Time to get into the box I guess.
by CmdrFenix on Dec.19, 2009, under Political Discussion
I have a concealed weapons permit. I believe that having a firearm doesn’t make me a stronger person, but it is a tool that *could* be called upon if the time arises. I am not going to get into an argument with anyone about what instances I might have to use that, (and no a kid with a slingshot doesn’t qualify) but I would like to point out something that I just found out about that was buried in the Amtrak funding bill.
It may sound absurd. But President Obama signed a bill into law Wednesday that requires passengers who carry firearms aboard Amtrak be locked in boxes for their journey.
it was an obvious typo in the bill and I am guessing that if I tried to board an Amtrak train they wouldn’t try to stuff me in a box, but still. Why? Has there been shootings on trains? What reason justifies this action? It has no purpose. Before anyone starts trying to take this to an absurd argument level about liberty and freedom, I am talking strictly about rationale behind this bill. Is it not illegal to harm another human being with a firearm without just cause? I mean, are they trying to make me safer, how?
Earlier this week, Congress sent the president a massive spending bill that funded dozens of federal departments. Tucked into the transportation section of the legislation are safety requirements for Amtrak customers who carry firearms on board the government-backed train system. The bill Congress passed mandates that passengers with firearms declare they have weapons with them in advance and stow them in locked boxes while on the train.
I just have issues when things like this are just tucked away inside of seemly unrelated bills. The provision has no justifiable purpose. The crime they are trying to stop is ALREADY illegal. Why do we need more restrictions? I will also say the Republicans have contributed to my anger. (more often than not lately)
Rep. John Fleming and Sen. Roger Wicker, both Mississippi Republicans, are the primary advocates of the Amtrak gun provision.
I am in no way just anti-Democrats, but right now completely anti-Politicians in general atm. I think it’s about time we flushed this toilet.
December 19th, 2009 on 12:59 pm
I read about this earlier, it looks like what happened was that the bill covers carrying firearms on federally-regulated transit, and was intended to cover like aircraft and stuff. However, some subsequent clarifications and definitions elsewhere lumped amtrak into the same category. It’s a strange one, to be sure.
December 19th, 2009 on 6:19 pm
I dunno. How big a box? Can it have a pillow and a reading lamp? I might prefer that to being seated in the open car.