2020
This week, Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced plans to expand hunting and fishing on 2.3 million acres of federal land in 97 national wildlife refuges and 9 fish hatcheries. The single largest expansion in Federal Wildlife Service history, hunters may soon kill more migratory birds and other animals who’ve taken refuge on federal land. Endangered species could be disturbed or threatened. For more information on the proposal, go to Bloomberg Law.
Please comment on the proposal at regulations.gov. Then on the right side of the screen, click on the link “Comment Now.” Comments are open for from April 9 to June 8, 2020.
March 29, 2020
Federal: Buying firearms judged to be essential
Marion Hammer (NRA Past President and powerful Florida pro-gun lobbyist) is extending her prominence in the NRA. She alerted all NRA members that the gun industry is now designated as ‘critical infrastructure’ during the pandemic shutdown orders. This means gun manufacturers, stores, gun ranges and ammunition retailers can stay open.
The ruling disregards public safety for two reasons:
- The purpose of closing businesses is to stop the virus spread. Every type of business left open increases the spread of the virus.
- Gun groups try to frighten citizens into fears of public panic. The subtle message they use is, you need a gun to protect your family from those desperate for food. Now is the perfect time to frighten the public to buy more guns, but they need the gun business to churn away as normal.
The NRA’s strategy to fight gun safety measures
As usual, the pro-gun group justified their pressure on Trump to make this designation because it protects Second Amendment rights:
Please join us in thanking President Trump and his administration for once again keeping his promise to protect the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans.”
Any right can be curtailed during an emergency situation. Failing to do so, in this situation, jeopardizes public safety by exposing workers and the general public to the coronavirus. Unfortunately, many governors will use this Federal ruling to justify leaving gun stores open for business in their own state. The result will be panic-buying of weapons.
