School Shootings - A Hard Choice For Teachers © 2018 Phillip Evans

Finally, after multiple mass school shootings in this country and multiple injured and murdered students, teachers, and staff, a momentum is building that possibly, if they are licensed to carry, and if they take comprehensive government-approved training, teachers might be given permission to carry a concealed pistol on their person while in their school.

Photo by Marcus Quigmire

Unfortunately, the wheels of loosening government fingers from the neck of Lady Liberty turn slowly. Most states have not yet decriminalized carry in schools by citizens who possess a weapons carry license. And most probably never will.

Even those states, such as my home state of Georgia, that allows local school districts the authority to appoint teachers, staff, and even parents to carry in schools if licensed, has seen either zero or very few school districts taking advantage of the offer.

In Georgia, if you are licensed to carry and carry your firearm into a school (except when picking up or dropping off a student), you can be charged with a misdemeanor. That means up to a year in jail and loss of your weapons carry license for at least three years after you complete your sentence. A nice government "gift" for someone who just wants to be safe, eh?

While this is a harsh penalty, it pails in comparison to being permanently injured by a bullet or especially to being killed by one or several.

So teachers, where you have no legal opportunity to carry your concealed pistol in a school, but where you love life and the lives of your students, you have a solemn decision to make, and only you can make it.

If you choose to carry your firearm in your school, you must be sure to conceal very, very carefully. Do not skimp on a holster. Get a high quality concealment holster. Use a pseudonym and become a member of a gun forum such as Georgia Packing to ask about methods of concealed carry. You will get plenty of helpful responses. 

For ladies who want to carry, check out the The Well Armed Woman website.

If you are a school teacher and illegally carry in your school, do not be on Facebook or Twitter saying anything about guns. If pressed by anyone, tow the party line and pretend to be against guns rights. You have to be smart about this to not get caught.

I'm not advocating that anyone break the law. I'm just providing information to you for informational purposes that is already in abundance on the Internet. So abide by all Federal, state, and local laws, and stay safe.

And about the photo of that sign above. Signs keep out drugs from schools about as well as they keep out guns.

It's Not About Arming Teachers, It's About NOT Disarming Them © 2018 Phillip Evans

"Progressives", bless their little pea-pickin' hearts, imply that lovers of liberty want to force teachers to be armed against their will. They are liars of the first degree if they deny they are implying such when they poo-poo the idea of armed teachers.

Actually, we lovers of liberty want teachers to have a choice in the matter. Isn't the word "choice" worshiped when we talk about dismembering innocent unborn human beings in the womb? But somehow that word becomes taboo when we talk about free Americans being able to defend themselves and others from criminals and terrorists.

Firearms instructor Amanda Suffecool (left) instructing a school teacher 

If teachers are armed in public at the same rate as the general population, then about 7 to 11% of them (depending on what state they live in) possess a license to carry a firearm.

How about we NOT disarm them when they come to school. They already carry their concealed pistols in public when shopping, going to the park, and most every other place they go. And many of those places often have children in abundance. We don't see a rash of licensed-to-carry teachers murdering children in other places, so why would we believe it would happen in schools if the law was changed to allow them to be armed while teaching?

Here's a golden nugget of common sense: even now under current law banning guns at schools, a teacher could bring his gun into a school for the purpose of committing mass murder. Allowing law-abiding teachers the opportunity to be armed for good reasons won't increase the likelihood of an evil teacher bringing his gun. Having armed good guy teachers would instead be a deterrent to armed bad guys (teacher or not) from coming into the school. 

Here's an example of the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board spewing its ignorance:

"If President Trump or the Legislature ever had a dumber idea than arming teachers, we can’t recall one. It’s a prescription for more dead teachers and more dead students. Teachers are teachers, not SWAT team cops."

Really? In all the school shootings where the teachers were unarmed and unable to defend themselves and their students, wasn't that an effective prescription for dead teachers and students? Is it easier to shoot fish in a barrel when the fish can shoot back, or when they can't? 

When most murders in a mass school shooting occurs within the first five minutes after shooting begins, but where the best police response time is in the 6 to 8 minute range, what better prescription is there for the most dead victims? No police help in time, and no one armed in the school to shoot back.

Now, I don't see police response times getting better. If response times were going to get better, that would have happened right after the first school shooting in this country.

The only honest prescription left is letting the real first responders, and that would be teachers if you are paying attention, have the tools they need and want to save lives.

