Defending our Second Amendment Rights

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

I am a FIRM believer of our right to bear arms… our second amendment rights. I am also a firm believer that we should be able to protect ourselves and others and not have to retreat if we are under eminent threat. However, I adamantly opposed HB228, the latest gun bill that came before the house. HB 228 passed the house mainly because several Montana gun associations threatened to mount massive campaign attacks in the next election against those legislators who opposed it. Their strategy worked. Here is what it does:

  1. HB228 will strip our concealed weapons permitting system because we won’t need them.  Everyone will be able to arm themselves in public.
  2. Victims of Sexual Violence are at extreme risk because the abuser will be able to intimidate his/her victim using a handgun to gesture, wave, even fire away (not to kill, just to frighten).
  3. Any local dispute, on the streets or in a park, can be solved with fire power if one party or the other feels they are threatened.  If someone shows you their piece, why not feel threatened and shoot em dead. 
  4. Law enforcement is nearly unanimous in its opposition to HB 228.  Citizens will be able to arrest others using lethal force. A vote for it is a vote against their important work. 

I have been working hard to defeat this bill. If you would like to help, please call 406-444-4800 and leave your message, in your own words, encouraging Senators to oppose this bill. Your input will make a difference.

SB 92, another gun bill, passed the Senate with nearly unanimous support. SB 92 increases our right to protect ourselves and our loved ones in our homes, without having to retreat. I believe this is an excellent bill that is very clear in its language and strengthens our gun rights. With this kind of bi-partisan support I believe it will survive the scrutiny of the Courts. It should reach us at the House Floor in the coming weeks for our review. The NRA has vigorously supported this kind of bill in other states although most efforts have failed. Montana has a good chance of getting HB 92 into law. 

Sincerely,
Representative Paul Beck

 

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