“A late flight landed Utah gun owner Greg Revell in jail for 10 days after he got stranded in New Jersey with an unloaded firearm he had legally checked with his luggage in Salt Lake City,” the Associated Press reports.
Because of a late flight, Revell missed his connecting flight. His luggage had been erroneously routed to Newark. He collected it.
And he was then arrested, going through a nightmare that included “10 days in several different jails”—and think about that, and the type of terrifying population they had this man immersed in. He had charges hanging over his head for months, and his private property confiscated for years.
I wish some of us didn’t have to say “We told you so.”
And the government’s response?
Prosecutors said it doesn't matter whose fault it was…
And:
Lower courts have thrown out his lawsuit
They’re “sympathetic.” They even admit this entire injustice is “through no fault of [Revell’s].” But their hands are tied. Because one of the main purposes for having government in the first damn place, “to secure the Blessings of Liberty,” must take a back seat to treasonous, self-serving legislative and judicial perversions of the original mandate.
We’re told “the Supreme Court could decide Tuesday whether to consider letting Revell sue.”
Jan 18 2011 Petition DENIED.
A quote from John F. Kennedy comes to mind:
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
Don’t expect the anti-defense lobby to condemn this outrage, to agree that a gross injustice has occurred, and to call for it being rectified so that no citizen will ever again be so victimized by the state. All their talk about “common sense” and a “reasonable middle ground” is just that—talk. It’s a smokescreen to allow them to advance from their beachhead, never to ease back and practice some of that “compromise” they’re continually hitting us over the head with.
As things stand now, there is no relief from this injustice. Which kind of makes me wonder if these newly-empowered Republicans, the ones who’ve promised us they’re all for principled government—and who were put in power largely through the efforts of involved gun owners—are going to take the lead on fixing this obscene outrage.
Or will peaceful resolution remain impossible under their leadership, too?
Also see:
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Aaron Zelman tributes
We discussed the sad loss of our friend and leader Aaron here.
Jews for the Preservation of Firearms has posted statements reflecting on his life, on the continuing mission of the organization, and how you can help it—and us all—go forward.
Click here to read more and to get involved in helping the vital work go on.
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TalkSouthRadio
Don and Doug take on gun control in the post-Tucson environment tonight at 8pm EST.
Click here, then click the “Listen Live” microphone graphic.
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Opening the bills
Oregon Firearms Federation gives us a look at the legislation they and Beaver State gun owners will be facing in 2011.
Click here to review the list.
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Comments
After narrowly averting a similar incident at LGA a few months ago by refusing to touch my erroneously regurgitated luggage while traveling with my family, I have a lot of empathy for Mr. Revell. While I was fully expecting to be arrested (and therefore had the "liberty" to try whatever I could think of to avoid it), it was an excellent object lesson for my spouse and children on just how far on the "police state" trail we've come. Successfully inoculated all of them against NYC in one shot, too.
When law and morality contradict each other the citizen has the cruel alternative of either losing his sense of morality or losing his respect for the law. — Frederick Bastiat
"When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion -- when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing -- when you see money flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors -- when you see that men get richer by graft and pull than by work, and your laws don't protect you against them, but protect them against you -- when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice -- you may know that your society is doomed." --author and philosopher Ayn Rand (1905-1982)
If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is then no recourse left but in the exertion of that original right of self defense which is paramount to all positive forms of government. — Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist (#28)
So, if you get diverted to an unfriendly airport and do take delivery of that luggage containing a handgun, what to do?
I am going to the car rental counter, and get out of that state as quickly as possible. Stay within the speed limit, etc. Even hunkering down in a motel for a day or two in bad weather is preferable to being guest of honor at the local hoosegow.
The US government and several state governments are looking for an armed response, which they think they can suppress and survive.
They're going to get it and they will not survive.
We outnumber them by multiple millions!
Just the facts.
This is just another reason why I do not fly and never travel to these "unfriendly", or better yet, unconstitutional States. The citizens of these States can have all the gun laws they want with the high crime rates as the price. I consider these States as war zones, not to be entered. Instead, I prefer to associate and do business with true Americans who protect and preserve our freedoms.
@Otter,
I agree. I would add airports to those areas off limits to me and my family. I refuse to enter any area where I am required to leave my rights in the parking lot. As far as I'm concerned the governments of those jurisdictions you referenced have seceded from the United States of America and for all purposes are now foreign belligerents.
[W3]
@Otter, just out of curiosity how do you determine who's on your side and to do business with them?
@ Diamondback. They have guns, bigger guns too. Guns, the people can't get if you're hearing me.
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