And teachers don't need to be as highly trained as "SWAT team cops". That is merely a dishonest attempt by the Sun Sentinel to put up an artificial barrier to allowing defenders their ability to defend.

The same type of argument has been used against women by President Obama and other self-proclaimed, supposed "women-empowerment" types. "Little lady, you don't need a gun because the criminal will just take it away from you and hurt you with it. Just comply with their demands and give up what they want from you."

Notwithstanding there are multiple news stories where women with no formal training have shot armed men that attacked them, successfully defending themselves.

Imagine the lives saved we would have in schools if teachers voluntarily took firearms training from professional instructors, and were allowed to be armed.

An Ohio Sheriff has recently offered to instruct teachers for free in the use of firearms in response to the Parkland, Florida school massacre that left 17 innocent students and staff dead.

The response was 10 times the amount they expected. Teachers are ready and willing to step up to do what it takes to protect their students. It's not fair for state governments to deny them that ability. Those politicians make sure they are protected in their Legislative buildings, don't they?

Do armed bad guys want to be fired upon as soon as they start their evil deeds, or do they want easy pickings? Most state governments want to keep schools easy pickings. Who's side are they on? Well, we know.

Police are armed because it takes a good guy with a gun to stop a bad guy with a gun. 

When running, hiding, and waiting for the police to arrive fails to save lives, other good guys are already at the scene face to face with the danger at that very moment, so let's allow them their human right of self-preservation when looking at certain death otherwise, shall we?

If you believe the government cannot protect your children, then enroll them at K12.com for a tuition-free public school education they can have in the safety of your own home!

Close All Public School Buildings Now! © 2018 Phillip Evans

It is a proven fact that if you close all public school buildings, you will be guaranteed to have ZERO mass shootings in public schools.

Photo by Jason Kasper

Some other benefits:

1. You will save $MILLIONS$ of tax-payer dollars.
2. You will save the environment from tons of diesel smoke each year, and breathe easier.
3. You will greatly ease traffic congestion.
4. No public school student will ever be injured or killed in a bus crash.
5. No public school student will ever be beaten up or killed by a bully at school.
6. No public school student will ever be beaten up or killed by a bully on a school bus.
7. No public school student will ever have his or her rights violated by being forced to undress at school to look for contraband or drugs.
8. No public school student will buy or sell drugs at school.
9. No public school student will be enticed to join a gang at school.
10. No public school student will be injured or killed by an automobile while walking or biking to or from school.
11. No public school student will be kidnapped while walking or biking to or from school.
12. No public school student will die from the flu transmitted at a public school

Here's a LITTLE SECRET!!!

You can do this, and STILL have your child get a PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION! Similar to home-schooling, but with a structured, government approved program of study.

Go to K12.com and sign up for free. It's also tuition free! Your child can then use your home computer to take all classes and listen to all lectures at home, and even interact with the teachers to ask questions. It is fully recognized by the states and is fully accredited. 

Be sure to tell everyone far and wide about this online school! It can SAVE LIVES! Spread the word to the media, call in to local and national radio shows to tell folks. Use email, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Tell other parents about it at the parks you visit. You can make a difference!

Transparent Open Letter To Parents of School-Age Children © 2018 Phillip Evans

Dear Parents of School-Age Children,

We have decreed by law under pain of punishment that your children shall have an education, and it shall be provided in the form of public schools, private schools, or home schooling. So far so good, right? We know the greatest majority of you will only have the option of public schools, and that's cool because that's great for our business of indoctrinating your children into believing that only the government can effectively protect them.

Minute of silence at White House for Sandy Hook school shooting

Alas, we have been having a few mass school shootings which have wounded and killed several innocent victims, putting a bit of a lie to that idea. After all, the most recent shooting to date, in Parkland, Florida, was enabled by a multitude of government failures, from the Broward County Sheriff's Office, to the FBI, to the armed Broward County Deputy who cowered for four minutes outside a building at Stoneman Douglas High School instead of going in to save lives.

So finally, after all these innocent deaths, we are going to do something about it. We care about you, we really do. And so, we will pull out all stops and do lots of things in a multi-pronged approach that will make you feel good that we have done something. Look, we can take a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar, a drop of milk, a dust of flour, and a dash of oregano and tell you that we're baking a cake, but you'd know right away that we were being silly. 

