Plaxico: Pistol Whipped By The Law
Unless you have been living under a rock, you have probably heard that NFL star Plaxico Burress has been sentenced to two years in prison for “criminal possession of a weapon” and “reckless endangerment.” Plaxico had a gun in the waistline of his pants at a nightclub, it slipped, and as he went to grab it, the gun went off, shooting him in the leg in the process–yet injuring no one else. And now he is going to jail for two years.
Forget for a second that the United States Constitution states that “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
Plaxico Burress is famous football player with no history of major criminal actions. It is pretty safe to assume that Mr. Burress was carrying the gun to protect himself prom any possible threats, rather than with the intent of committing a crime.
The man shot himself in the leg. No one else was injured. The fact that the presence of the gun “could have” resulted in injury to someone else is irrelevant. The truth of the matter is that no one except for Plaxico Burress was injured.
Anyone, whether they are a celebrity like Plaxico or a “regular Joe” has the right to defend themselves. The right to bear arms is protected by the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution. It is my opinion that the right to self defense is a natural and inalienable right of man. This idea comes to me directly from the works of John Locke.
A law that violates the spirit and the letter of the Constitution, as well as “natural law” is an unjust law.
Plaxico will be going to prison with rapists and murderers for the next two years as a result of New York’s unjust “law” concerning guns. His young son will be left without a father for the next two years because the city of New York rejects the right of a man to defend himself.
As I said above, Plaxico was almost certainly carrying this weapon as a defensive measure to use only in case of a hostile threat. Sentencing a productive, non-violent member of society for two years for this offense is an affront to justice, as well as an affront to the Constitution of the United States of America.
Americanly Yours,
Phred Barnet
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Plaxico’s gun was only registered in his home state, not in NY. Which means, as far the NY cops are concerned, he was carrying an unregisted weapon. Illegal.
It doesn’t matter that he wasn’t INTENDING to committ a crime. It doesn’t matter if he was carrying for protection, it doesn’t matter that the gun accidentally went off, it doesn’t matter that no one else got injured.
You say “A law that violates the spirit and the letter of the Constitution, as well as “natural law” is an unjust law” and I somewhat agree with you on the philosophical aspect of this statement, the law says if you register your firearm with New York State, you are allowed to carry it in New York State. This does not violate the spirit of the constitution. Plaxico is FREE to carry weapons if registers them. Which he did not.
1Couldn’t agree more. Even if the law was valid, which it isn’t, the specifics of the case make this sentence unjust.
2It’s funny; everyone seems to be tackling the issue of 2nd amendment rights this week. I’ve seen maybe 6 or 7 different articles on it…
One of the discussions I had via bloggage was about how certain state gov’ts are so suppressive of people’s rights, but how very few residents of those states seem inclined to do anything about it. The deprivation of 2nd amendment rights is especially heinous in NJ, NY, and CA…Interesting how these three states contained murder capitals of the country at least once each in the last 7 years (Camden, LA, NYC). Sometimes living in Jersey makes me sad…
Florida’s right-to-carry laws that passed in 1987 dropped the homocide rate 23% through 1996. Coincidence? Or are lawmakers just mentally handicapped? Usually the latter. (Source: http://www.nraila.org/Issues/factsheets/read.aspx?ID=18)
The good news is that “DC vs. Heller” will likely create a precedent for future 2nd amendment cases.
3Why does he need a gun in NYC? you don’t, all he had to do if he get shot is to call the cops, they will show up literally in 3 minutes! And they can chalk up his body before it gets cold.
4To McGee
The problem is: can NY make a law that basically says “screw you, Constitution, our LOCAL law is more powerful then the Constitution that GAVE us the power to make law in the first place.”
If they can prosecute him for a Constitutional right, then in fact, NY can make a new law that freedom is speech HAS TO BE REGISTERED otherwise an offense to NY law if one practices freedom of speech, how would that sound.
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