Veterans Cemetery Murders Highlight Predator-Favoring Government Gun Ban

How does it honor fallen heroes to deprive the living of the very freedom they fought for? (VAntage Point: Official Blog of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

U.S.A. – -(Ammoland.com)- “A man who shot and killed an elderly couple at a veterans cemetery in Delaware earlier this month was fatally shot by police during a shootout in a wooded area,” the Associated Press and other “news” outlets reported Saturday. The couple was visiting the gravesite of their son when their murderer opened fire on them for yet undetermined reasons.

Here’s what the “Authorized Journalists” did not report, and what the readership would never know about unless they frequented niche blogs that specialize in pointing out infringements on the right to keep and bear arms: The cemetery was mandated by law to be a so-called “gun-free zone,” meaning “law-abiding” visitors are at a disadvantage when confronted by law-breakers who pay no attention to such diktats.  Per the Delaware Office of Veterans Services:

“Visitor’s Stands Of Conduct: In keeping with the honor bestowed on state veterans’ cemeteries, it is considered fitting and appropriate that visitors to these hallowed grounds refrain from any conduct or activity that is unbecoming to the final resting place of our nation’s heroes. Accordingly, visitors are not authorized to … Bring firearms or explosives of any kind into the cemetery. Authorized military escorts are exempt.”

Not that a reversal of that policy would have done these particular victims who were residents of Maryland any good, as “may issue” there overwhelmingly means “may not.” There’s even a relevant Supreme Court case awaiting word on whether “cert” will be granted, Malpasso v. Pallozzi.  The state’s requirement for a “good and substantial reason” before issuing a permit to carry a handgun outside the home for self-defense purposes is being challenged on Second Amendment grounds.

But we’re not talking just Maryland, and we’re not talking just Delaware. The veteran’s cemetery gun ban applies throughout the Republic, and it’s past time our “friends” in politics who enjoy gun owner support and “A” ratings from our lobbying groups did something about that.

If you want to go visit the resting place of a veteran loved one, you must do so unarmed, at least if you don’t want to put yourself at risk for violating Veterans Administration regulations, which:

“…prohibit the carrying of firearms (either openly or concealed), explosives or other dangerous or deadly weapons while on VA property, except for official purposes, such as military funeral honors.  Possession of firearms on any property under the charge and control of VA is prohibited. Offenders may be subject to a fine, removal from the premises, or arrest.”

That’s further spelled out in the authorizing Code of Federal Regulations:

“Conduct in violation of the rules and regulations … subjects an offender to arrest and removal from the premises … Whomever shall be found guilty … is subject to a fine. Violations … may also subject an offender to a term of imprisonment of not more than six months…”

“It seems a curious attitude for the government to impose on the living, particularly on ground established to memorialize those who risked, and sometimes gave all in defense of freedom and the Constitution they swore an oath to uphold,” I noted the last time I broached this subject on AmmoLand. “There is no legitimate reason the government … can give that should supersede the rights of deceased veterans’ survivors.”

“Will it take some Bad Guy With A Gun doing something horrible in one of these Certified Defenseless Victim Zones to get any action?” comment poster “Tionico” asked in response to that column. With the Delaware murders, we have the entirely predictable fulfillment of his prophecy, while any hope for positive action is far less certain.

We saw no such action when Republicans were in control, and these are politicians who, for the most part, owe their elite positions to gun owner support and votes. Don’t expect to see any movement until after the November elections, and then only if the Democrats do not expand their power. But if by chance the GOP can hold the Senate, retake the House and keep that idiot Joe Biden out of the White House, it won’t be out of line for gun owners to demand an end to Veteran Cemetery “gun-free zones.” And while many of us would prefer to see “shall not be infringed” adopted, realistically, it would still be a net gain and “good first step” to see a parallel to what has been done in National Parks, where military cemeteries defer to the laws of the states in which they exist.

If it’s not a waste of time with them, please join me in making this expectation known to your representative and senator(s), and to the president. And have a meaningful and reflective Memorial Day as we strive to remain worthy of the inheritance bequeathed to us by those who lost their lives believing they were fighting for freedom.


About David Codrea: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.

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Deplorable Bill

This nation came into being because of governmental overreach and gun control. It came to fire when the British marched to Lexington and Concord for the specific purpose of removing firearms from the colonials ……us. How many Americans gave and lost their lives guaranteeing for us the RIGHT to keep and bear arms. It’s fitting that today is memorial day to say these things and remind people of the price it took in blood, limbs and lives to secure their freedom and rights. Anyone with half a brain who has looked at history knows when the citizens are disarmed the… Read more »

AnotherLEO

As always you are absolutely correct. The fact is that 99% of LE agrees with you 110%. I cant count the number of times I’ve gotten to an active scene… in less than 2 minutes by traveling at triple digit speeds.. only to witness the aftermath.. EVERYTIME I think.. what if this person would have had some training and a firearm.. the country would be a better safer place. Yet LE are not free to speak on their experiences or their beliefs.. instead you have politicians, following the EXACT historical pathway that leads to genocide and oppression, making laws to… Read more »

uncle dudley

The elderly couple that were shot and killed were White and the shooter Black, where is the outrage and claims of racism that the news media should have been reporting.
The young man who was Black and killed by a White man and his father in the south at about the same time has been called a hate crime and racism.
Its sad to hear of a murder regardless of anyone’s skin color but the media sure does slant the story or leave out key details.
Don’t leave home without your handgun.

Rock

It is politically incorrect to say anything when the victims are white and the perps are black. To say anything, YOU are labeled as racist. FACT.