However, we can have various well-dressed and coiffed, smiling professionals and politicians put together a narrative on TV that can convince at least 51% of you into believing that our solutions to mass school shootings will take care of everything. We should know; we use your tax money to study how to sell such baloney. And when we high-five ourselves later on a job well done, we know we will keep winning elections. You'll feel better, and we'll stay in control. A delightful win-win, if we don't say so ourselves.

Anyway, we can do anything. Well, at least anything we want. And you'll have to live, and sometimes die for it. If you believe innocent bloodshed can help loosen our boot from the neck of Lady Liberty, you would be sadly mistaken. We can neither tolerate nor trust you "We The People" folks having the temerity to think you can do such daring things on your own as to protect yourselves and your children with firearms from criminals and terrorists in our public schools. We know best, even if we fail miserably at it.

You, our beloved subjects, are far from being professional enough to even consider such a thing. Even if you take the time and trouble to apply for, pay for, qualify for, and obtain a firearms carry license, even if you take professional training, you must leave the highly sensitive job of keeping your precious children safe, to us. Because we are the masters. Because we care enough to do something, even if it helps only a little. We could tell you to eat cake if only we could give you enough stale crumbs to make one.

And if a large school in an affluent district can afford a single, cowardly deputy to keep them safe, imagine what crumbs the poorer schools will receive. Perhaps we can pass laws to mandate moments of silence.

Oh, and this just in. When the deputy called for backup, three other deputies arrived...and did nothing. Well, they did something. They stayed outside the building the killer was in and waited behind their patrol cars. They had to get home safely after counting the bodies and supervising the survivors walking out with their hands up.

And don't think that limiting talk to arming just teachers will get you anywhere.

Even venerated and well loved and respected teachers must be portrayed as unstable, over worked, about-to-snap-and-go-on-a-killing-spree maniacs if the idea of arming them is broached. Most of them are happy being sitting ducks (we have taught them well), so why should we upset them with the burdensome thought of shooting back to try and save lives? They can dial 911 and run, hide, and wait just like anyone else. After all, sheep have and should keep their place in society.

Look, we know you have a Second Amendment, but we have ways to deal with that little blurb in the Constitution. We have plenty of law-makers among us that promise to support and uphold the Second Amendment. What more could you want?

Even Hilary Clinton, while campaigning for President, was able to state that she respected the Second Amendment and manage to keep a straight face. But we know between us that she would have given all her rightside organs and appendages before trusting you ordinary people with firearms in schools around children. 

Never mind that you licensed and responsible adults already carry your concealed pistols around multiple children in parks, at playgrounds, in movie theaters, at restaurants, at malls, and so forth. But you see, government schools are symbolic of and are an actual seat of, our control. We cannot have that idea violated in your minds, in allowing you to have the means of self-preservation on those hollowed grounds, even if that could save many lives. Perish the thought! 

Please don't go crying to President Trump to restore the free exercise of your carry rights at schools, even if he did promise to get rid of "gun-free" zones at schools while campaigning.

Carrying a pistol at schools is already legal under Federal law if you are licensed to carry, per the Gun-Free School Zones Act.

The main obstacle that keeps you from being armed on school property is state governments and politicians that refuse to allow liberty to be given a chance.

Let's be honest here, school shootings are horrible, but they are a great way to keep the pressure up to further strip you of your human right of self-defense. We never let a tragedy go to waste. You don't need to exercise your rights or defend yourselves. You have us. Now be happy and go back to watching TV.

Love,

Your State Government

P.S. Speaking of sheep:

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel once stated in the past, "Lions don't care about the opinions of sheep."

The good Sheriff meant you. He probably shouldn't have been so transparent in such a public manner, but he and we are on the same page, little people.

More Police in Schools - The Best Solution? © 2018 Phillip Evans

Huff-Po and I actually have some agreement on something with regard to at least what not to do to solve mass school shootings.

While I believe it is true that flooding all schools with armed law-enforcement officers would deter mass shootings and mitigate the damage when they do occur, there is a downside.

Photo by Airman 1st Class Kirby Turbak 

Even though most law-enforcement officers are wonderful people, the downside is still the potential for far too many students to have their rights abused. and to have them placed in the criminal justice system over minor incidents or infractions. Not to mention brain-washing young minds that they should rely only on those with uniforms and badges to protect them.

Too much of the sheep mindset already pervades society. 

Gone in our nation is much of the self-reliance of a stronger by-gone generation. We don't need to completely eradicate it with further indoctrination from statists and their government solutions.

