By James Gleason (link to article here)
It has become apparent over the last 20 years that the people of this state have forgotten their very rights of which this country was founded.
In this coming year, the gun rights advocates in this state are uniting in a movement that will campaign against any state representative, senator or legislator who does not support an individual's God-given right to keep and bear arms or their God-given right to self-defense.
That's right, a campaign against incumbents and candidates who do not support these rights.
Wisconsin has long been a state that is always the last to jump on the bandwagon when it comes to such issues. Now it would seem that through some corrupt movement of the city government of Milwaukee, just maybe there will be some legislation for a firearms carry bill in Wisconsin.
Well, let's not jump for joy just yet. Let's look at the means of infringement that will follow.
First, the Legislature will try to impose as many obstacles as possible to be able to exercise this God-given right.
Starting with a ridiculously unaffordable permit fee and then imposing a mandate on training that will again be ridiculously unaffordable to the average citizen. Without a doubt, following these will be gun and gun owner registration.
So let's look at these issues.
First, the United States Supreme Court has on many occasions stated that a person does not have to be permitted, pay a fee, be trained or registered to exercise their rights under the Constitution.
With that in mind, why doesn't the Legislature in Wisconsin set an example by adapting the Vermont system of firearms carry? This would make sense.
Instead, there is already talk of mandatory training. Why would you need to be trained to do something you already know? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how to use a firearm. Training should only be an option and nothing more.
There are already so-called firearms instructors lining up and weaseling their way to the legislative training with no other thought in mind than lining their pockets with greenbacks at the citizen's expense. Any legislator in support of these weasels will surely get compensation of some kind.
Being permitted, to exercise a right; makes that right nothing more than a privilege.
Therefore, Wisconsin should pass a no compromise concealed carry/open carry, non-permitted system such as Vermont's, which is the oldest recognized system in the country. If it works for Vermont it can work for Wisconsin. After all, if the legislators are only going to copy another state's system then why not Vermont's?
The unconstitutional firearms laws that plague this state are the cause of the high crime rates we enjoy today.
Click to read more - this article is continued and a new article is also published!!
The gun-free school zone laws which have already been declared unconstitutional at the federal level do nothing more than assist criminals who ignore these laws anyway.
Why can't the legislators or this state understand that if the teachers and law-abiding adults at Columbine High School would have been armed the outcome would have been different and the massacre would have ended with fewer deaths or injuries?
The same goes with Virginia Tech. Do you think this cannot happen in Wisconsin? Think again.
The gun-free school zone law needs to be amended to read that no person may carry a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school used for the education of children in grades K-12, illegally or for unlawful purposes.
It is as simple as that.
This would allow law-abiding citizens to carry within the school zone for self-defense and for the defense of others.
The transportation restriction for firearms in this state are nothing more than an extension of the long arm of the already corrupt Department of Natural Resources trying to restrict and infringe on our rights.
A firearm must be unloaded, encased and out of your reach in order to be transported legally in Wisconsin.
With that in mind, if you are being carjacked, simply request that the carjacker wait until you have retrieved your firearm from the trunk or farthest out-of-reach area of your vehicle and load it before resuming the carjacking. I am sure the carjacker will understand and abide by your request. Or you can always just give up your vehicle with possibly your children and your firearm inside in an effort to save yourself.
Why should these legislators ever be allowed to put us in such a position? They shouldn't. It is abuse of authority and blatant infringement on our rights.
How about the law which states, that you cannot carry a firearm into a business that sells alcohol for consumption on the premises.
Let me bring to your attention the true story of former Texas legislator Susanna Hupp. I will quote a Wikipedia article which reads,
"On Wednesday, October 16, 1991, Hupp and her parents were having lunch at the Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen. She had left her handgun in her car to comply with Texas state law at the time which forbade carrying a concealed weapon. When George Hennard drove his truck into the cafeteria and opened fire on the patrons, Hupp instinctively reached into her purse for her weapon, but it was in her vehicle. Her father, Al Gratia, tried to rush Hennard and was shot in the chest. As the gunman reloaded, Hupp escaped through a broken window and believed that her mother, Ursula Gratia, was behind her. Hennard put a gun to her mother's head as she cradled her mortally wounded husband. Hupp's mother and father were killed along with 21 other persons. Hennard also wounded some 20 others. As a survivor of the Luby's massacre, Hupp testified across the country in support of concealed-handgun laws. She said that had there been a second chance to prevent the slaughter, she would have violated the Texas law and carried the handgun inside her purse into the restaurant."
Don't think this could happen in Wisconsin or to your family? Think again.
Look to the recent terrorist incident at Fort Hood. Again, Wisconsin paid the price for not allowing Americans to defend themselves. We lost two of our soldiers because even on a military base, our soldiers are not allowed to carry a firearm for self-defense.
What has happened to our country that we will allow our soldiers to carry a weapon in foreign lands but not here at home? God bless our soldiers who have lost their lives because of these ridiculous laws.
Another blatant infringement on our rights is the law that states you cannot carry a firearm into a building which is owned by the government or its subdivisions or in state parks.
This means you cannot protect yourself from a serial killer who may be stalking the state parks in search of their next victim, nor can you use the public bathrooms in city parks or on county trails. I guess you have to simply leave a yard biscuit on the lawn or disarm and leave your firearm lying on the grass outside the bathroom.
Maybe you could ask a passerby (who may even be a felon) to hold the firearm for you until you exit the bathroom.
Am I the only one who sees just how ridiculous these laws are?
I hope not.
