Reciprocity is an issue that will not go away, at least not until the U.S. Supreme Court provides clarity. The right to carry a firearm away from the home for self-defense should not disappear when one simply crosses a state line.
This creates instant criminals out of law-abiding citizens and needlessly puts them at risk simply for complying with the law. Reciprocity, on the other hand, ensures that people can exercise their Second Amendment rights when traveling out of state.
A case climbing the judicial ladder could be the one that inspires justices to act and correct this injustice.
2A advocates urged justices to strike down unconstitutional gun restrictions
An honor roll of Second Amendment advocacy groups, including the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), filed an amicus brief last week requesting that the U.S. Supreme Court grant certiorari in this critical case before the bench.
Gardner v. Maryland concerns a Virginia woman traveling through Maryland to visit her mother in Pennsylvania. Eva Marie Gardner was arrested and charged with carrying a pistol without a Maryland permit, even though she had a valid license for Virginia.
Enter reciprocity.
Travelers do not lose their 2A rights when they cross state lines
Gardner’s case argues that Maryland’s statute is a historical outlier. People across the U.S. traditionally had the right to carry their legally owned firearms outside their homes, including when traveling out of state.
Then there’s the issue of Americans who regularly travel having to obtain permits from numerous states, a costly and burdensome process. No other enumerated right is subject to such restrictions, and the people would correctly oppose such infringements.
The brief further noted that concealed carry permit holders are a far-from-uncommon segment of society that is not fueling violent crime.
Gardner and other permit holders should have the fundamental right to defend themselves while traveling. It is not a stretch to acknowledge that being away from home can be dangerous, and law-abiding Americans absolutely should be free to carry their legal weapons.
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