08/22/2019 / By Vicki Batts
Red flag laws are getting all kinds of praise in the media right now, heralded as the “middle ground.” Under these laws, concerned family members and police officers may petition a court to have an individual’s firearms taken away after they’ve been determined “dangerous.” While there may be some circumstances where removing potential weapons from the home is actually done for the right reasons, there are far too many ways for this system to be abused.
There are substantial concerns that these laws violate multiple constitutional rights, and that such power can (and will) be corrupted. It will not take long before any person who dares to speak out will be labeled a “danger” and have their Second Amendment rights stripped away.
Red flag laws are getting praise from both sides of the aisle. Supporters say these laws are a great compromise between gun rights and gun control — but there are many concerns about the potential for these laws to be abused. Even as they are, red flag laws strip targeted individuals of their Second, Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
The “confiscate first, ask later” approach assumes gun owners are guilty, rather than innocent — and it strips them of their right to due process. The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments declare that state and federal government cannot deprive a person of “life, liberty or property without due process of the law.”
Under red flag laws, local municipalities are violating these rights by seizing citizens’ weapons based on the accusations of others and denying them a fair trial. The only way to restore your Second Amendment rights after being victimized by red flag laws is to ask for a court hearing.
These laws aren’t just violating people’s rights: They are establishing a precedent of being able to seize an individual’s weapons without due process. Eventually, what gets considered “dangerous” will expand to include anyone who disagrees with the party line or doesn’t kowtow to Big Government.
This is where another “red flag” pops up. Writing for American Greatness, Christopher Roach notes that even in the absence of intentional abuse, bias can still be a powerful influence. For example, Roach posits that many people who work in mental health would view the very desire to own a gun as a “red flag.” Left-leaning attitudes are prominent in the legal profession and court systems, as well — which again, automatically tips the deck in favor of the house. If you think all gun owners are nuts to begin with, how can you accurately judge whether or not someone is fit to own a weapon?
It is unconstitutional to allow a team of bureaucrats to undermine an individual’s rights like this, even if they actually committed a crime –never mind an innocent person who’s simply been accused of being “dangerous” by a court system they’re not even allowed to participate in.
In an opinion piece for USA Today, Michael Hammond questions further: “If the Constitution can be suspended in a secret hearing, where does this lead?”
We’ve already kind of seen where this will lead, thanks to Big Tech. Censorship has become a tenet of the social media industry, which is largely led by leftist tech companies. Dare to go against the grain, and reap the consequences: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are all guilty of banning users for disagreeing with the chosen narrative. Whether it be information on vaccine truth, natural remedies, fluoride toxicity or diverse political banter — there is no shortage of topics that Big Tech isn’t willing to censor. And it’s not just censorship: Google tracks everything you do, from what you buy to the food you eat and more. Big Tech is already abusing their power — it would be foolish to think Big Government won’t end up doing the same.
Read more of the news Big Media doesn’t want you to see at Censored.news.
Sources for this article include:
Tagged Under: abuse of power, big government, Bureaucrats, civil rights, corruption, due process, freedom, gun rights, guns, Liberty, mental health, political correctness, privacy watch, red flag laws, Second Amendment, thought crime, Tyranny
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