U.S.A. – -(Ammoland.com)- “It is unlawful to operate an indoor shooting range in any building not owned or leased by the Commonwealth or the federal government unless (i) fewer than 50 employees work in the building or (ii) (a) at least 90 percent of the users of the indoor shooting range are law-enforcement officers, as defined in § 9.1-101, or federal law-enforcement officers, (b) the indoor shooting range maintains a log of each user’s name, phone number, address, and the law-enforcement agency where such user is employed, and (c) the indoor shooting range verifies each user’s identity and address by requiring all users to present a government-issued photo-identification card,” Virginia’s House Bill 567 proposes to dictate. The bill, offered last Wednesday, presumes “to amend the Code of Virginia … relating to indoor shooting ranges; prohibited in buildings not owned or leased by the Commonwealth or federal government; exceptions; civil penalty.”
It’s just another vicious stab at gun owners by a Democrat-dominated state government that holds them in contempt and now has the juice to do something about it. You can tell a lot about character by how it is expressed when it is accompanied by power, and the bullies “in charge” are busy proving Lord Acton didn’t know the half of it. Even if ultimately “found” unconstitutional (which it would have to be if any justice remains), such a measure, backed by a determined commonwealth with virtually unlimited resources, would cause a world of hurt for its intended victims, and for a long time as decisions and appeals wend their way through interminable, finance-draining court proceedings.
As an aside, if it were a matter of requiring “a government-issued photo-identification card” to vote, the gun-grabbing Democrats would be screaming in phony indignation and rage about “disenfranchising” minorities.
“You realize that the indoor shooting range provision is just their way of poking the NRA in the eye out of pure spite,” WarOnGuns Correspondent “Henry” observed on a blog post. “The new socialist overlords are getting thrills up their legs at the thought of being able to shutter that big fancy range in Fairfax.”
That makes a lot of sense. While some do exist, how many other Virginia gun ranges have 50 or more employees located in the same building? This is pretty obviously an act of targeted spite and revenge against influential opponents by petty despots drunk on newfound power. There’s not even the suggestion in the language of the bill that concern for public safety justifies such an edict.
There can’t be, because the NRA is a recognized leader in law enforcement training. It has been since Ralph Northam was soiling his diapers instead of the Constitution.
“The NRA established a Law Enforcement Division in 1960 specifically to provide the law enforcement community with a means to certify law enforcement firearm instructors,” the Law Enforcement, Military and Security overview informs. “We also offer law enforcement firearm competitions, as we believe competition is a direct extension of training. Competitions consist of the National Police Shooting Championships as well as a new multi-gun law enforcement competition called the Tactical Police Competition, or TPC.”
“Although the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is involved in politics, the Law Enforcement Division does not get involved with political issues,” the website used to explain. “Providing the best training possible to our law enforcement officers is our number one priority.
“Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you,” an unsourced quote often attributed to Greek philosopher Pericles claims. Politics has definitely taken an interest in NRA, and more importantly, in its members.
“We have only one goal in mind,” they elaborated, “to provide every law enforcement officer in the country with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to WIN a lethal encounter!”
Against…? Forgive me if the word “confiscation” has been on my mind of late with all those “or else” diktats being thrown around.
Not to worry? That’s why NRA says “Back the Blue” and celebrated Law Enforcement Appreciation Day last Thursday, noting:
“On behalf of all NRA members, we salute our heroes in blue who uphold our Constitution and protect our communities! #ThinBlueLine”
So most “rank and file police officers” are our friends? How can we know?
Our friends, after enjoying the elite benefits of the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, would have been out there loudly demanding a place at the table for the rest of us through nationwide reciprocity. No?
Our friends would be objecting strenuously to the citizen disarmament edicts demanded by their leadership in the Fraternal Order of Police and unions. Those who do are. Right?
Our friends decry the elitism that says police are the “Only Ones” who can be trusted to be armed. Our friends champion “shall not be infringed” for all.
Our friends will follow the lead of men such as Sheriff Scott Jenkins of Culpepper County, VA, who pledges to deputize thousands in the face of impending citizen disarmament. Our friends will place their oaths above their jobs and disobey unlawful orders to disarm their countrymen.
Others will place the job first and just follow orders. Some refuse to learn from history.
Our friends could not be part of the 90 percent of indoor shooting range users the Virginia legislature is presuming to mandate. They could not be friends with anyone who is.
If you’re a police officer, the time appears to be coming when it won’t be enough to just say you’re our friend. Your countrymen will be needing you to prove it, and to step up as allies.
About David Codrea:
David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating/defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament. He blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” is a regularly featured contributor to Firearms News, and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.
Don’t ever vote for a Democrat… ever!
And we better vet the republicans & independents really good.
Unconstitutional Law. Bill of Attainder. Bill of Attainder. Definition: A legislative act that singles out an individual or group for punishment without a trial. The Constitution of the United States, Article I, Section 9, paragraph 3 provides that: “No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law will be passed.” As it only affects the NRA and one other indoor range it is definitely a targeted law. I bet the Legislature didn’t even know about the other indoor range. Just as California had their Law requiring candidates for President to release their taxes to be on the ballot overturned. Although… Read more »
Where has the NRA been during this fight in there own STATE? I appreciate every battle they have fought for the law abiding gun owners through the years but its SUPER BOWL SUNDAY and the NRA is not at ANY meetings ( 2nd amendment sanctuary town meetings) now they want to close down indoor ranges? And Wayne lapierre is awfully quiet lately! HEY WAYNE GET OUT OF SOUTH BEACH AND GET IN THE FIGHT, Civil war is imminent. PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA YOU DID THIS TO YOURSELVES BY PUTTING THESE MORONS IN OFFICE !! LEARN FROM IT PLEASE.
