The battle over the right to bear arms is flaring in Vermont, where a local gun range has moved to prohibit the Burlington Police Department from training at its facilities after the City Council voted to advance a measure banning semi-automatic rifles and large-capacity magazines.
The leadership of the Lamoille Valley Fish and Game Club explained that it’s “difficult” for the club to support the city — even its officers — given the actions of the council.
Yep, the .gov wants to ban the citizens from having “Dangerous” Rifles and pistols, then why do they keep handing out EXACTLY that to our police force? Sorry officer, if you or your superiors are going to be against us, you don’t get to use our range, build your own!
I still think a great test for what is legal and illegal, is what Police are allowed to carry. Things like Tasers, handcuffs, squad cars, and batons, are specialty items, as people have the right to just walk away from a crime being committed, but police are there to enforce the law. I get that. But the guns, and the bullet proof vests, and ammo, are all for the EXACT same reason as why I have them.
Also don’t get me wrong, if my FAL is protected under the 2nd Amendment, there’s no reason why we need to be concerned about deer rifles, or skeet guns. Same goes for Batons and Tasers, and pepper spray…or handcuffs. We just don’t get to use them in the same way…especially the handcuffs! 😉
Under the “common use” language in the Heller decision, it’s hard to argue that what’s “standard issue” for police isn’t “in common use”, which would include AR-15 “patrol rifles” (I like Homeland Security’s “personal defense weapons” term better! 😉 ), Glock/M&P/SIG/XD “standard-capacity” magazines, hollow-point ammunition (it’s a safety device to prevent over-penetration!), and Level-III body armor.
Pepper spray, Tasers, and batons give you other options along the “force spectrum”, so you have steps to escalate, and don’t have to choose solely between “empty-handed” and “lethal force”. They should be legal for anyone to buy/carry, too.