Opinion
Last week, anti-gun elected officials continued to liberally interpret state law to infringe on your Second Amendment rights, this time in an attempt to curtail the Right-to-Carry in Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette declared that the Science Museum in Downtown Lafayette and contracted private hotels used for student housing are “school property” to create more firearm-free zones across the Lafayette Parish. If these firearm-free zones were enforced, practically all of Downtown Lafayette would be off-limits to the recently enacted constitutional carry law. This attempt will only frustrate the ability to carry in the popular downtown area for law-abiding citizens.
On August 21, Lafayette Parish Mayor-President Monique Boulet announced the Lafayette Police Department will enforce a 1,000-foot firearm-free school zone around the University of Louisiana Lafayette Science Museum. Mayor Boulet has deferred to the university’s declaration that the museum is part of its campus and, thus, a firearm-free zone. The university operates the museum, but the City of Lafayette owns the building.
Unfortunately, this is now the second effort by anti-gun officials to attempt an end-around constitutional carry. As we previously reported, New Orleans officials tried to create a firearm-free school zone in the French Quarter in July.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill wasn’t amused by New Orleans or Lafayette’s attempted end-run of state law. Below is an excerpt from an August 13 statement that Murrill issued regarding the Lafayette situation,
The law on Gun-Free School Zones is narrow. The Lafayette Science Museum downtown does not fall under it.
The law on Gun-Free School Zones is narrow. The Lafayette Science Museum downtown does not fall under it. I want to thank Lafayette Parish Mayor-President Monique Boulet for directing the @LafayettePD_LA to refrain from taking actions against law-abiding individuals on the basis…
— Attorney General Liz Murrill (@AGLizMurrill) August 14, 2024
However, it seems Lafayette Parish Mayor-President Boulet intends to disregard the Attorney General’s statement and thwart the will of the state legislature by enacting firearm restrictions that the legislature has repeatedly rejected.
This is important because Louisiana has a strong state firearm preemption statute prohibiting political subdivisions from enacting their own carry restrictions.
Senator Blake Miguez, author of this year’s constitutional carry and enhanced preemption legislation, has publicly pressured and pushed back against this potential civil rights infringement in Lafayette. On August 22, Senator Miguez sent a letter to Attorney General Liz Murrill asking for an official Attorney General opinion on the definition of “school property” in LA RS 14:95.6.
NRA thanks Attorney General Liz Murrill and Senator Blake Miguez for publicly defending Louisianans’ Second Amendment rights and asking Lafayette to rescind this misguided policy. NRA-ILA will continue tracking developments on this unfolding situation in Lafayette and explore taking action if necessary.
About NRA-ILA:
Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the “lobbying” arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess, and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Visit: www.nra.org
time to add penalties enforceable against the tyrants that include personal monetary costs and jail
Time for the state to put some teeth into the preemption law; “any time a subdivision of the state (parish, city, township, etc) presumes to enact and enforce a regulation contrary to state law, state funds and monies that would normally go to that subdivision shall be withheld and retained by the state until that subdivision shall align itself with state law. That subdivision of the state that is not in compliance with state law shall NOT have the authority to raise the cost of taxes, fees, licenses, et al, in order to make up for the loss of state… Read more »
It’s well-past time to start arresting, charging, & trying these idiot politicians under 18 U.S.C. § 242. Apply the damn law PROPERLY for a change!
Another problem for Patriots to contend with as they live their normal, peaceful, thoughtful, lives.
HLB
Man, the left just can’t get past stupid can they. Statistics show gun free zones are free killing zones but they are so lost in their illusion that if they can get rid of all the guns then there will be less crime and the streets would be safer from the dreaded “gun violence’.
Criminals will always have guns!
Psychotic people vote democrap.
Trump 2024
Mayors once elected they are hard to remove from office. Democratic mayors are always going to try to evade the truth why pushing their party’s agenda hard and fast no matter how the law is defined.
Every election that includes a candidate for mayor in every city & small town needs to do their home work. Mayors can control local law enforcement removing your freedoms with out public knowledge / voter beware.
Dear NRA,
Would you care to comment NOW, about NRAWC executive director Mr. Kelner’s A.D. which resulted in his personal injury? Or the FACT that Mr. Schmeits, NRAWC Chairman, past NRA president, and current NRA BoD, KNEW?
Well?
Here it is,
If the allegation is substantiated that it was Brewer or one of Brewer’s cronies that Brewer threatened WordPress with litigation our strategy will be the following.
Given the Vullo involved violating the First Amendment with coercion then we will get in touch with our contacts at The Trace, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and the Washington Times to see if one of them is interested in addressing this story!
No donations to the NRA until they fire Brewer and all corrupt and incompetent officers… Incompetent being David Kellner of NRAWC who shot his own finger off. Bring NRA, NRA Foundation and NRAWC into full legal compliance. And end all financial abuse.
Then we can talk donations.
No donations to the NRA until there is true reform. Start by firing the Brewer Law Firm. Then fire all corrupt, and inept(David Kelner who shot off his finger) officers. Then bring NRA and all of it’s entities, such as Whittington and the Foundation into full legal compliance. Investigate alleged malfeasance at Whittington. And then EVP Hamlin must state whether or not the terms of the settlement between NRA Foundation and Washington DC have been fulfilled. And last but not least, end all financial abuse, at all NRA entities.
Then we can consider donations.