How can Republicans support the National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act? Aren’t Republican anti-federalists: politicians who support states’ rights as a check against the power of an overarching federal government? Isn’t their support for national (i.e. federally mandated) concealed carry reciprocity hypocritical? Yes. Yes they are. And no. No it’s not . . .
The right to keep and bear arms is a Constitutionally protected right. The Supreme Court’s McDonald decision codified what should have been obvious to anyone who understands that the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights trumps local and state law. In the words of the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms “shall not be infringed” by any part of government, at any level, anywhere, ever. Amen.
The National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act forces all states to recognize every state’s concealed carry permit. In other words, it forces all states to cease infringing on non-residents’ Constitutionally-protected right to keep and bear arms.
No, it’s not like forcing states to allow marijuana smokers to smoke marijuana in a state that prohibits it. No, it’s not like forcing all states to recognize non-residents’ driving licenses. There is no constitutionally-protected right to fire-up a doobie or pilot a car on public roads.
The National Reciprocity Act is like forcing states to recognize a non-residents’ First Amendment protected right to speak freely without government censorship or other type of interference. Seen in that context, we shouldn’t need a national reciprocity law.
Prohibiting a law-abiding American from keeping or bearing arms in ANY state for ANY REASON is unconstitutional. In fact, concealed carry permits are an unconstitutional infringement on Americans’ right to keep and bear arms. But here we are.
Gun control advocates who oppose national concealed carry reciprocity can’t make the argument that it’s anti-states’ rights. The right to carry concealed is super states’ rights. Nor can antis make that argument because they support federally-protected gay marriage and abortion — neither of which is Constitutionally protected (unless you squint real hard).
So gun control advocates call supporters of the National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act hypocrites.
Liars gotta lie. Statists gotta state. Lying statists are a danger to a free society, just as the National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act is a positive step towards Constitutionally protected gun rights restoration.