This coming January when the new Legislature session begins, it is hopeful that the Castle Doctrine allowing a person to defend themselves and their families within their private property will pass legislation and become a law that will be signed into law by the governor. Keep in mind this is one of the most anti-gun governors Wisconsin has ever had. So don't hold your breath, he is not looking to do us any favors. He has an armed entourage at his disposal so he could care less about your ability to defend yourself or your family without having to worry about being sued by the criminal or the criminal's family for doing so.
Make an effort to become familiar with your rights and remember a right not exercised is a right lost.
Check out opencarry.org and sign the petition to repeal or amend these ridiculous laws and stop the infringement on our rights.
Call your state representative or state senator and demand that they support the Castle Doctrine and legislation for a no-compromise open carry/concealed carry non-permitted system here in Wisconsin. Tell them if they don't support your rights as afforded to you under the U.S and the Wisconsin constitutions, you will not support them at election time.
It is time we as law-abiding citizens take a stand. Wisconsin should stand united.
James Gleason, 46, is a sergeant for the Department of Corrections and currently resides in Chilton. He also has family ties to the Minocqua area.
December 11, 2008
Turning the Tables on Crime and Terrorism by James Gleason
Two weeks ago I submitted a reader's opinion entitled, "Wisconsinites Forget Their Basic Rights."
In that article I spoke of how important it is for all of us to remember the principles of what this country was founded upon.
Unfortunately, my article was followed by the heroic death of SSGT. Amy Krueger. A death, that has tragically taken its toll on the quiet city of Kiel, Wisconsin.
It is with such sadness that we as individuals will start to question as to why things have gotten so out of control in our country.
The answer lies in all of us. What we believe in our hearts to be true, instead of what is dictated to us by our government. Our country has fallen off the true path of what America is all about.
We have forgotten all of those principles laid down for us by our fore fathers. All of the lives that have been taken or lost defending this country and what it stands for are slowly being forgotten, all for the sake of order.
Why do we send our soldiers to foreign soil with guns to fight for what we believe in and to spread the ideologies and principles of our constitution, when we won't even allow those very soldiers to carry a fire arm here on American soil?
I am not referring to soldiers using arms against the citizens of this country. I am referring to allowing soldiers to defend themselves and the lives of others when needed.
If our soldiers were allowed to exercise their 2nd Amendment Rights and carry a firearm with them at all times, the terrorist incident in Fort Hood would have ended very differently.
We as Americans need to wake up and become the America we were meant to be. We have all fallen into the pits of reliance on our government.
In fact, we are so reliant on our government that many of us do not understand that we have the Right to defend ourselves and not expect someone else to defend us.
To be clear, the Police do not have any obligation to defend the citizens. This has been confirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court on a number of occasions.
The Police are here to solve crimes and arrest those responsible. There is nothing in their job description that says they have to risk their lives to save yours.
So with that in mind, who is responsible for defending and protecting you and your family? You are.
It is time for all of us to realize that the policies of the past are not working. These laws that are written on gun control are not working. All of the preaching that we need fewer guns is nothing more than the false politics of the past that have brought our country to the troubled times of today.
The truth is, if they take away or control our guns, the only people that will have guns will be criminals.
We as law abiding citizens will find ourselves in more incidents like the ones in Fort Hood, Columbine or Virginia Tech.
As much as we value our police officers, they can not be everywhere, all the time. The truth is, when seconds count, Police are minutes away. Those minutes cost lives.
There have been many cases in this state of people who have carried a gun and had to use that gun in self defense in the recent past. Prosecutors have chosen not to bring charges in these cases because they know we have a Right to self defense.
Those charged in these cases would prevail in court setting precedence and virtually changing the laws of this state to allow us to freely exercise our God given Rights without infringement.
At Columbine and Virginia Tech, the police stood outside the schools and waited until the shooting stopped. If any of the teachers, staff or law abiding adults in those schools had been armed it may have ended differently.
Why do we have to wait until a gunman attacks one of our schools before we realize that these Gun Free School Zones are nothing more than a trap for law abiding citizens?
Why should we wait for a car jacker to kill some one while attempting to steal their car before we realize that we should be allowed to carry our firearms with us in our vehicles?
Many of you may think that your small town is not going to be subjected to these types of crimes. Think again, the crime rates are rising in small town America and small town Wisconsin.
The new legislative session begins in January. Step up to the plate and contact your legislator and demand they bring legislation to reform these unconstitutional firearms laws and bring them in line with supporting our Rights.
Amending the Gun Free School Zone to read, It is a violation to possess a firearm in a school zone for unlawful purposes would allow law abiding citizens to protect themselves and the life of another if needed.
Amending the transportation laws pertaining to firearms would allow people to defend themselves and their families in the event of a car jacking and would also eliminate the need for excessive handling of the firearm while loading and unloading and encasing each time a person leaves or enters their vehicle, creating less chance of a negligent or accidental discharge.
There should be a no compromise carry law here in Wisconsin that allows for an individual to carry concealed or open. Imagine a woman who wants to carry for self defense that has to strap a gun belt on over her evening dress. It is simply ridiculous. She should be able to carry the firearm in her purse with out worry of violating a law and she shouldn't have to obtain a permit to exercise her Right to do so.
Tell your legislator to vote for a no compromise non-permitted carry Bill for Wisconsin and support the Castle Doctrine.
If you do not own a firearm consider purchasing one through your local firearms store.
Go out to a range and become familiar with it and start carrying it with you for personal protection. It just may save your life or the life of another.
Visit opencarry.org and sign the Wisconsin petition to reform firearm laws in Wisconsin.
Let's turn the tables on crime and terrorism.
James Gleason