Ever since we got that wonderful gift from Justice Thomas on his birthday in 2022, the former “may-issue” states have been having hissy fits. The landmark NYSRPA v. Bruen decision sent a clear message to draconian states that the villagers shall have their pitchforks and they shall be able to have them in public for self-defense. Recent antics coming from Attorney General Matthew Platkin include an initiative allowing businesses to register as “gun-free zones” and get a “free” sticker advertising their disdain for civil liberties.
Governor Murphy, D-N.J., enacted a so-called “Bruen response” law back toward the end of 2022. The hotly debated measure had citizen opposition outweighing support by more than 10 to one. Nonetheless, he signed what was one of the strictest gun control laws at that time.
A number of sensitive location provisions got put into place from the law’s enactment. Several of those location bans have been preliminarily enjoined from being enforced. The injunction that came from the Federal District Court of New Jersey received a partial stay from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
One of the provisions that was enjoined and the state failed to obtain a stay on was a “vampire rule.” The law – currently not being enforced as of this writing – required individuals to receive affirmative permission from private land owners prior to bringing a concealed firearm onto the property. The court found that private property generally open to the public is not considered a “sensitive location” by default. That’s not to say property owners can’t post their business or land, because they can.
Platkin announced the other day that he and his office is there for any of the businesses or property holders that wish to make it clear they’re not in favor of civil liberties.
To assist businesses who choose to make that notice, the Office of the Attorney General is making free “Gun Free Zone” decals available to New Jersey businesses. They are available for pickup at the Attorney General’s Office, the 21 County Prosecutor Offices, or can be downloaded as a flyer on the Attorney General’s website.
The bright yellow decals – which read in part, “For the Safety of Our Visitors and Staff Leave Your Guns at Home” – will help the public quickly identify which businesses allow patrons with New Jersey carry permits to enter while carrying firearms. Businesses that choose to keep their premise gun-free can communicate that choice through signage, and these decals offer a straightforward way to explicitly indicate that firearms are not welcome on their property. Any property owner, including homeowners who wish to prohibit firearms on their driveways and lawns, may post the notice to make clear that firearms are not allowed on premises.
You read that correctly. The sticker states, “For the Safety of Our Visitors and Staff Leave Your Guns at Home.” We shouldn’t be shocked that the current administration would take such a stance, but c’mon, isn’t that just a little too biased? How is it okay for the attorney general’s office to hand out stickers that insinuate that it’s less safe for citizens to be armed?
“New Jerseyans should be able to go about their daily lives without the risk of senseless gun violence,” said Attorney General Platkin. “The simple placement of these decals can offer some sense of security to customers and give business owners a means to clearly state their policy.”
That’s not taking an overt stance, is it? Platkin is pairing “gun violence” with law-abiding citizens exercising permitted concealed carry. This is quite literally the attorney general engaging in bigotry, treating a marginalized community, gun owners, like they’re the criminals and subhuman. Where’s the ACLU on this one?
Platkin and Murphy are just disgusting and will go down in history with Governor Wallace standing in the doorway of the schoolhouse.
If the attorney general and Murphy wanted to be apolitical about this, they would be handing out standard ghostbusters style signage, with no words at all.
On the information page about sensitive locations is an interesting note, “No matter what you’ve heard, owners of public establishments CAN display signs prohibiting guns on and around their property.” Does the executive branch in New Jersey think people are that stupid that they can’t post their own property?
Noticeably absent from Platkin and Murphy’s sticker party page were stickers saying that firearms ARE welcome. Considering that taxpayers are paying for the gun-free-zone bumper stickers – because they have a bumper sticker slogan on them – the government should be supplying stickers noting the opposite. Maybe some bored citizens will sue over this – I think they should.
It’s probably that Platkin – who fell asleep during the oral arguments at the Third Circuit for the preliminary injunction hearing in the cases challenging the carry-killer law – and Murphy are scrambling and making ready for a potential decision from the court. Perhaps they’re hunkering down for their sensitive location provisions to be further enjoined?
How the three judge panel is going to decide this case is not known. The questions asked and tone leaned towards some underlying hostility towards liberty, with skepticism slightly present that day in the courtroom in Philadelphia. But then again the space smelled of the weak tea arguments the State of New Jersey brought to the table (while Platkin slept). The Third Circuit is known for being a court with integrity, so we’ll just have to wait and see how it hashes out.
In the meantime, I’d like to point out that the data shows that at the same time there was an explosion of over thirty thousand new permit to carry holders in New Jersey, so-called “gun violence” went down…
Read the full article here