a big issue with people breaking laws, as long as they are not harming anyone. For instance, if someone smokes pot, even though it's illegal, I can respect that ... and if a semiauto is banned, and somebody still has one, I can respect that ...but what I cannot respect is people who think they are above the law, and that when they defy the law that the law must bow down before them, as if they are above the law. I think a Rosa Parks complex is a bad thing.
 
Malum Prohibtum said:
The Smith Act was declared unconstitutional before most of you were even born
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Call it Title 18 Section 2385 if you prefer. The point is that THR does not need the additional attention that those kind of conversations bring.

Also the Smith Act has never been declared unconstitutional on its face. See Scales v. U.S., 367 U.S. 203 (1961).
 
Being a blogger, whose posts could be twisted to be interpreted as Smith Act Violations, I've looked into the Smith act.

While it remains on the books, it has largely been defanged by SCOTUS on 1A grounds.

For all practical purposes, the following is an example of what does and doesn't cross the line:


Protected Speech: "The government has gotten too big for its britches, and needs to be overthrown by any means necessary"

Unprotected Speech: "The government has gotten too big for its britches, and needs to be overthrown by any means necessary, so everyone meet me on the village green with their rifle at 11am Saturday, so we can go string up the mayor."

Nonetheless, we retain a moratorium on such talk, lest some hotheads take it too far, and it all splashes back on a community dedicated to the RESPONSIBLE ownership of firearms.

Don'tcha worry.

Should the responsible thing to do ever resemble what the Smith Act forbids, we will re evaluate that policy.

Until then, chill.
 
I don't know why some of you guys are getting so uptight.

If another AWB comes around, I'm pretty sure you'll still be able to find what you what. The black market for guns is booming just as much, if not more, as it ever was.

Not that any of my guns are illegal. They are all registered. But, if I wanted to be a law breaker, I could fairly easily get about whatever I wanted (within reason). Full auto, sbr, the works. Probably stolen, possibly a weapon used in committing a crime, etc...

Not that I have, or will, but I am saying if you do a little looking, and are fairly determined, you can usually get what you're looking for.

Me... I'm buying what I can legally buy while I can still legally buy it.

Once again, I'm not advocating anything illegal, just saying it's not as hard as you might imagine.
 
hankdatank1362 said:
Not that any of my guns are illegal. They are all registered.
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You live where guns must be registered? Or are all of your firearms class III? Or you just talking about 4473s? Just curious. It struck me as odd, but "legal" and "registered" are two very different things. I know people with plenty of legal stuff that no one knows about...
 
Well, I meant 4473's....

But I forgot about one or two that no one knows about.

When I say registered, I mean Uncle Sam knows I have them. I assume 4473's are kept around for a while.
 
The Norse have a saying:
Never brag about something before you do it.

Biker
 
In my honest opinion, if a gun ban ever came out, I would have to comply. For me, gun ownership is great, and something that I hold dear to me. However, I will not risk going to jail, or risk the welfare of my family in disobeying the law. While we recognize that the constitution recognizes a right to keep and bear arms, the majority of the people in this country (and it's gov't) do not recognize it and therefore will not uphold it.

In addition, I would feel (this is my opinion for the way I live) that I was disobeying God, as per several passages of scripture (IE Romans 13) where Christians are called to obey the gov't. (Unless said gov't says that you can't be a Christian or worship Christ). For me, the constitution says that the right to bear arms is a God-given right, but I do not believe that the bible says that it is (I do not want to start a religious tyrade and/or debate, this is just how I feel). I'm open to your comments about this, and any enlightenment you may have.
 
I think it would be proper for us on THR, that if a law was being considered that was repulsive, that we have a discussion regarding the legal means to keep it from becoming law. If a law is already passed we share information on legal methodology for attempting to get it repealed.

To huff and puff about how one is going to hide his firearms, or they'll have to come take 'em from your "dead, cold fingers" does not serve anyone in a positive fashion. Leave the posturing to the NRA and support them. They have the means, with our support, to actually do something. We need to be concerned about setting a positive example for those who may come here to be enlightened or perhaps some who would use our words against us.

Gun board boasting or knuckle dragging is also boring and wastes bandwidth.
 
Do what you need to do to protect your family. And don't yap about it on a public forum.
 
The answer is, you fight it legally the very best you can. If you loose, you abide by the decision and live to fight another day or you find a different country to live in. That may not sound popular, may not sound right, but it's what you do.

Yes, you can choose another option, but it will end ugly and you won't like it.
 
It is MUCH harder to live in accordance with the law and maintain ones integrity than it is to take the low road.

The Black market has always been here, it will always be here, and the toys that we all would like to have are typically much cheaper and easier to come by illigally. Filling out the paperwork, driving to the store, applying for licences and permits and keeping to the high road takes a tremendous amount of energy, money, and time when compared to those who ignore the law.

However we do walk the line, we do follow the rules, and we do work through the proper channels to effect meaningfull social changes. If we, as a group, wish to remain the 'good guys' then we have to adhere to a higher code of conduct, and follow strictly the letter of the law.

Each individual makes the choice for themselves if they will follow a particular law or not. If they decide that on a personal level they feel strongly enough to disobey a law (for whatever reason), they take upon themselves the risk of the consequences of defying that law.

The point that many here are making is; as a group we have to adhere to a strict moral and legal standard. Stating a willingness to violate that code, advocating to others that they should violate that code, or sugesting that the code is utterly invalid, reflects poorly on all of us.

Make the choice for yourself, act as an individual, think as an individual, evaluate your behavior under the law as an individual. But here, where you are part of a group who wish to maintain a positive image and identity, please respect that and participate accordingly.

Just my 2 cents
 
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