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In an effort to learn candidates' views, I am providing a gun rights questionnaire to Tennessee political candidates. Here are Joe Leinweber Jr's answers:
Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 9:59 AM
I pull no punches on my beliefs and I do not pander to any group whose ideas or arguments are interpretaions of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I am neither a politician or a statesman but a representative of the people based on the Constitution of these United States and believe in Thomas Jeffersons quote from the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions: "In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution"
and
"How a politician stands on the Second Amendment tells you how he or she views you as an individual; as a trustworthy and productive citizen, or as part of an unruly crowd that needs to be lorded over, controlled, supervised, and taken care of." - Dr. Suzanna Gratia Hupp
Gun Rights Questionnaire
1. Do you believe that the Constitution is the "supreme law of the land" and that the Bill of Rights acknowledges our birthrights?
Yes
2. If so, should these rights be proactively protected from infringement by all levels of government, including city, county and state?
Yes and to include the U.S. House of Representatives and the Supreme Court.
3. Please give some examples of gun laws you consider constitutional.
None, except the right to keep and bear arms.
4. Please give some examples of gun laws you consider unconstitutional.
The regulation of firearms is nothing more than a revenue generating process for the federal government, and also provides a controlling factor for those that would fear a citizen uprising. It amazes me that we would foolishly believe that we could curtail the use of firearms in the commission of crimes. A person intent on harming another individual or individuals will find a way and a weapon to satisfy their desire. It has been proven over and over that when more citizens are armed for protection the deterrent factor becomes apparent and reduces crime against the citizenry. Switzerland’s’ citizens are armed to the teeth as they say and no one likes to look at their crime rates or lack thereof. And why was it that Hitler was afraid to attack this tiny nation?
Virtually every law or restriction placed on firearms sale and or possession at the federal is unconstitutional. I am a strong supporter of the 10th Amendment and believe it to be the precedent for any regulating of firearms. Furthermore the ATF in itself is just another illegal entity within the framework of the bureaucracy we have allowed Washington to create.
5. Does the right to bear arms include the right for any peaceable citizen to carry them concealed without a permit, as in Vermont?
Why not? Would you attack me or think about it if I had a firearm on my hip? The American anti gun group has consistently been proven wrong concerning conceal and carry, gun shows, firearm enthusiasts etc. which makes me wonder what is the real motive.
6. Do you believe that Americans have a right to own, use and carry weapons of military pattern, and will you use the prestige of elected office to publicly promote that right?
The assault rifle ban was a joke if anyone read it and it pandered to the small group of anti-gun lobbyists. Look if I want to own a fully automatic M-16 than that should be my decision and why I want it is nobody’s business. “Assault” or high capacity, rapid fire weapons are out there and the irony is that the bad guys have them and we have seen law enforcement “outgunned” often by gangs or criminals in the commission of the crime. The majority of folks that have these weapons often fall in the category of being sport shooters or I have seen that some just would like to own one because its cool and they can afford it. I would like to have an old Vietnam era chopper and a WWII Jeep.
The US Federal government has overstepped it s bounds, time and time again and this is just another area where media and those that shout the loudest get their attention. I defer to Switzerland again;
The 2001 statistics noted that there are about 420,000 assault rifles stored at private homes, mostly SIG SG 550 types. Additionally, there are some 320,000 assault rifles and military pistols exempted from military service in private possession, all selective-fire weapons having been converted to semi-automatic operation only. In addition, there are several hundred thousand other semi-automatic small arms classified as carbines. The total number of firearms in private homes is estimated minimally at 1.2 million to 3 million Source: Swiss Foreign and Security Policy Network document, Markus Steudler, July 7, 2004; http://www.stephenhalbrook.com/articles/guns-crime-swiss.html
I would work to repeal these laws, remove ATF interference and defer any concerns with firearms laws or regulation to the State. Our former enemies China and the former Soviet Union wrote analysis on the issue of American firearms ownership and believed that attacking the United States would be costly and prove futile as they would face armed citizens protecting their own property and freedom. Think about it?
7. Do you support or oppose registration of weapons? Why?
This is a tricky one. I have always had to register handguns but consider it ironic based on the facts that criminal elements use unregistered or weapons with serial numbers defaced. Having access to those people who own firearms that are registered (primarily law bidding citizens) and these laws for registering guns have not proven to benefit law enforcement as a whole. I would take a stance that a gun dealer can run a quick check on an individual for criminal convictions and that is about all I would allow but ensure that only an inquiry appeared anywhere.
8. Do you support or oppose licensing requirements to own or carry firearms?
I oppose this appeasement option.
Why?
Is this just about control, money or appeasement? The government as a whole has become too involved in every darn thing we do. Individual responsibility is the key. How many criminals do you think will wear a sidearm out in the open? We have taken common sense out of the equation when these laws are made and they are not even stop gap measures for the issue.