Some might believe the downside to be a fair trade for safety. 

Yes, it certainly looks like it on the surface. Lives would be saved. But keep in mind that mass school shootings are actually quite rare, contrary to the lies of Everytown. The negatives however, would be far and wide, and adversely affect an awful lot of people. 

And I'm not sure that most tax-payers would appreciate their property taxes doubling or tripling to cover the additional cost. Yes, I know, when it comes to saving innocent lives, money should be no object. But funding would be one of the elephants in the room that would not be such a cozy visitor.

The fact that many are talking about "policing up" our schools actually speaks toward the correct solution. It takes good guys with guns to stop bad guys with guns. It really is that simple.

But do those good guys have to be law-enforcement officers? Far more "regular" people without badges than with, carry guns, and use them every single day to keep themselves and their families safe. Look up John Lott's research to see how often "civilians" (police are also civilians if they are not in the military) use guns on a daily basis to do just that.

Not to leave them unmentioned, our valiant retired military personnel would like to volunteer for free to keep our schools safe. That is actually a great idea. 

The issue is whether there are there enough such volunteers to cover all our schools. My guess is probably correct that there would be large gaps in coverage. But I'm all for it anyway. Let's do it, starting now! But let's plug the gaps, too. 

Here's the Best Solution: 

Let all good citizens and parents who've gone through the trouble to be vetted and obtain a weapons carry license have the liberty to carry their pistol in their child's school at any time they have business to be there. Let's do the same for all school staff and teachers.

Liberty goes hand-in-hand with self-preservation. When the government believes only its agents are the only ones "professional enough" to bear arms, that's the point at which the government steps far across the line to infringe on our rights as free Americans.

Our children need their adults to step up and protect them. But they can't do that when the government is treating those adults like children and forbidding them their right to do that.

And why are people asking President Trump to do something? The Federal government ALREADY allows citizens with a weapons license to carry in schools. It's at the state and local level where the prohibition is. And besides, he's not going to send in Federal police or the military to guard a state's schools. 

So you'll have to contact your state law-makers to demand that liberty be given a chance to protect your children from evildoers.

Busloads of Students Want Your Rights Taken Away © 2018 Phillip Evans

Following the funeral of their classmates, two buses will bring several Stoneman Douglas High School student to Florida's State Capitol this Wednesday to demand that lawmakers do something.

Photo by Formulaone

I have a feeling I know what that "something" is. Yep, you guessed it... "Gun Control". 

Parents from Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, California, and other states that have migrated to Florida bringing their anti-gun rights outlook with them, and raising their children to have the same anti-liberty views, are now milking this massacre of innocent lives to turbo-charge their "moral authority" to call for infringing on the rights of free Americans.

And they are shamelessly using their survivor children as pawns to further their agenda. But those who despise freedom have no shame.

None of the predicted upcoming "gun-control" proposals that stomp on freedom would have prevented the attack, nor will they prevent future attacks. 

And sorry, but being a survivor does not give you the moral authority to run rough-shod over the rights of others. Punishing millions of citizens by stripping them of their liberty is not the solution to dealing with bad guys.

Having the means to shoot back WITHOUT waiting for someone else to come to your rescue is the best solution every single time.

Don't hold your breath for the spineless Florida Republican state politicians in Tallahassee to give a proper response to them. 

The proper response would be an apology for not allowing licensed-to-carry citizens to bring their firearms onto school property without the threat of jail, just for wanting to exercise their human right of self-defense.

I guarantee you, some armed parents and teachers on Feb 14th would have saved lives.

But Florida can't even allow licensed carriers to openly carry their handguns holstered on their hips outside of school zones, like folks can do in 45 other states.

With traitors to liberty like Republican Senators Joe Negron, Anitere Flores, Rene Garcia, and others, look to Florida to become the next New Jersey or California when it comes to the right to keep and bear arms. 

Patrick Neville gets it right. He was a 15-year-old student at Columbine High School in 1999 during that massacre. He is now fighting for Coloradans to exercise their right to carry a firearm in K-12 schools as a Colorado state representative.

Florida State Fair - GUNS!!! © 2018 Phillip Evans

Just when you thought it was safe to go out in public, this happens. "What happened?", you may ask.

Well, this may be a little difficult to handle, so put on your reality hard-hat. Make it an extra-strength one if you are a hard core snowflake, as opposed to an ordinary snowflake.

