As the Brady Campaign descends to new depths of madness, here’s just one other objective our opponents are supporting:
The article they link to is here:
“Multiple studies indicate that preventing easy access to lethal means, such as firearms, is an effective form of suicide prevention,” authors Harrell and Berglass wrote.
They are urging Congress to repeal the restriction on the military interfering with the private firearm ownership of soldiers. Understand what they are saying here: we have to prevent “easy access” to “lethal means” for our nation’s soldiers.
If any police or military folks thinks these people won’t eventually disarm you, think again.
In every way that matters in terms of 2A, we’re already far worse off than most. Can’t carry to work. Can’t have a weapon in your car. Might be forced to move to a state or country that bans your weapons. Might have to live on base where you can’t have weapons. Heck, this whole year my only opportunity to shoot has been hunting while on R&R.
As an aside, I think a great wedge toward nationwide reciprocity would be floating something like the retired LEO CCW offered to certain military retirees (say…retired as an O-6/E-9 or higher or earned the Bronze Star or better). Opponents would have to explain why they don’t believe someone who spent a successful career carrying weapons in service of the nation can be trusted with a pistol. It’d negate most of the “untrained, unprepared” arguments and open the door a lot wider.
They must believe that a suicidal person’s state is immediately obvious and therefor they won’t be given access to their duty weapons.
This is why I wrote a letter to my congressman. As a soldier, this affects me, and I’m getting tired of being told I can’t carry in uniform. http://ninepoundsledge.blogspot.com/2011/11/open-letter-to-my-congressman.html
Last I heard, the suicide rate among active duty military was significantly less than the general population. Unfortunately, I can’t quote chapter and verse. Anybody remember reading that?
The reason for locking up the guns in garrison has a lot more to do with theft and accountability than with a fear of violence or suicide.
The reasons for banning personal weapons while in garrison are not so reasonable.