So James Yeager got his carry permit suspended.
A Middle Tennessee firearms trainer who made an ominous comment about killing people in a YouTube video that gained national attention this week has had his handgun carry permit suspended Friday by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
James Yeager, 42, had his permit suspended based on a “material likelihood of risk of harm to the public,” the department said in a statement.
Col. Tracy Trott of the Tennessee Department of Safety said it didn’t take him long to reach a decision after viewing the comments on the Internet.
Look, I’m no fan of James Yeager, and I’ve spoken quite a bit about his recent upswing in outlandish and potentially criminal videos here on this blog. Still, I’m a Freedom Loving American, and I say with no qualms that the 1st Amendment is not to protect your right to tweet your lunch on twitter, but to protect horrible groups like the KKK or the Westboro Baptist Church.
This is nothing but political grandstanding and bullshit. This situation really only boils down to two potential things. Either A) James Yeager is a dangerous sociopath who will kill people who shouldn’t justifiably be killed or B) Yeager is cowardly blowhard who likes to run his mouth.
Occam’s Razor points to the B) Option. Still, what does taking away his piece of paper do? He still has guns, he’s still a free man, and if option A is true, he still can commit crimes.
In my opinion, Tennessee is being even MORE of a cowardly blowhard than Yeager is. If James Yeager has committed a crime, arrest and charge him, then take away his rights that way. Don’t play foolish games that don’t do ANYTHING.
As I said before, if you have worked or were instructed under one of Mr. Yeager’s institutions, get some less controversial training IMMEDIATELY! I mean THIS WEEKEND! That’s likely too short notice (tho you had months to plan), still if you end up having to defend your life with deadly force, the more Mr. Yeager gets in the news for questionable acts, the more likely his bad judgement will be placed on YOU in a court of law.
I wouldn’t want to be in that situation. Sometimes justifiable homicide cases are VERY cut and dry, other times they’re clear, but like Mr. Zimmerman is experiencing right now, can be polluted by evil people with political motivations. Other cases can be pretty murky. You do NOT want this albatross hung around your neck.
Mr. Yeager’s foolish actions have likely forever suspended his right to lawful self defense. He’s threatened to murder people for things as small as a simple insult, or an unflattering opinion voiced. No matter what an attacker has been done, if Yeager acts with violence against that person these instances will be raised in the court, and likely he’ll lose his case and the remainder of his freedoms.
You do NOT want to be in that situation!
Tens of thousands of extremists on both sides (seems like more on the antis side though) have made threats similar to what Yeager did.
Those people did not lose their rights, didn’t lose their licenses; really seems like there is a double standard in play.
Bob,
You are right but we are being held to a higher standard these days. We have to be careful. We have to be vigilant. It sucks and it is not fair.
Scott