South Bend pols break state law to curtail gun rights

Local politicians in South Bend, Ind., are circumventing state law to limit firearm and ammunition sales.

Without a complaint of a crime being committed, the nine-member South Bend City Council arm twisted a local Walmart store to follow firearm sale regulations declared in an agreement made between the two entities on June 13, 2011. Yet effective July 1, 2011 state law says “a political subdivision may not regulate firearms, ammunition, and firearm accessories”.

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According to local news reports the agreement says Walmart must limit sales of firearms to rifles and shotguns used only for hunting or target practice. No “tactical guns” or “assault weapons” with its related ammunition are to be sold and all guns and ammunition, other than shotgun shells, should be kept in locked display cases.

The Walmart story in South Bend, Ind.

Complaints of firearms and ammunition not stored properly together with flyers distributed by Walmart containing photos of semi-automatic rifles prompted the South Bend City Council to contact Walmart attorneys to advise them to make the appropriate changes to their gun catalog and storage units. Walmart has agreed to comply with the agreement.

Walmart can agree to whatever it wants, but the law abiding citizens of South Bend will have to go out of town to purchase firearms and ammunition that Walmart will not carry.  Well at least until some other anti-firearm institution chooses to operate above the law.

The anti-gun ideology of both the City Council and Walmart apparently trumps state law, and apparently neither care much for the Second Amendment to the Constitution.

This is how stealth gun control works.  Gun haters enact pseudo laws, use political clout, and turn a blind eye to the Constitution in order to limit gun sales to law abiding citizens.

Walmart is a billion dollar company with big dollar profits.  Easily it could refuse to abide by an outdated agreement, particularly with a new law banning local restrictions in effect.  However, in this instance, the retail giant buckles down to political power like a well trained German Sheppard rolls over for its human master.

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When it comes to stealth firearm bans, a huge problem is that the experts in the field are not heard in the matter, and the politicians usually have no idea what they are talking about when it concerns guns.

For instance, the main difference between traditional semi-automatic rifles and the AR-15 rifle (used by the military) is aesthetic.  If we compare the sometimes called “tactical” AR-15 rifle with a semi-automatic rifle, both fire a single shot at trigger and both immediately eject the spent cartridge and chamber in a new one. And, in any event, both rifles are being manufactured and sold for hunting purposes.

We know “assault weapons” is not a real term.  It was invented by politicians for the sole purpose of frightening other politicians to conform to gun bans.

The real goal of the gun control herd is this:  Make up scary sounding names, and ban all guns regardless of how they operate and the means in which they are used.

Good thing for us it doesn’t take a retail mogul to fight the mangled system.

Gun rights hero in the making, Indiana resident Benjamin A. Magenheimer is suing the city of Evansville, Indiana, and the Evansville Department of Parks & Recreation for violating the same law that the South Bend City Council is ignoring.

While Mr. Magenheimer was carrying a legal hand gun together with his open carry permit at the city zoo, he was approached by four police officers who requested that he conceal his weapon.

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When Mr. Magenheimer refused, he and his family were abruptly ordered to depart from the premises.  He is now asking for damages, attorney’s fees, declaratory and injunctive relief from the Circuit and Superior Court of Vanderburgh County in Evansville, Indiana.

The court hearing on the matter is scheduled for December 10, 2012.

Go figure.  Walmart gets squashed like a stepped-on ant, while one brave gentleman fights for gun rights for us all.  I hope Mr. Magenheimer wins!

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