🚀 go-pugleaf

strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight) writes:

>Those who would oppose registration because it would make it easier to
>enforce laws should direct their attention to the laws, not the
>registration. Otherwise they are advocating making law violation
>easier.  The proper place to oppose "improper" laws is in the
>law-making process, and subsequently in the courts, not in the
>"registration" arena, unless registration itself is, say,
>unconstitutional. If it is, then the grounds for opposition are
>constitutional, not that it's "been shown" (I say it hasn't) that
>registration is usually a prelude to confiscation.

I think the main problem many people have with registration schemes has
nothing to do with enforcing *current* laws.  It has to do with setting
the stage for making future (undesirable) laws possible.  It is easier to
fight bad legislation by not giving congresscritters the inkling that
something is even possible, than it is by letting them know they can increase
their power and then trying to prevent them from doing it.

By the way, a MAJOR HUGE difference between automobiles and guns/crypt
is that driving a car on the highways of a state is a privilege, whereas
bearing arms in defense of self/family/country and communicating with
others privately are RIGHTS guarranteed (not granted) by our constitution.

The state has an interest in registering automobiles, so that it can
exercise the authority granted it by its citizens regarding vehicular
rules and regulations.  But the state has NO legitimite interest in
registering firearms or crypto keys, since its citizens have NOT granted
it the authority to interfere with exercising these rights.  The legislature
does not have the authority to pass laws which infringe on these rights,
and if our courts were performing their duty all that crap would get
thrown out.  But since things don't always work as intended, some of us
tend to get more PROactive than REactive.

This is why the mention of firearms/crypto key registration makes people
hopping mad - we know what the long term impact of letting such laws get
passed will be.  The government will assume powers not given it by the
people.

-- 
Michael T. Palmer, M/S 152, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681
Voice: 804-864-2044,   FAX: 804-864-7793,   Email: m.t.palmer@larc.nasa.gov
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