Under federal law, anyone who is "adjudicated as a mental defective" is a "prohibited person" who may not possess or receive firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) interpretation of this has applied this term "prohibited person" to veterans and
family members who receive VA benefits, but who are unable to manage their own financial affairs.
For almost 10 years the VA has reported these financially challenged individuals and their family members to the FBI for inclusion in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). This list is used to screen for and deny firearm purchases to these "so called" "prohibited persons". In a word they denied these people their Second Amendment Rights by interpreting what they considered a "prohibited person" is.
In Sept. 2009, the VA issued another directive to its regional offices, ordering staff to report potential (yes I did say potential) "prohibited persons" to the BATFE, where investigations could result in criminal (yes I did say criminal) prosecutions of GIs who were in combat, other veterans and family beneficiaries. Now they not only took away your Second Amendment Right but opened you up to criminal charges and incarceration. I thought we were fighting a War on Terrorism but apparently it included GIs, veterans and their family.
Finally after multiple complaints from the VA's own employees, legislators, and other organizations safeguarding our civil rights the VA rescinded this policy.
To safeguard our freedoms we must be eternally vigilante about individuals or agencies within our own government from slowly eroding our freedoms and their subtle and sometimes not to subtle attack on the Constitution of the United States of America. Be warned!
2 comments:
Thanks, Doc. Great article, and an important warning.
Remember: "the price of freedom is eternal vigilance." (John Philpot Curran (1750-1817), Irish politician and judge)
Gus,
I really worry about the direction that the Federal Government is taking the United States of America. Will we recognize this country in 10 or 20 years, or sooner?
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