I’m shocked by the lack of respect for the US Constitution shown by Dan Simpson, a retired diplomat and member of the editorial boards of both the Toledo Blade and the Pittsburgh Gazette. After all, he proposes nothing less than gun confiscation – and warrantless searches of any person or place without suspicion of any crime.

Now, how would one disarm the American population? First of all, federal or state laws would need to make it a crime punishable by a $1,000 fine and one year in prison per weapon to possess a firearm. The population would then be given three months to turn in their guns, without penalty.

* * *

The disarmament process would begin after the initial three-month amnesty. Special squads of police would be formed and trained to carry out the work. Then, on a random basis to permit no advance warning, city blocks and stretches of suburban and rural areas would be cordoned off and searches carried out in every business, dwelling, and empty building. All firearms would be seized. The owners of weapons found in the searches would be prosecuted: $1,000 and one year in prison for each firearm.

Clearly, since such sweeps could not take place all across the country at the same time. But fairly quickly there would begin to be gun-swept, gun-free areas where there should be no firearms. If there were, those carrying them would be subject to quick confiscation and prosecution. On the streets it would be a question of stop-and-search of anyone, even grandma with her walker, with the same penalties for "carrying."

WhatÂ’s more, he even notes positively that the slowness of the courts would enable many jurisdictions to disarm the citizenry before their rights under the Constitution could be vindicated.

LetÂ’s see, besides the obvious violation of the Second Amendment contemplated under this proposal, there are a number of other abrogations of the Bill of Rights that should trouble even the most ardent gun-grabber. I see violations of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments as well.

But what is more disturbing is that Simpson has apparently forgotten the history of this country that led to the American Revolution. Indeed, his search proposal is nothing less than the “Writ of Assistance” issued by the British government – one of the abuses of the rights of colonists that helped precipitate the American Revolution.

Indeed, I’m not sure what disturbs me more – Simpson’s un-American proposals, or the fact that a man so disconnected from the fundamental values contained in our Constitution was ever permitted to serve as in any capacity in the Foreign Service, much less at the ambassadorial level.

H/T CaptainÂ’s Quarters, Q and O, No Runny Eggs, The Liberty Papers

Posted by: Greg at 10:41 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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