Milford, NH –-(Ammoland.com)- We are down to the wire on SB 116, Constitutional Carry, if you want all the details about the racist roots of New Hampshire gun laws please read this entire alert.
If, however, you only have time to read this paragraph please understand that telephone calls are now needed to Governor Hassan urging her to sign SB 116 into law. Call the Governor at (603) 271-2121.
We want to share an important history lesson with you.
Earlier this month we told you about the racist roots of New Hampshire’s concealed carry law which can be found at R.S.A. 159:6. This law was originally enacted in 1923 and was based on racism. Those racist terms are still in the law today. What is unfortunate is that we have learned that the racist history is far worse than we originally thought.
In 1974 the New Hampshire Constitution was updated to ensure that racism did not continue in New Hampshire. Why is this important? Back in the 1800’s when the horrible Dred Scott decision was decided by the Supreme Court of the United States, New Hampshire had some very racist laws. Most of those laws have been repealed, but not all of them.
In fact, in the 1800’s the laws in New Hampshire were so bad, the Supreme Court actually mentioned them in the Dred Scott case:
“By the laws of New Hampshire, collected and finally passed in 1815, no one was permitted to be enrolled in the militia of the State, but free white citizens; and the same provision is found in a subsequent collection of the laws, made in 1855. Nothing could more strongly mark the entire repudiation of the African race. The alien is excluded, because, being born in a foreign country, he cannot be a member of the community until he is naturalized. But why are the African race, born in the State, not permitted to share in one of the highest duties of the citizen? The answer is obvious; he is not, by the institutions and laws of the State, numbered among its people. He forms no part of the sovereignty of the State, and is not therefore called on to uphold and defend it.”
What equipment does one need to defend their state? What one item does a person need to have to be capable of being part of a miltia? For both of these questions, the answer is the same: one needs to have the right to own and possess a firearm. Back then, the laws were tailored to deny non-whites the ability to possess a gun.
Now, almost 100 years later, this law is being used to prevent people who are lawfully allowed to own firearms from carrying them concealed... people who have done nothing wrong... and Gov. Hassan wants this practice to continue.
If you think the history above is repulsive and disgusting, the rat hole goes even deeper:
Further along in the Dred Scott case, you find out that this racist case was about denying African-Americans the right to own firearms:
“… More especially, it cannot be believed that the large slave[-]holding States regarded them as included in the word citizens, or would have consented to a Constitution which might compel them to receive them in that character from another State. For if they were so received, and entitled to the privileges and immunities of citizens, it would exempt them from the operation of the special laws and from the police [60 U.S. 393, 417] regulations which they considered to be necessary for their own safety.
It would give to persons of the negro race, who were recognized as citizens in any one State of the Union, the right to enter every other State whenever they pleased, singly or in companies, without pass or passport, and without obstruction, to sojourn there as long as they pleased, to go where they pleased at every hour of the day or night without molestation, unless they committed some violation of law for which a white man would be punished; and it would give them the full liberty of speech in public and in private upon all subjects upon which its own citizens might speak; to hold public meetings upon political affairs, and to keep and carry arms wherever they went. And all of this would be done in the face of the subject race of the same color, both free and slaves, and inevitably producing discontent and insubordination among them, and endangering the peace and safety of the State. “
You see, 100 years ago, it was acceptable behavior in New Hampshire to be a racist. Today, we, as a society, no longer allow this to happen. So why should we allow laws to remain on the books that were drafted for that specific reason? How can Governor Hassan to continue enforcing a law that was designed for such awful purposes?
Gun control zealots have always treated minorities as less than citizens. This happened in Nazi Germany with the Jews and it has happened in other countries as well. Seven major Twentieth Century genocides were all preceded by gun control.
Gun control activists tend to be interested in stripping away the firearms of the minority so they can trample their rights. We see this around the world today in other countries, yet Gov. Hassan is not willing to correct these racist laws in New Hampshire.
How do we know this is true of the law in question? The 1923 law that we are trying to repeal actually treated the “unnaturalized foreign born person” as a felon. Imagine that, treating a legal immigrant as a felon although they have done nothing wrong. The law specifically states, the unnaturalized citizen could not “own or have in his possession or under his control a pistol or revolver..”, yet Gov. Hassan wants to leave this law on our books.
By threatening to veto SB 116, Gov. Hassan is acting like a racist and this needs to be reported to your friends and neighbors.
We can stop this and correct this abhorrent law that has been on our books for over 90 years but we need your help to enact the repeal of this offensive law.
We need you to start calling daily until SB 116, Constitutional Carry is enacted into law. Ask your friends and family to call as well!
Gov. Hassan’s primary phone number is (603) 271-2121. There are also some “back door” numbers that can also be used to deliver our message. Her Legal Counsel is Attorney Mary Ann Dempsey who can be reached at (603)271-3650 and the general line to the Statehouse is (603) 271-1110.
When you call, be polite but be firm and ask that Gov. Hassan sign SB 116 into and remove this vile, abhorrent and racist law off of our books.
Remember, the 1923 law specifically denied rights to anyone who was not “suitable”. Please click here to see the scanned image of this law. Read section 3 which shows that in 1923 “suitable” was shorthand for allowing racism. They equated foreign born people with felons. Read it for yourself.
Where are we today? SB 116 will be on Governor Hassan’s desk by Monday or Tuesday, June 29 or 30th. Therefore, we need to start calling daily until SB 116 is enacted into law. New Hampshire needs to move beyond state sponsored discrimination. Gov. Hassan needs to sign the repeal of the 1923 racist gun control laws.
Remember, Gov. Hassan is the only person who stands in the way of repealing a 1923 racist based firearms law that was crafted to explicitly deny rights to non-whites. She needs to be held accountable and here is how you can help.
Gov. Hassan’s primary telephone number is (603) 271-2121. There are also some “back door” numbers that can also be used to deliver our message (in case the phones are “turned off”). Her Legal Counsel is Attorney Mary Ann Dempsey who can be reached at (603)271-3650 and the general telephone line to the Statehouse is (603) 271-1110, just ask to be connected to the Governors office.
In Liberty,
About New Hampshire Firearms Coalition:
The New Hampshire Firearms Coalition is New Hampshire’s only No Compromise Gun Rights Organization. While many so-called “gun rights groups” work to curry favor with politicians and the media, NHFC is working aggressively to hold politicians accountable and to put a stop to gun control. Visit: www.nhfc-ontarget.org