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March 26, 2016
Congratulations to our fellow citizens in West Virginia, Idaho, Kansas and Maine who have had their right to exercise Constitutional Carry restored to them in the last 2 years!
Just this week, our fellow citizens in yet another state have had restored to them the constitutionally protected right to exercise the right to carry a firearm for lawful purposes - including self defense - without the unjustified requirement of a state issued permission slip.
For those of us living in Tennessee, why we must wonder why our constitutional rights remain infringed. Why do more than 29 states have full or substantial constitutional carry but those of us who live in Tennessee are oppressed by government leaders who reject the very rights that are protected by the state and federal constitutions?
It is past the time to restore the rights of Tennesseans.
Tennessee has had a Republican super majority in full control of all branches of state government for many years. We should not only have had constitutional carry by now, some would argue that the state's legislature should have also fully nullified federal regulation of firearms and ammunition manufactured in Tennessee. But, we have no such laws.
For 6 years now, we have tried to move toward Constitutional Carry in Tennessee but those efforts have been stonewalled and defeated at every turn by legislative and administrative leaders.
Clearly, Tennesseans have the same constitutionally protected rights as citizens in the states that have adopted constitutional carry. Tennesseans have the same reasons to be able to defend themselves without having to pay the government the equivalent of a poll tax to exercise the fundamental right of self-defense. Tennesseans have the same rights to chose whether to keep, bear and wear arms without having to get a permission slip from the state, be exposed to background checks or go through any state mandated training class. We have those rights but the state's current leaders are denying us the ability to freely exercise those rights.
The reason why Tennesseans do not have constitutional carry - and have not had it - is that Tennesseans are suffering under a government run by individuals who do not honor the constitution that they took a sworn oath to uphold. From a legislature under the control of an oligarchical leadership team to a feckless governor's administration, Tennesseans are oppressed by public leaders holding power in state government who think we are too stupid, reckless or incompetent to exercise a fundamental right. Ultimately, the problem is that Tennesseans have the wrong kinds of people serving in high ranking offices of public stewardship. The wrong policy makers. The wrong legislators and legislative leaders.
There is nothing to be gained by trying to reason with these legislative power brokers because for 6 years now they have had the opportunities to restore constitutional carry in Tennessee but have repeatedly failed or refused to do so. They have had repeated chances to honor their oath of office but at each opportunity they have proven beyond doubt their collective unwillingness to do so.
Our legislators and in particularly the legislative leadership have deferred to the Haslam administration which has admittedly profited by more than $18 million on excessive charges on permit "poll taxes". If Tennesseans want their rights uninfringed then it is our job to elect legislators and governors who really do understand and mean it when they take an oath to protect and uphold the constitution.
You can not re-elect the same old group that has failed us for the last 6 years and expect change - that is insanity. Those who have failed us have to be thrown out. They can't be reformed because they are owned by Big Business and Big Government interests - they are beyond salvation because they are addicted to the power, the money and the "perks." Some, although perhaps willing to do the right thing appear unwilling to publicly stand strong for the citizens against the broken leadership. Perhaps they can be salvaged but apparently only if we elected more who are willing to represent - 'we the People' rather than to serve as the pawns of leadership. We have to elect new leaders and legislators and hold them accountable to true constitutional stewardship.
This is what you need to do today.
- Call your House and Senate members. If you do not already have their contact numbers (office, home, cell or for some their "girlfriend's number") then at least look up their office number on the legislative directory.
- Call them every day. Ask to speak with the legislator or for a callback. If you only get the office staff, be kind to them because we know some of them are already frustrated with their "bosses" over their failure to take their oaths seriously.
- Email your House and Senate members. Create a paper trail. Once again, don't limit yourself to their "official" email addresses but use their personal email addresses if you have them as well. If you need to look up their official email addresses, look on the legislative directory.
- Find their social media resources. Facebook, Twitter, even LinkedIn or, for some, perhaps other "social" sites. Plaster their social media sites with requests.
- Then do it all again and again until they understand that this is not just a passing phase.
What to say?
Perhaps something like this -- "I am a constituent. I am very serious about seeing Constitutional Carry enacted in Tennessee. I understand that the bill was stalled this year by the Senate Judiciary Committee on a tie vote. I am requesting that you contact the Senate Sponsor, Senator Mark Green, and the House Sponsor, Rep. Judd Matheny, and tell them in writing that you will co-sponsor the motion to recall this bill directly to the floor for a full discussion and debate on the merits. Please respond and let me know if you have done this or are refusing to do this."
It is that simple to be a citizen advocate. You have the right - the constitutional right - to have your elected officials debate and vote on your 2nd Amendment protected rights. You have that right. But, you must demand it. Each of these legislators have the right to demand that this bill be recalled from the black hole of the leadership manipulated committee system.
Don't let them blow you off by talking about the "sanctity" of the "committee system" - there is no sanctity when government officials hide behind rules to intentionally and knowingly infringe constitutionally protected rights.
Act today! When you do, make sure you Tweet and FB and encourage others to do likewise!
Then, when the Tennessee Legislature likely fails to enact Constitutional Carry this year you must commit yourself to working hard in races across the state to replace the Republican incumbents like Charles Sargent, Jim Coley, John Stevens, Jon Lundberg, Doug Overbey, Brian Kelsey and numerous others who have had the chances to move forward constitutional carry but have not only refused to do so but they have apparently voted or otherwise engaged in shenanigans to defeat and oppress your rights.
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