Tennessee House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh Explains His Deciding Vote Against Gun Legislation This Session
Submitted by WDEF on April 11, 2008 - 11:33am.
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Reason and Balance Key to Protection of Rights
Speaker Jimmy Naifeh
“In a healthy nation there is a kind of dramatic balance between the will of the people and the government, which prevents its degeneration into tyranny.”
- Albert Einstein
As many of you may or may not know, the Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives has the right to cast a vote in any committee or subcommittee meeting. In my nearly twenty years as Speaker, I have made it a point to use this privilege sparingly and save it for times when I feel such intervention is needed.
This year the House of Representatives has been faced with a number of bills dealing with the topic of guns. As a gun owner myself and someone who supports the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, the issue of gun ownership is a personal one. While I have and will continue to defend a Tennessean’s right to bear arms, I also recognize that with that right comes the need for responsibility. That need for responsibility led me to cast my vote against these bills.
There are some who have said these votes were “anti-gun” votes, trying to paint me and those who support my efforts as anti- Second Amendment. That could not be farther from the truth. In addition to owning sixteen different firearms, a few weeks ago I became one of the over 190,000 to earn a concealed weapons permit.
The aim of these bills was not to protect or defend the Second Amendment of this country, but rather an attempt by an extreme few to pervert our right to bear arms into a law that only recognizes a select few. Allowing people to carry concealed weapons in bars and restaurants does nothing to improve safety, but rather opens the door to much larger problems. Restricting and criminalizing access to the over 190,000 concealed weapons permit holders records does nothing for the protection of Tennessee’s 6.5 million residents. And so I voted these bills down.
The Jackson Sun Editorial Board praised my actions, not once but twice, saying “there's no doubt that Naifeh made the right decision in helping defeat these bills, not just because his constituents were opposed to them, but because killing the legislation will help keep Tennesseans safe.”
Most gun owners that I have talked to understand why this legislation was not acceptable, and recognize that here in Tennessee we have it pretty good. They, along with most Tennesseans, realize that the balance between those that own firearms and those who do not must be respected. But you cannot please everyone all the time, and so there are a couple of radicals out there claiming an anti-gun agenda ruled the day.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again and will continue to say it. As long as I am Speaker, we will never have to worry about our Second Amendment right being infringed upon.
You are the embodiment of
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on April 14, 2008 - 6:34pm.
You are the embodiment of tyranny, mister Speaker. Why do we need a legislature at all if you can make decisions for all of us without consulting our elected representatives?
I did not elect you, mister Speaker, and you do not have the authority you exercise.
Like all politicians, you would not accept this activity if it were perpetrated upon you by someone else. What pet projects of your own would you willingly give up if a theoretical conservative were to perpetually kill it without elected representation?
None of course. Your actions are unconscionable.
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The abuse of our judicial system
Submitted by Ridgerunner4u (not verified) on April 13, 2008 - 1:12am.
The Tyranny of Tolerance by Robert Dierker Jr. is very good reading on why our judicial system is getting pounding by these bill/laws all the time.
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Jimmy "Nay-fee"
Submitted by Linndy (not verified) on April 12, 2008 - 11:03am.
As far as I'm concerned, Jimmy, you just did "infringe" on my rights to bear arms. To re-iterate, when guns are outlawed in restaurants, only outlaws will shoot them in restaurants!
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Gun Bills
Submitted by Russ (not verified) on April 11, 2008 - 6:25pm.
Just another example of democrats going with the socialist left. The democratic party is no longer a party of the people, it is now controlled by the socialist. If your grandparents from before the 80s they would not be democrats today.
Go ahead Jimmy, spit on hard working everyday Americans some more. BTW, we are not giving up our guns for you or any other socialists. The criminals will always have guns. Shame on you Jimmy!
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Speaker of the Tennessee House got it wrong on CCW
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on April 11, 2008 - 5:01pm.
The Speaker of the Tennessee House Representatives got this one all wrong.
I am a CCW permit holder from Georgia and being such the state of Tennessee reciprocates my CCW permit from our state.
The 190,000 law abiding citizens who are CCW permit holders should be able to protect themselves and the other 6.5 million resides of Tennessee by carrying in bars and restaurants. There should be no place outside of government buildings and schools that CCW permit holders shouldn't be allowed to carry there weapons in. After all do you think that the bad people out there give a flip where and when they decide to pull out a gun and start killing for one reason or another?
I didn't think so!
I would much rather have a 9mm at the end of my hand when that time comes verses a cell phone with a cop on the other end when the bad guy pulls out his gun and starts shooting!
Think about it people...
You just assured the bad guys that they alone will have guns and no one else!
Let me repeat that "the bad guys alone will have guns and no one else!"
Great job Speaker!
Dalton, Ga
CCW permit holder
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infringed.
Naifeh:
"Restricting and criminalizing access to over 190,000 concealed weapons permit holders records does nothing for the protection of Tennessee's 6.5 million residents."
Me:
It does damned little against them, since permit holders tend NOT to commit crimes (which would jeopardize their permits, their second-amendment rights, and their very freedom.)
It must also be said that building a database of firearms ownership (aside from being questionable legally), does nothing for the privacy of the permit holders.
Also, please explain how a law that lets one carry a sidearm into a restaurant that happens to have beer and/or wine on the menu, "perverts the right to keep and bear arms into a law that only recognizes a select few". What, you mean the select few who can afford to eat there? Or maybe the select few who choose not to cook that evening? If I carry for self-defense, why should that right be suspended as I'm eating dinner at Outback?