So the NRA wants us to be up in arms (pun intended) about this:
With the start of the 2016 Virginia legislative session quickly approaching, your NRA is working to address the…
Posted by National Rifle Association on Monday, December 28, 2015
Their premise—they are working to address “the political “activism” and complete disregard for law abiding concealed carry permit holders.” They complain about the Virginia Attorney General’s “Arbitrary” decision to rescind concealed carry reciprocity with 25 states.
The problem is, the decision shows neither disregard for out-of-state permit holders, nor is it arbitrary. Instead, it is simply a move by Virginia to assert its right as a sovereign state to set and enforce its own rules as to who may or may not carry concealed weapons in the state.
Reciprocity is a courtesy extended by one jurisdiction to citizens of another, allowing a license granted in one to be honored across a wide area. But reciprocity is not universal. Some licensing conveys—drivers licenses and marriage licenses are common examples—but others don’t, such as insurance brokers, electricians, plumbers, etc. Reciprocity depends on the rules being essentially the same from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. And this is where concealed carry permits fall short.
Virginia has enacted a set of regulations governing the issuance of concealed carry permits. If you wish to carry a concealed weapon, you need to abide by those regulations. (Note to the NRA: that’s what “law abiding” means …) To be clear, that doesn’t mean you meet Kentucky’s rules, or Idaho’s—you need to show that you meet Virginia’s rules. That’s the whole point of “states’ rights”—which, by the way, is something the NRA likes to use as an argument against Federal gun control initiatives …
The decision to stop honoring some states’ concealed carry permits was far from arbitrary, as the NRA claims. Instead, the Virginia Attorney General’s office reviewed the concealed carry polices of other states and made a determination on a case-by-case basis whether those polices were substantially the same as Virginia’s. Where they were, reciprocity was retained. Those permit carriers were deemed in compliance with Virginia law. Where they were not, reciprocity was denied. That is not abridging the rights of out-of-state concealed carry permit holders; they are, instead, being treated the same way as Virginia residents are. If you want to concealed-carry in Virginia, you need to demonstrate that you meet the conditions set by Virginia. And there is paperwork, for both residents and non-residents, that allows you to do that.
So, the NRA is essentially resorting to scare tactics. (Shocking!) They’re taking a position that is in opposition to a state’s rights to determine its own rules and regulations. It’s another example of their completely stupid position that any gun regulation, no matter how reasonable, is de facto evil and something to be stopped at all costs.
We have to be able to establish reasonable regulations regarding guns in this country, we need to #stampoutstupid.
