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Religious Permits and Licenses By Jeff Jackson (6/30/04)

The Land of the Free - A Conservative Politics Web Site

Many states in the union require citizens to have “permits” to carry firearms. Many other states completely ignore the second amendment all together and refuse to allow their citizens to carry guns even for valid self defense reasons.

The second amendment which states “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” uses similar wording to the amendment that immediately precedes it. Is it so far of a leap to assume that somewhere, someday the same “logic” that states use to restrict or completely prohibit a citizen’s federal right to bear arms will be used to restrict or completely prohibit the way one worships or to at least require a “permit” to worship?

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” is how the first amendment starts. The language is remarkably similar. Both the first and second amendments use absolute negative terms to describe how the government is prohibited from doing certain tasks. The second amendment says “shall not be infringed”. The first amendment says “shall make no law”.

Both in essence say that government cannot prohibit you from either bearing arms or being free to practice your religion. But the government continues to allow states to have the right to license you to carry a gun if not prohibit you from doing so all together. And the Federal Government likewise somehow deems the absoluteness of the Second Amendment null and void for certain types of arms such a "assault weapons" which are not really "assualt weapons" but simply look like "assault weapons".

So what, other than “the people”, is to stand in the way of prohibiting your free exercise of religion or requiring you to have a little card with your denomination and church that you belong to? The answer is nothing. And it is true of all actions by government. The only check against government doing things that it is not, on paper and in spirit, allowed to do is for the “people” to be willing to do whatever is necessary to stop government from exceeding it’s mandated powers. However "the people" seem unwilling to support and protect their own Constitutional privileges. They've let "right to carry" laws slide for years.

While we are on the subject, the rest of the first amendment is likewise in jeopardy if we continue to ignore the clear meaning of words such as "no" and "not". “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech” it says. “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom … of the press” it says as well. “Congress shall make no law … abridging … the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” it concludes.

Soon, if we continue to overlook the process of requiring permits for firearms, all of these rights are similarly in danger. Consider not being allowed to speak freely unless you have an approved permit. Consider not being allowed to publish your sentiments without an “official” license. And forget about being allowed to assemble without a “permit”…oh wait…we already have that in many places (aka parade permits).

Think your religion is safe? Our founding fathers thought that our right to keep and bears arms would be safe as well once they put words on paper to that effect. If the second amendment is not a guarantee, then what makes you think that the first amendment is?

If you support registering firearms or being required to carry a "permit" in order to partake in your second amendment rights, how will you scream foul when the government comes to register your religion and require a "permit" to worship? When they come for you who will defend you?