This was from my most recent VCDL newsletter...time to plan to attend Lobby Day, folks!

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Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring wants to push more gun control and do a power grab under the guise of fighting "hate crime."

In his press release it says, "Attorney General Herring and his team have been working with stakeholders from across the Commonwealth to develop legislation that will update hate crime laws and clearly define what constitutes a hate crime in Virginia, update domestic terrorism laws, and allow localities to decide whether firearms are permitted at events."  Funny, VCDL hasn't been contacted and I have not heard that any other gun-rights groups have been contacted, either.  We are absolutely stakeholders, as his proposals deal with firearms.

Here is what Herring is proposing to do in the General Assembly using various bills to be introduce in January:

* Empower the Attorney General to prosecute hate crimes - Here is the power grab I referred to above.  The Attorney General wants to take hate-crime prosecutions away from local government and put it under his own auspices.

* Prohibit Paramilitary Activity - we will need to watch this one carefully, as it could easily make group firearms-training hard to do or illegal.

* Identifying and intervening in the actions of violent white supremacist and hate groups - keep in mind that some consider gun owners to be part of a hate group.  Vague wording in this bill could be dangerous.

* Letting localities ban firearms at any permitted event - no carrying at parades or anything else that requires a permit or could require a permit.  If  there is an attack at such an event, innocents need to be able to protect themselves.  As we saw in Charlottesville, the police can be told to stand down and you are completely on your own.

* Keeping guns away from those convicted of hate crimes - clearly the idea is for some of the hate crimes to be misdemeanors and for those misdemeanors to take away the right to keep and bear arms.  That is a non-starter.  Felonies take away rights, not misdemeanors.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the tip of the iceberg.  We are going to need all hands on deck during the General Assembly and we need a strong Lobby Day on Monday, January 21, from 8 am to 12 noon.

And I suppose the "counter protesters" are the good guys, right? Violent white supremacist and hate groups on one side, and Mother Teresa's Avengers on the other?

This code has been in place for a while, no need to add to it as it's plain and simple. On the code itself, really surprised it hasn't been used as some like to post pics, run their mouths on forums, in public, etc. about "how and what" they ere "going" to do. Of course protection of ones self, family and friends against act of violence not initiated by same is not violating the spirit of the code.

§ 18.2-433.2. Paramilitary activity prohibited.
A person shall be guilty of unlawful paramilitary activity, punishable as a Class 5 felony if he:

1. Teaches or demonstrates to any other person the use, application, or making of any firearm, explosive or incendiary device, or technique capable of causing injury or death to persons, knowing or having reason to know or intending that such training will be employed for use in, or in furtherance of, a civil disorder; or

2. Assembles with one or more persons for the purpose of training with, practicing with, or being instructed in the use of any firearm, explosive or incendiary device, or technique capable of causing injury or death to persons, intending to employ such training for use in, or in furtherance of, a civil disorder.

1987, c. 720.

I agree, the law on the books is already prohibitive enough, as someone just conducting firearms training could be reclassified as paramilitary according to that language.

It's frankly ridiculous how certain groups already really break that law as we speak, but because they're of a certain "background" it's acceptable. Whereas we just want to defend our natural rights and can be labeled terrorists.

It all depends on whether you're part of the in crowd.