Photo by Ramchandran Maharajapuram

Yes, guns at the Florida State Fair held each year in Tampa, Florida. And... I'm NOT talking about guns carried by law-enforcement officers. I'm talking about guns carried by non-badged citizens. Hey, didn't I warn you about the extra-strength reality hard hat? It's not my fault if you didn't put it on.

And they're sky-rocketing, SKY-ROCKETING I tell you! No, not the actual guns; they are staying put in their holsters. I'm talking about the number of guns being carried at the fair each year.

So who needs a gun at a fair? To be fair, you can ask that question about most any other place. Who needs a gun at a grocery store? Who needs a gun at a barber shop? Who needs a gun at a restaurant?

The answer is... no one does. Well, that is, until they need one anyway. Until good folks can accurately predict when and where criminals might strike, they are pretty much stuck with carrying anywhere crime might strike, if they want to be sure they can defend themselves when it does.

People can be attacked going to and from their vehicles at a state fair. Citizens have also been attacked by armed criminals in grocery stores, barber shops, restaurants, and other places.

Florida is not unique to gun carry at state fairs. It's never been illegal in Georgia to my knowledge, and you can't be ordered to disarm if the fair is on publicly owned property.

Even Oregon backed down in 2002 and decided to follow state law and allow it.

The fact is, bringing your firearm to a state or local fair has been legal in most states for many years. And so far the ONLY issue with it is merely the fact that people carry guns at fairs. BIG DEAL.

ABC Action News may as well breathlessly report on the SKY-ROCKETING of firearms carry in Walmart stores. Concealed carry by law-abiding citizens does seem to be on the rise, and that's a good thing. The more people able to defend themselves means less crime victims. Duh!

Has there been a rash of shootouts at state or local fairs by legal carriers of firearms?

I recently posted this comment on Facebook:

"What???!!! 146 guns a day (in reference to the Florida State Fair) brought into a public fair with thousands of people around, and no standing-in-line rage shootouts, no ride-rage shootouts, no pulling of guns when people lose money playing for prizes, no shootouts from sugar overload, no shootouts from... well, you get the point. Where is Moms Demand Action on giving us these dire warnings? Looks like they have they dropped the ball on this, LOL!"

If you want to be unarmed at a fair, that's your business. If I want to be armed at a fair, that's my business. To the anti-liberty zealots I say, your fear of being around firearms carried by "ordinary" citizens does not trump my Constitutionally guaranteed human right to bear arms for the defense of myself and my loved ones. And if you avoid fairs because you can't handle the thought of being around firearms, you may as well avoid a rather large selection of other places where people are armed.

I have no problem if someone chooses to be a sheep and go out deliberately unarmed. I do have a problem with a rabid sheep that wants to use the force of government to not allow me to be armed in public. People like me are not a problem to society, criminals are.

Fox News' Statist Solution to Mass Murder At Schools © 2018 Phillip Evans

On my car radio today I happened to catch the Fox News Sean Hannity show at 3:07pm EST. Naturally, I knew the topic would be the massacre that occurred on Valentine's Day at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

I also absolutely KNEW that since Sean Hannity's audience is nationwide (too much opportunity there not to waste), and since Hannity works for Fox "statism lite" News (as opposed to CNN "statism full strength" News), that NO WAY would the SIMPLE solution of just letting armed citizens carry in schools be proposed by him.

Photo by Gage Skidmore

I  was correct 100%. 

His laughable solution? In a nutshell, it would be a two-part deal:

1. Every school gets a comprehensive security analysis and threat assessment plan prepared by local law-enforcement experts. 

2. Every school then gets sufficient hired professional security (retire law-enforcement or military) to stand guard over the children.

He prefaced his solution by stating, as predicted, that it "has nothing to do with the Second Amendment". Do you see my shocked face? 

In his solution prologue (you've got to have a build up before the finale), he offered that arming teachers in general would not be a good option, since well, "teachers just want to teach". Sort of in the vein of "girls just want to have fun". Perhaps Weird Al Yankovic could do a parody on it sometime to illustrate the idea of poo-pooing adult teachers being first responders for the children that they love and teach.

And of course, we should not burden them with professional training (they are not professional enough, I suppose. He then goes on to brag about his extensive firearms and martial arts training and experience as if to show he is an upstanding guy that understands our rights BUT...), since as implied, such training would be too comprehensive and difficult for the average teacher, and since they "just want to teach" (did I mention that?)

But if teachers REALLY wanted to be armed (I imagined a begrudged look on his face as he said it), then it would be okay, darn it.