9. What specific gun laws will you work to get repealed?
This is not a radical viewpoint, but a common sense one; all of them, the individual rights to own firearms is just that, and any type of regulation should come through local consent and not rammed down our throats by the Federal government via special interests group and the product of “knee jerk” reactions to a school shooting or someone gone” postal.”
10. If elected, will you back your words of support for firearms rights up with consistent actions? How?
This is a “no-brainer,” repeal all Federal gun laws retract Supreme Court interpretations of the Second Amendment and comply with the simple mandate as expressed by the founding fathers, whose process of thought was of a pure and spiritual nature not convoluted by special interests or money.
U.S. Constitution: Second Amendment;
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Joe Leinweber Jr, Ret USAF
joeleinweberjr@live.com
For more information:
Tennesse Attorney General says contract trumps Bill of Rights
Veterans Day, gun free zones, and unarmed citizens
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Disclaimer: The information and ideas presented in this column are provided for informational purposes only. Gunrights, lke all other Constitutionally recognized rights, must be exercised responsibly. Firearms, like cars, kitchen knives and life itself all can be dangerous. You should get professional training as part of any plan to use firearms for any purpose. I have made a reasonable, good-faith effort to assure that the content of this column is accurate. I have no control over what you do, and specifically accept no responsibility for anything you do as a result of reading my columns. Any action or lack of action on your part is strictly your responsibility.
Comments
Could someone tell Mr. Leinweber that the "assault weapon" ban had nothing to do with machine guns and real assault rifles?
I'm a little puzzled by his answer to #7, on registration. I moved away from TN some years ago; did the state institute handgun registration?
Yes sir I do realize that and have a copy of the bill and the attachments that showed the defining charecteristics, such as bayonet lug, collapsible stock, flash holder and high capacity magazines to name just a few from the original bill. The National Firearms Act of 1934, 26 U.S.C. § 5845(b) defined macine guns and laws concerning them. I simply use that term due to the number of uneducated persons that would call my 223 Ruger Mini14 a machine gun as it has a 20 rd mag. My point was that the ARB was so watered down it was a wasste of time but satisfied those that complain but don't know these weapons.And yes purchase a handgun and it is registered and you are fingerprinted here in TN. A new handgun will have an envelope with two shells in it indicating ballistics for the weapon have been recorded.
Assault weapon refers to firearms that had been developed from earlier fully-automatic firearms into semi-automatic civilian-legal versions. Semi-automatic firearms, when fired, automatically extract the spent cartridge casing and load the next cartridge into the chamber, ready to fire again; they do not fire automatically like a machine gun, rather, only 1 round is fired with each trigger pull. 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban (AWB) (or Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act) What is a real assault rifle? We know, however when the government establishes a a definition for precedent that in itself becomes the problem.
Joe Leinweber Jr says: "My point was that the ARB was so watered down it was a wasste of time..." and "What is a real assault rifle?"
You wanted a stronger ban?!
Almost wish I was back in Tennessee so I could vote against you.
You wanted a stronger ban?!
Almost wish I was back in Tennessee so I could vote against you.
Sir what the hell are you talking about, the AWB (not ARB, after years in Spec Ops I refer to them as rifles over weapons which is too generic) you misunderstood my point about useless legislation. I don't believe in any federal legislation on guns regardless of the type. I meant watered down in that the bill was a waste of time but fooled those that propose such things. I am in no way shape or form an advocate of any damn federal laws on what kind of weapons I own! Vote for whomever you like. Read what I say not what you think I said, I am not a politicain and not afraid to say what I think and believe.
Mr. Leinweber, I'm trying to read what you said, even quoted it. I can't tell if you're talking about the Assault Weapon Ban or some Assault Rifle Ban that I've never heard of. You can still buy pre-'86 machine guns, if you jump through the hoops; they aren't banned nationally. But you appear to complain that a firearms ban was "so watered down it was a wasste of time", whether you're talking about an "ARB" or "AWB", I'm concerned.
And there is a formal definition of "assault rifle", which why the victim disarmers adopted the similar term "assault weapon". Assault weapon is so nebulous that even pump-action shotguns can be assault weapons; military pattern has nothing to do with it.
Help me out here. What is the ARB to which you refer? Did you want the '94 AWB to be less watered down? Do you understand the legal differences between "assault weapons" in the '94 ban (and in state laws such as WA proposed AWB, which includes pump shotguns) and actual assault rifles?
Carl, not to drag this out, I have from time to time used ARB in place of AWB. It is AWB and the definiton I pasted above is the definition from the bill. And yes I am aware of the purchase and use of maching guns and how to get them.
Look I am against any, I say any legislation concerning; machine guns, hadnguns, pistols rifles, muskets etc, anything I shoot and a bullet or ball comes out of the other end.I want the federal government to stay out of the business and personal aaspect of GUNS. The laws they enact or introduce only ever restrict the law abiding citizen as we all know criminals don't care. Look at Switzerland.
This is my final post sir my stance is
NO LAWS CONCERNING MY GUNS WHATAEVER TYPE.
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