BY Herschel Smith
10 years, 10 months ago
Reported by Mike Vanderboegh a while back, open carry is defeated in South Carolina.
A bill that would allow South Carolinians to carry guns openly or concealed without first receiving the State’s sanction through a permit was killed by Republicans. It failed to advance out of the State’s Judiciary Committee — despite a large Republican majority — under strong opposition from Republican Senator Larry Martin.
The bill is called Constitutional Carry. Backers say its premise is based on the fact that the 2nd Amendment is the only permit needed to carry a weapon.
Understanding the Republican statist position opposing the bill requires following tortured logic. It was best described by Martin himself in response to a constituent who asked him to vote to advance the bill, as reported by BenSwan.com.
“If the 2nd amendment has been as you interpret it, why hasn’t SC law reflected that for the last 140 years? I’m sorry but you are describing an ‘unlimited’ right that has never been the case with the 2nd Amendment. My view of the 2nd Amendment has always been the right to own guns and keep them in our homes, business, and property and not to wear a gun whenever to wherever I pleased.”
He just thinks that because he is a communist. Comments at Mike’s place seem to indicate that it was the tourism lobby in Charleston that defeated the bill. I make no claims to knowing the real story behind the bill’s demise. But one thing is certain – Senator Larry Martin of Pickens is either the ring leader or a stooge and tool. In any case, he is now the target.
Gregory Smith observes “South Carolina has a pro-gun governor and an anti-gun Senate. This defeat is shameful, this is the work of self-hating Southerners, scalawags that would rather kiss the carpetbaggers than pass pro-gun laws … I believe there’s gonna be political hell in South Carolina. I want to know who are the 17 bastards that voted against the 2nd Amendment, are any of them Republican? If so then it’s time to excommunicate them from public office.”
I think the retribution needs to be greater than that. Mr. Martin needs to feel uncomfortable even being out in public. He has now declared himself to be an enemy of the people. And oh, by the way, as to the LEOs who helped to kill the bill, you are also an enemy of the people.