I recently got invited by a relative that lives in upstate New York to make a stop on my yearly multi-month camping trip across the United States in their neck of the words.
I think the area is very scenic and beautiful, but I have to decline under the grounds that I don’t like having to read an encyclopedia when I go somewhere to find out what’s illegal and not illegal based on the liberal policies of a state. But having to check whether or not I’ll get arrested for being in possession of my brand new Ruger RUG AR-556 if I visit relatives from out of state is a pain, especially since I have never really committed a crime to begin with. Some things should definitely not be crimes.
Now, it makes sense to make some things a crime. Using your cell phone while you are driving is one that comes to mind.
Driving drunk is another one. That being said, some things just don’t make one bit of sense that they are crimes.
Like owning body armor. Oh, I’m sorry…I’ll wait while you try to process how ridiculous that just sounded. You good? Ok, let’s continue.
Under current New York law, a “person is guilty of the unlawful purchase of body armor when, not being engaged or employed in an eligible profession, they knowingly purchase or take possession of body armor.” Further, it is not permitted for anyone to “sell, exchange, give or dispose of body armor … to an individual … not engaged or employed in an eligible profession.”
Now, that’s the part that gets me. The state is giving such a razor thin area of what’s legal that it doesn’t make one bit of sense.
I mean, it’s not illegal for someone to own a Glock, even in New York state. Sure, you might have to jump through more hoops because of the liberals that are running the state than in other places, but you can own your Glock.
However, if you decide that you needed to purchase body armor and you aren’t in some sort of specific club you could go to jail.
It’s stupid people, it’s just plain stupid. It would be like saying to someone that they can’t go into a sporting goods store and buy a baseball bat because the store needs to see their contract from the Detroit Tigers first.
Or that you can’t go buy a new set of cooking knives because the state needs to see your “Best New Chef” award from Food and Wine Magazine.
I always try to look at things from the average person and how it affects them, not just gun owners.
I have a friend who was violently assaulted several years ago and was asked to testify in a criminal trial that was going to send a gang leader away for a long time. During the trial, he would wear a bulletproof best under his shirt every day.
Here’s the thing, he was the manager of an electronics store. Not exactly the type of occupation that would be on the list of approved professions. Had he lived in New York, he would have been sent to jail for the mere act of protecting himself.
That being said, thank God for the Firearms Policy Coalition. They have recently filed a lawsuit challenging the ridiculous ban on body armor by the state of New York.
The ban on body armor is a slap in the face to the Founding Fathers who in the document that founded our nation said, and I quote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
So according to the state of New York, you cannot exercise the rights given you to by God that were outlined explicitly in the Declaration of Independence.
They are trying to limit the ways you can protect yourself, that’s how they control you. It’s a right to be able to protect yourself.
If they’re going to outlaw this, they might as well outlaw bike helmets too.
