For trfox: I did my homework

NOTPARS

This harkens back to my previous thread about help for a teacher and your suggestion I check out the state constitution. Here in Missouri, the pertinent section is Article 1, section 23:

"That the right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person, and property, or when lawfully summoned in aid of the civil power, shall not be questioned: but this shall not justify the wearing of concealed weapons (the last section has been rendered null by the passing of our state's concealed weapons law). So, the right is an INDIVIDUAL right at the "federal" level and at the Missouri State level. I hope this helps clarify my problem with the textbook (which turns out to have been wrong).


I do plan to write the book's authors, professors, and challenge the sloppiness and bias of their writing as well and wanted to make sure my ducks were in a row first. The recent D.C. Appeals Court ruling will only serve to help.

tr fox

I thank you, sir, for kindly letting me know I was of at least some small help to you. Had I more energy I would have searched the MO constitution for you. KS, which borders MO and therefore should have some relevance to MO gun rights, has a more generous firearm rights bill of rights. It is very similar but does not limit carrying concealed firearms.

Which is odd, since to finally get the right, apparently already provided for in the KS state constitution, to carry concealed, we Kansas pro-gunners had to work like he!! to finally get a CCW law passed effective 1-1-07. With the generous gun/carry rights in our KS state constitution, a reasonable person would have thought that a CCW law would not have been necessary.

In addition, there are several other states that have a strong and generous firearm rights in their state constitution. If you want the names of those states, I will try to locate them for you.

I respect and admire your efforts for what you are doing and the way you are doing. Probably more effective than most pro-gun things I have done.

NOTPARS

For tr Fox, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were in Kansas. We all need to work together. I am a member of the Western Missouri Shooters Alliance (supposed to know what I am talking about) and we worked hard for the passage of the conceal law. Let me tell you, if it wasn't for the many members of this forum, including you, I couldn't get anything done. You guys provided me a great deal of help on the textbook issue, I raised it, and so far not too much flack. So I salute you all for helping me. Now I face another potential "issue." Most of my driving is to and from work, but, because of school policy, I cannot even leave my firearm in a car when parked at school. Now, under Missouri law, public schools can deny concealed/carry in their buildings but not in/on the parking lots. In other words, if you come to pick up your child at school, as long as you leave your handgun in the car, you are violating no law. But, if I were to ask for permission to do the same, I would be told no. I could not be prosecuted if I kept a gun in the car, but could be fired. A gun-rights attorney said they could fight this, but, my wife and kids would go hungry if I got fired. This is why I post these questions. Before I go off and do something rash, I ask the people who know first. Again, I am not done with my homework. It has raised other questions and now I am on the right track. Thanks for the help.

tr fox

You will find many here who will adamantly disagree with my response. They will say that when facing an unfair gun law/rule/restriction, you should act with the most agressive and stongest response you have available. This would mean carry your firearm as far as the school parking lot and then leave your firearm in the school parking lot in your car. However, this could get you fired. That would seriously harm you and your family. Sure, sure, some will say you could get an attorney (Kevin Jamison perhaps?) and fight this through the courts. But even if Kevin worked for free, there would still be other large expenses and in the meantime you might have either no or at least a greatly reduced income.

So if it were me, I would find other ways to continue to fight for my rights. Because in the meantime we pro-gunners need people like you working where you are and doing what you are doing. We also need you to maintain a good income and remain prosperous. Well, as prosperous as an educator can be. My wife is also an educator.