Tionico

time to re-etablish TRUTH as important, and not shameful. The sooner we disallow the lying press in maintaining this lie the better.

Doszap

Unless you wanna wind Up dead, screw the GFZones and carry concealed every where you go.

Grigori

Sadly, a few old friends who passed in recent years have opted to be buried in a “National Cemetery” on property of a nearby military base. I hate that I cannot make the graveside or visit their graves. To me, visiting any military base is like visiting a communist country, being that I have to disarm to go there, therefore I never go to these frequent targets of active shooters which interestingly enough, are Gun Free Zones.

willyd

Grigori: How true when I was in the Army we could not carry a weapon of any type, on Post! You could have one but had to be registered with the MP’s and at the Company Armor, plus stored with the company Armor. They could be taken out only when the Armor was on duty and had to be turned in before he left for the day, talk about hoops to jump through, this is why most of the guns are stored off Post, and become GFZones on Military Bases! Why do you think when these nut jobs are now… Read more »

Spidey

Just like going to the VA hospital. Have to go through the high crime city unarmed hoping you don’t get robbed, car jacked, or killed on your way to your Doctor appointment. But if you bring your firearm and even if you lock it in a lock box in your vehicle. You can still get arrested for having it on VA property. No matter what. Criminals and the democrats win. We lose lives one way or another.

KenW

In my automobile is on my property.

Tionico

Post Office is the same rottten deal. I just walk in anyway, same way I just walk in everywhere else I walk in. I cannot fathom the “thinking” that hold that as long as I am in my car, driving on the stree t in fromnt of the Post Office, I am no danger, but the nanosecond my front tyres bounce across the line between the sidewalk and the macadam of the lot out front, I somehow instantly become a raving dangerous felonius murderer. In most curcles this sort of claim would be held as proof of insanity, and those… Read more »

coonhunter

Yes, at the VA hospitals and clinics they have signs saying no guns knives or any other kind of weapons. I have ask at the clinic I go to How do veterans get to come here, most of us are or were trained to be a weapon. I do carry concealed most every where I go.

Deg4u

I carry mine regardless never had problems. Besides that the 2A gives me the right to do so and not doing anything wrong. 2A lawyer will clear you if have court case.

Thom

I think we should all start referring to gun free zones as “Defenseless Victim Zones”.

Rock

100% CORRECT !

Tionico

if “gun free zones” realy WERE gun free, there would be no issue. COnsider counrthouse… they inspect, mag check, wand,pat down, and THEN once they’re satisfied I’ve got no “weapons” (not eve my cheap fydollah Home Cheap razor knife is a “weapon in their twisted minds, but OH WELL. At least once I’m inside that “gun free zone” I have a reasonable assurance it IS gun free. But most such zones are not truly “gun free”. Washington State bans firearms in all bars, taverns etc.Armed robberies are not al that uncommon, and smash ahd grab thefts of arms in vehicles… Read more »

Heed the Call-up

We here have been. Welcome to the party.

vbirddogs

” visitors are not authorized to … Bring firearms or explosives of any kind into the cemetery.” Well, I would carry mine anyway, because the people making this statement “ARE NOT AUTHORIZED” TO TAKE AWAY MY GOD GIVEN RIGHTS!!! End of story

CommonSense4America

Exactly,,,concealed is concealed. No-one should know unless you have to use it.

gregs

not authorized by whom? a government cannot, nor will take away my right to preserve my life and I do not let it. I conceal carry, with license, everywhere they do not physically check for it (pat down, metal detector, etc.). if they ask, I tell them no. and if I cannot carry there I do not go there, unless it is jury duty or something I cannot get out of. I would rather become a criminal than die.

buzzsaw

If you were to wind up in prison for carrying arms, I for one, would not consider you a criminal, but a political prisoner, or prisoner of conscience.

If I am on a jury, I am not going to vote to convict someone for breaking an edict that is contrary to “…shall not be infringed.”

Wild Bill

@BUZZ, Yes, jury nullification. Be norms, get selected, and practice jury nullification.

Finnky

@WB – Got to get called in first. Not complaining, but I’ve had people tell me they get called in annually – while I get summons roughly once a decade. Have actually made it to courthouse to await selection process all of twice in my life. In one case I was assigned to a case but they settled before jury selection began. Other time they put all potential jurors in a large room – calling ~50 out at a time. After an interminable wait they released the rest of us. So my dress, demeanor and words never entered the equation.

Camotim

Those mean police deprived that poor innocent murderer of his right to trial and endless years of collateral attacks on his death sentence..

Terry

So Barr spoke out about governors discriminating against religious factions. Where is he on the subject of veterans group discriminating against the second amendment

John Dow

When contacting the legiscritters, don’t just talk about Veterans’ Cemeteries. All federally controlled facilities and lands are The Peoples’ Lands – we should not be denied our rights on our property. Be it Post Office, SSA office, gift shops in national parks – there’s no legitimate reason to ban our right to personal protection.

Tin Man

Thank you Mr. Codrea for your continued efforts to Keep America Great. I have read your articles for years and never thanked you. Thank you for the service you provide our country.

JFCrosby

Has anyone seen where “Crazy Joe” posted anything about this incident in his home state?

Vince

If anybody even mentioned it to him, I’m sure he has forgotten it a minute later due to dementia.

Bob

Note the bizarre juxtaposition of guns “and explosives” in the bann language because of course guns, pipe bombs, nuclear weapons, are all the same.

Get Out

IMOA, unless there are metal detectors located at these gun free zones, CCW anyway.