Red Flag Laws, What do You Have To Be Afraid Of?
New Post has been published on https://www.gunrights4illinois.com/blog/red-flag-laws-what-do-you-have-to-be-afraid-of/
Red Flag Laws, What do You Have To Be Afraid Of?
While so called Red Flag laws did pass in Illinois, they’ve become the hot topic again in the nation debate to strip gun owners of their rights. The common argument, “What do you have to be afraid of?” Let’s examine that.
A man in Normal Illinois in June, 2019 had his gun rights stripped due to a prescription mistake causing him to hallucinate. While it seems logical the proper course of action would have been to alter his prescription, the medical community in conjunction with the state decided to instead strip him of his gun rights and confiscate his guns. He must now fight through a legal battle to reinstate his gun rights.
An Arlington Heights Illinois man in 2012 expressed sadness at the deaths of his wife, mother, grand daughter, and son-in-law… as anyone would! The Arlington Heights police confiscated his firearms. It took him many years in court, and an untold number of dollars, to eventually win his firearms back. His rights were restored because he had the financial means to prove his innocence. That’s not how our founding father intended our legal system to operate.
Recently (August 2019) a man in Connecticut shared some memes on Facebook. These memes could be considered distasteful to some, but most would consider non threatening. Someone didn’t like his post and said he was threatening to shoot his school (college). This man was arrested and his and his father’s weapons confiscated. Not only that, but he has to sit in jail until September while awaiting a hearing… a hearing to prove his innocence.
Now, it’s happening AGAIN in Illinois. One Illinois certified firearm instructor may be red-flagged over a Facebook post by a hoplophobic zealot. We are quite literally living in a world where you can lose your rights because someone doesn’t like your social media profile. You may be thinking this Illinois instructor might be some kind of nut job. However you would be mistaken. Not only is he a passionate firearm instructor, but is intelligent and thoughtful as well. His Facebook page has pro-gun postings, but he has always entertained and debated both sides of the conversation. In his day job he is the district manager for a well-known restaurant chain. Hardly the basement dwelling psychopath the media would have the general public believe these laws are aimed at.
There are numerous problems with red flag laws. First, gun owners, like the man in Arlington Heights, will be reluctant to seek any sort of mental health care for fear of losing their rights. This is counterproductive to the stated purpose of red flag laws. More importantly red flag laws are a complete violation of due process, a foundation principal our nation was formed upon. You are innocent until proven guilty.
However, when know when it comes to guns, that hasn’t been the case for generations. Examination of various existing laws have gun owners losing their rights for simple accusations, no trials and no convictions. Red flag laws are an expansion of that violation of due process. It’s scary to think you can have a disagreement with your neighbor and the swat team is at your door. It is a complete violation of multiple inalienable rights when your gun rights may be stripped away because someone doesn’t like what you say (or post to social media).
Red flag Laws? Be very afraid.