SEMPAI: The representatives of our NRA have intentionally striked out to many times to be called to bat for us It is best they stay out of the game. At least until we replace them.
No kidding? For spite?
I see Kyle Jurek, a Bernie supporter, claims we ‘nazis’ will have to go to re-education camps if Bernie wins. He said they will not tolerate dissension.
We see the Nazi SA of 1933 Germany and the 1917 Bolsheviks supporting Bernie and Warren.
It is right before our eyes. Still, Americans will just laugh it off as some crack pots. Except Bernie is in first place (DEMOCRATS support this communist turd) and Fauxcohontas is #2.
…and I just injured me left shoulder. Good thing I shoot with my right.
@ttj, Yeah, if …Bernie wins. Kyle and his coconspirators can’t reeducate anyone by themselves. They have to be in control of the government to get that done.
The word that comes to mind is tyranny. This is a civil war in the making.
Arm up, carry on.
Everybody is always using this 99% and 1% thing to describe whatever group when something bad happens, the police force is often mentioned. Oh, 99% of them are good, honest hard working folks who obey the law, and dont shoot unarmed citizens for no reason, you know how it goes. Most recently with the 2016 election it was the FBI, all the pundits just keep regurgitating this ratio, 99% of the FBI, the rank and file members, they’re good people and are in our side. It was that 1% at the top blah blah blah……. Bullshit. That’s bullshit people. It’s… Read more »
Bill. They will use ‘The Nuremberg Defense.’ It didn’t work then and it won’t work now. It’s a long drop on that short rope!
Yes – “it’s OK because 99% of the mushrooms in this can are nonpoisonous.”
But we’ve already SEEN the 99% lie exploded, by Katrina. Some of us still don’t learn from history.
File this under “You Shall Be Made to Care.”
amen David, spot on. Each of us cross numerous junctures in life, some bearing a material affect and impact. Such is the case for LEOs who are agents of the State and taken an oath & given their word and honor in support of our Constitution. History has shown us that they will follow their overlords instruction as an excuse to disregard their oath. Their word & honor are historically suspect, regretfully.
This cannot be allowed to happen. When in the hell are people going to say enough is enough with this attack on our constitutional rights? Impeach the tyrant governor and his cohorts!
I don’t know about y’all, but I think NRA should “compromise” on this and accept some of this idea because, well, “ they’re going to pass it or something worse anyway”. FYI, The was the excuse the NRA gave when they WROTE the bill for passing the unconstitutional NICS in the 90’s. And many other laws through the years. Including GUN FREE ZONES they gave the nod for their support. You think they learned their lesson yet? You can’t compromise with tyrants. They will never stop and just keep taking and taking while you as constitutional rights, freedom loving Americans… Read more »
@UT, Good satire! You had me going!
The people who our public servants hire as enforcers are employees of our public servants. Too many of our public servants, along with their enforcers, already consider private citizens as civilians. Civilians, being separate and beneath them. When the time comes these enforcers will either join us or fight us. In the mean time it should be expected that most will not join us, especially those federally paid. Now, we should consider it far more likely and deadly that our homes will be invaded by government enforcers than private criminals. It is detrimental to back those not backing. Those not… Read more »
Does the politicians change their own diaper every day? I have not seen babies act like this since my children were born. It is a shame that one of this country’s first states and one that has provided more presidents than any other are peeing in their own pants. I guess Virginia has never heard of a Greatest Generation.
What is beginning to happen in Virginia right now is exactly what happened in Europe and Asia during the bloodiest century in mankind’s history the twentieth century. More then 170 million (yes that is hundreds of millions) of people were murdered by their own governments. Think about that! AFTER the guns were first registered and then, shortly after, confiscated from the people to make them safer of course! But safer in whose eyes? Some mostly in Europe say that number is more like 270 million! However, the citizens ARE NOT SAFER and were not safer but instead more vulnerable and… Read more »
sun set: 32, 347, 9,7,10
Of course, Dave is the first one racing to the phone to dial 911 when he hears a strange noise outside his home at night. Just another complaining putz who thinks he knows about police work and police officers because he watches old ‘TJ Hooker’ re-runs on TV.
Actually not. As an 2A activist here and formerly in two blue states I can tell you that most metro cops I have encountered have a sick attitude toward individual liberty. That is a huge problem. They wedged out national CCW for themselves as the anointed ones yet military members with massive stacks of background investigations and documented performance in personnel reliability programs are often at the back of the line in blue utopias. It really comes down to this basic question: what do you want to be or what do you want to do. Serve a noble cause or… Read more »
While you were down in your parent’s basement watching Queer Eye for the Straight Guy with your hand in your shorts and wishing you could have been invited to Michael Jackson’s place for the weekend.
Yeah Clark. You know!
@"MCCLOUD!", Based upon what David Codrea has written in the past, he has vast credibility. Based upon what you have written in the past, you have little.