So let's looks at the ultimate solution he proposed. Firstly, whether or not they have the money, schools will not pay for any comprehensive security analysis, period. Mr. Hannity has the answer - schools would not have to pay for it because local law enforcement is already paid to go to schools and do it! Really? What world does he live in?

Secondly, many schools ALREADY have armed resource officers, and those that can afford them won't spend additional money to hire any more. And those that can't afford to hire any won't hire even one. We always see that in these cases, the "professional" first responders are TOO LATE to save lives.

They arrive just in time to count the bodies and oversee survivors all come out with their hands up.

Hannity opines that since 100 story buildings in New York City can effectively secure their property, that local schools in heartland America (and elsewhere) should be able to do the same. Me thinks he has either been into too much of the good stuff, or has breathed too much NYC air until it has fogged his brain. How many LOLOLOLOLs can you put in a row before it's considered unsporting?

Here's my non-million dollar solution:

LIBERTY. That's all. No need to add this or that. No need to add salt, no need to stir.

Let every adult American citizen (you know, "We The People") who is vetted and  licensed to carry a firearm have the freedom to carry their concealed pistol in schools. That includes admin staff, teachers, janitors, lunch ladies (and men), and of course, parents. 

But such a solution is too obvious, too simple, too much smacking of what helped to found us as a nation to be seriously considered. We are, after all, too "progressive" to allow average citizens to have such a great responsibility as self-preservation. We are not "professional enough" for that.

As if I need to beg you (do you value liberty or not?), PLEASE contact your state politicians and DEMAND your God-given right to bear arms for the defense of self and others, even while on school property and in school buildings.

Blood-Bath At Parkland Florida High School © 2018 Phillip Evans

Today, as school was ending for the afternoon, 17 innocent lives ended at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida.

It didn't matter that the state law-makers in Florida have long banned firearms at schools, one was brought in anyway by a man with murder in his evil heart, and he did what murderers do.

How ironic that the Florida Legislature has a Republican majority, and the state has a Republican Governor. All of whom voice their "support" of the Second Amendment.

Yet, the South Florida high school in Broward County had no armed citizens to help save lives.

They were SITTING DUCKS, sheep for the slaughter.

Innocent blood is flowing this year, as in years past. First Kentucky, and now Florida. 

Folks, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. Posting signs and threatening to jail licensed-to-carry citizens for being armed in schools isn't working. So let's STOP it.

Licensed citizens are SIX times more law-abiding than police, according to 20 years of statistics from Florida and Texas.

So let them carry their concealed pistols in schools! Let them be their own first and best responders. If murderers know they can be shot before they tally up enough of a kill count to get widely infamous, they will think twice before committing mass murder at a school.

Or will we keep hearing the Second Amendment "support" from lilly-livered politicians while they do nothing and pretend we will get a different result?

If it please the king, may we have back our liberty to save our own lives and those of our loved ones, even at a school we beg to dare ask?

The state mandates school attendance knowing that most parents cannot do homeschooling, and crowds our children into target-rich zones, then forbids them the security to be truly safe.

If that does not garner the justification of a blood-on-their-hands accusation against state law-makers, I don't know what does.

My home state is Georgia. It's only a matter of time before it happens here. I have a son in a public middle school. I have a Georgia Weapons Carry License, and I want to be able to carry my pistol at the school at any time I have business there. 

Georgia General Assembly (and Florida), are you listening? Do our children deserve protection or not? Do you trust licensed carriers or not?

National Reciprocity In The News © 2018 Phillip Evans

CBS News' 60 Minutes recently did a story on National Reciprocity.

On CBS News' website I posted the following comment:

"Free American Citizens protected by the Bill of Rights should not be persecuted merely for crossing state lines while carrying their self-defense firearms. That is simply immoral! 

Human beings should NOT be locked behind bars like wild animals just because they want to keep themselves and their loved ones safe from predatory criminals! Where is the U.S. Senate on H.R. 38? Where is the President? Enough is enough!"

Second Amendment Foundation Logo

Rep. Richard Hudson (N.C.) had introduced H.R. 38, and it has passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The U.S. Senate now needs to pass it and send it to President Trump for his signature.

Why the delay on this bill? The longer the wait, the more opportunities for vicious criminals to rape, rob, and murder hard working Americans who are UNARMED when they cross state lines over the FEAR that a state GOVERNMENT will steal their money in fines and steal their freedom by putting them in jail and prison.

