THE SECOND AMENDMENT DOES NOT PROTECT CARRYING A CONCEALED WEAPON

The United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit ruled last week that: "the carrying of concealed firearms is not protected by the Second Amendment" and that "In Robertson v. Baldwin, 165 U.S. 275 (1897), the Supreme Court stated in dicta that “the right of the people to keep and bear arms is not infringed by laws prohibiting the carrying of concealed weapons.” This, to me, is an important ruling.

The case was brought by a man named Gray Peterson who lives in Washington State. He applied for a concealed handgun license (CHL) from the sheriff in Denver, CO and was denied because Colorado law states that CHLs may only be issued to residents of Colorado. Mr. Peterson sued the Denver sheriff and Colorado’s executive director of the Department of Public Safety, claiming that denial of the license violated the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. (Here is the link to the court opinion, if you are interested in reading it.)

An interesting side note is the list of Intervenors in this case:


NRA CIVIL RIGHTS DEFENSE FUND;  SECOND AMENDMENT FOUNDATION, INC.; BUCKEYE FIREARMS FOUNDATION; CITIZENS RIGHTS ACTION LEAGUE; COMMONWEALTH SECOND AMENDMENT; CONNECTICUT CITIZENS DEFENSE  LEAGUE; CALGUNS FOUNDATION, INC.; GUN OWNERS CIVIL RIGHTS ALLIANCE; HAWAII DEFENSE FOUNDATION; ILLINOIS CARRY; ILLINOIS STATE RIFLE  ASSOCIATION; MAINE OPEN CARRY ASSOCIATION; MARYLAND SHALL ISSUE;  OREGON FIREARMS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION; WISCONSIN CARRY INC.; SCOPE  INC.; STILLWATER FIREARMS ASSOCIATION; VIRGINIA CITIZENS DEFENSE LEAGUE,  INC.; WEST VIRGINIA CITIZENS DEFENSE LEAGUE INC.; BRADY CENTER TO  PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE.

Who are all of these groups? Well, you now me, I always want to dig a little. How about the Oregon Firearms Educational Foundation, right here in my home state?

The OFEF logo: nice assault rifle!

Their mission: Welcome to The Oregon Firearms Educational Foundation, a non profit 501(c3) organization created to provide gun owners with valuable resources in a hostile political environment.

Just as the Oregon Firearms Federation has proven itself to be Oregon’s only no compromise lobbying group, OFEF takes the same tough stands and serves as a vehicle for educating gun owners, promoting their rights and when necessary, fighting the freedom haters in court.

"Hostile political environment," "freedom haters." Love it! 

On their website, the OFEF mentions the Oregon Firearms Federation. Who is that? Their logo:

Look familiar? And the mission of the OFF:

Oregon’s Only No Compromise Gun Lobby

Gun ownership in the age of Obama is a risky undertaking. We hope this website will provide you with information you need to stay informed and safe while the most anti-gun administration in US history is in power. 

So the OFEF and the OFF are/is the same people/person. The address is the same for both organizations (a PO Box in Canby, Oregon). The OFEF is the legal arm of the OFF. 

I assume that the rest of the intervenors listed, with the exception of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, are all similar organizations. And I would guess that many, if not most of them, get funding from some larger sugar daddy like the NRA. 

These folks are organized; most gun-control supporters are not. Why not?