Gun-Banners Follow a Proud Civil Rights Tradition

by Ken Hanson, Esq.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Faced with political and legal threats to existing, and proposed, gun-control laws, activists have borrowed a page from those who blazed the trail before them – the American civil rights movement.

"It really crystalized, for me, when people laughed when I suggested homeowners randomly fire guns in the air to deter crime," said Vice President Joe Biden. "It simply motivated me to recommit my efforts towards advancing this agenda." The Vice-President then explained that there is a clear parallel between our current debate over banning guns and the American civil rights movement.

The Obama administration declared March 28, 2013, a national Day of Action in support of gun-control. The plan, per a press release from the administration, is to motivate literally dozens of activists in all 50 states to put Sharpie markers to drugstore poster board and stand on random street corners for around an hour in support of gun-control. In larger cities across America, the plan is for the activists to at least walk in circles, so that it qualifies as a "march."

Vice President Biden confesses that the American civil rights movement was the main model for the protests. "In looking back at what the Ku Klux Klan did in support of their beliefs – marches, posters, slogans, ad hominem attacks, days of action, encouraging shop owners to ban those attempting to exercise rights, absolute refusal to consider current reality versus historical norms - man, I got a tingle up my leg."

This message has not been lost on the City of Chicago. Despite a court loss after court loss, the City of Chicago has decided to defy federal court decisions and keep their gun bans in place. In December, 2012 Judge Posner, of the 7th District U.S. Court of Appeals, issued a ruling saying Chicago's absolute gun ban was unconstitutional and Chicago had until June 8 to mend their ways. Taking a page from civil rights pioneer George Wallace, Chicago has vowed to ignore the federal courts.

Ruling in favor of Chicago continuing to enforce the questioned law, Illinois Appellate Court Judge Jesse Reyes wrote that the federal ruling "is not binding on Illinois courts." Paul Castiglione, director of policy in the Cook County state's attorney's office, testified at a hearing before a legislative panel in February that the federal ruling has no authority over state courts, and his office would continue prosecuting violations even after the June 8 (federal court) deadline.

A city council official, on condition of anonymity since he was not authorized to speak on behalf of the administration, said "When we went back and looked at historical precedent, we were immediately struck by the school segregation cases. I mean, damn, here is an entire state where the federal courts said the state must allow undesirables to exercise their so-called rights, and the chief executive of that state stood up and said ‘Shut up bitch, state law overrides federal courts."

Chicago Mayor Rahm "I swear I am not a puppet of President Obama" Emanuel, when asked about the city's position, stated:

Ken Hanson, a gun nut attorney, was contacted for his feedback on the city's actions. Hanson said, "The really sad thing is that there is enough in this story that mirrors real life that readers are still trying to figure out if the story is true or an April Fools joke.

Ken Hanson is a gun rights attorney in Ohio. He serves as the Legislative Chair for Buckeye Firearms Association, and is the attorney of record for Buckeye Firearms Foundation, which filed friend-of-the-court briefs in the Heller and McDonald Supreme Court cases. The National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) has awarded him with its 2008 Defender of Justice Award and 2009 Jay M. Littlefield Volunteer of the Year Award. He is the author of The Ohio Guide to Firearm Laws, a certified firearms instructor and holds a Type 01 Federal Firearms License.