We have a Republican President and a majority Republican U.S. Congress that both tell us they "support the Second Amendment". 

Therefore, there is NO REASON to not get this done NOW!

Contact the President and ask him to ORDER the U.S. Senate to value LIBERTY and pass H.R. 38!

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Also, please consider joining the Second Amendment Foundation. They fight for our rights!

Evans Towne Center Park - Weapons Carry © 2018 Phillip Evans

Up until recently, the Columbia County, GA Evans Towne Center Park's website had a prohibition of weapons carry during concerts held there. I got into a little argument on the phone with a Columbia County Parks official trying to explain that was contrary to state law.

Columbia County, GA Amphitheater (Photo by Stacie Wells. Creative Commons License)

So I called and left a message for the County Commissioner. 

I received a call back from County Administrator Scott Johnson, and we had a very pleasant conversation. He is a true American Patriot, and is retired from the Georgia State Patrol.

Like me, he understood state law to allow weapons carry on public property, unless it was a "government building" with screening (though certain public buildings are off-limits even without screening - see OCGA 16-11-127 to get the full listing), and the park didn't meet any exceptions under state law to ban lawfully carried firearms and other legal weapons.

He assured me that the website would be edited to remove the prohibition, and he kept his word, as I was confident he would do.

Now lawful carriers of firearms and other legal weapons may carry openly or concealed when attending any public event held at the park, ticketed or not.

Folks, when we get involved and bring these things to the attention of the powers that be, we can get things done! 

You can help by joining Georgia Carry. Your $20 per year membership will help strengthen the best grass-roots organization fighting for your rights in Georgia. I've been a member since 2010. If you're in Georgia and value your rights, then join us!

Chatham County, GA - Weapons License Delays - Follow Up © 2018 Phillip Evans

Feb. 6, I emailed WTOC News Director Scott Galloway the link to my initial article on the weapons license application delays in Chatham County, Georgia.

I later followed up with a call to their newsroom and spoke to a gentleman (I didn't record his name) about the story, to request that they run with it.

Sample GWCL

While I'd like to take the credit, I'm sure several others have been in contact with WTOC, and so here is the link to their story:

http://www.wtoc.com/story/37462568/chatham-county-residents-left-waiting-months-for-concealed-carry-permits.

While neighboring counties issue a Georgia Weapons Carry License well within the time-frame specified by state law, Chatham County is sometimes taking five months to issue a new or renewal weapons carry license.

In Georgia, one must be licensed to carry a pistol on their person in public, either openly or concealed. There are a few exceptions such as when hunting or at one's place of business. Vehicle carry is also legal without a license if it's in one's own vehicle for those 18 and over.

State law provides for no more than 45 days from start to finish for the process.

At Chatham County's last commission meeting Jan 26th, one topic of discussion was a possible increase in funding to hire temporary workers to process the applications.

Here's how County Chairman Albert J. Scott responded to the issue:

"I'm reluctant to recommend we dip into emergency funds for this process. I see it as a privilege, not an emergency."

Per OCGA 16-11-129, if a citizen's application is not processed with the hard time-frame set by state law, a mandamus action may be brought against the probate judge of the county, and the prevailing party is entitled to recovery of attorney fees.

Here's my advice to Chairman Scott: 

"Sir, you ALREADY have the money from the people which was paid at the time they submitted their license applications. Dip into THAT money to hire workers to process the applications; that's what it's for.

But be penny-wise and dollar foolish if you want, because the attorney fees are going to start coming due for your county mishandling and mismanaging tax-payer money, and not prioritizing what needs to be done to comply with state law."

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You know, his "privilege" and his "not an emergency" statements smack of something a little tyrant would say.

Chairman Scott, it's called a RIGHT, and We The People DEMAND our RIGHTS!

And to someone about to be harmed by criminals, it IS AN EMERGENCY when a citizen is unarmed due to WAITING beyond the time state law says they must wait. 

This illegal and unwarranted delay only hurts law-abiding citizens. Criminals carry their guns without worrying about being licensed. And they hurt innocent people, people that would like to be able to defend themselves, if they can get PERMISSION from the government to do so. And get the PERMISSION SLIP in a timely fashion!

Have you waited beyond 45 days since applying? Contact an attorney and start a mandamus action against them! I suggest the best there is in Georgia for gun carry rights: John R. Monroe of Roswell, (678) 362-7650.