Self Defense Revisted

[gmattson]

Scary. . .

In order to receive a license to carry in Mass, you must take a firearms familiarity course and pass a simple test involving gun safety.

Without knowing the laws of self defense in your state, you may as well be driving your car blindfolded as owning a gun.

One of the reasons I kept pushing for this forum to become activated, is that those of us with self-defense skills (imagined or real) are viewed by the law, possessing dangerous weapons. We laugh about the kids getting a black belt, then inquiring where they must register their hands. . . Many people still have this image of karate. . . Which certainly will affect how we fare in a courtroom, defending ourselves against the same kind of arguments the gun owners face.

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GEM

[Panther]

Dana,

I looked quickly for an article written by a woman who lived in the Georgetown area of DC... and another written by a woman who used to live in the district, but couldn't find either one. I'll have to check my archives at home. Since I will be taking a break from the world, spending most of the week intentionally out of contact, I apologize if I don't get the information posted until after the new millennium! If I forget, please just remind me and I'll do the search.

Fundamentally, both of those women found out the hard way what it's like to be disarmed and at the mercy of criminals... both went from being ambivalent or anti-gun to being staunch supporters of the RKBA.

I will also need to pull my compendium of federal and state gun laws off the shelf to confirm Md, DC, Va, but I think this is pretty accurate:

DC: As you know, private ownership of firearms is basically verboten unless you are part of the privileged elite and/or extremely well connected politically. Natually, that doesn't apply to criminals... since "criminals", by definition, don't obey laws.

Maryland: Not quite as bad as DC, but close. Longarms can be had, but again, only those that are part of the "privileged class" are allowed CCW. Handguns are tough to get with numerous restrictions.

Virginia: With the exception of the area that is right across the river from DC, gun ownership is usually not a problem. IIRC, they do have a "one gun per month" rule because it was claimed that trafficers were buying in VA and taking the firearms to NYC and other verboten places. Problem is that if that was true, it would have been a serious violation of at least a dozen federal laws and even more in NYC or VA! Yet, we haven't heard of anyone doing serious time in Club Fed for that... (IOW, it's Bravo Sierra.) Regardless, common sense would dictate that a criminal doing that trafficing would save themselves the trouble of a trip to NYC and simply take them across the bridge to DC. Hmmmmm... Anyway, things are pretty good, generally, in VA. That "one gun a month" rule is tough... and it'd get expensive... but if I lived there, I'd do my best to buy one every month!

Mattson-sensei,

As you know, the "registering the hands" bit has been proposed in the past... Martial artists need to open their eyes and stay alert to what goes on in the legislature! Given the anti-self-defense climate, it's not about gun control, knife control OR fist control... it's about control.

[Alan K]

With reference to statement of GEM sensei about the "registration of hands" by persons engaged in the martial arts is a my in the same category as Rolls Royces having sealed hoods.

My best recollection is that it arose out of the belief that boxers had to register their hands wherever they went.

In the early days of boxing in this country, boxers were required to register and receive
permission from state or local authorities
(a) to fight in an event
(b) a license to fight in the jurisdiction

People mistakenly believed that they registered their hands as deadly weapons.

I will not get into area of prosecutors using this type of argument against a defendant who has studied martial arts and asserted a self-defense plea. But here we go again, "Reasonable Force".

[RACastanet]

Hi Panther. One clarification on the VA purchase law... it is 'one handgun' a month. You may purchase all of the long guns you wish. Also, if your handgun is stolen or impounded by the police for evidence you may get another one immediately. Also, you can do swaps without violating the one per month rule. And, this applies to commercial sales only. Sales between private citizens are not covered.

VA is also pretty good about the 'castle' law. Down here, your property line is part of your castle. If you shoot someone in the front yard in self defense you do not need to drag them into the house!!! That would break the law. Leave 'em be. The law also applies to your hotel room.

Rich

[Panther]

Castanet-Otomodachi,

Being from North Carolina originally (but won't move back there because it's been overrun by too many idiots down at RTP that have moved into politics), I must say that I've been beckoned by 3-4 different people I know to move to the great State of Virginia! I think I might do that someday... I kind of like the Shenandoah Valley area, up near the beautiful Blue Ridge!

Have a wonderful holiday...

[Panther]

Dana, everyone,

I have something I was working on and thought about submitting it as an article, but after a few touches, I think I'll just post it on this forum as a new thread and see what comments arise.

[dmsdc]

Thanks Panther,

I can't wait to read.

very merry,

dana