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Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia E-News – May 23, 2007 COMMENTARY
An Armed Militia Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum
Early settlers to Virginia and to the Nation found it necessary to be armed to protect themselves. After all, there were the native Indians who objected to being forced off their lands. And then there were the French and the British and all the land ownership, taxation. and governance control that they brought with them. Little wonder that all male colonists were required to be part of the militia providing their own arms and reporting to training at least once each year. Understandably, the first Virginia Constitution adopted for the Commonwealth included among its declarations of rights: “That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed…” That basic language carried over in the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. With our modern day armed forces and well trained police forces at all levels of government, the need for a “well regulated militia composed of the body of the people” seems to have gone away. The right to bear arms continues to be forcibly supported by advocacy groups like the National Rifle Association and the Citizens Defense League and others. The right to possess weapons means that in addition to the legitimate interests of hunters, sportsmen and hobbyists guns find their way into the hands of criminals and the mentally unstable. The challenge for legislators is to find a way for responsible people to have access to guns but for those who would harm others to be restricted in their access. Unfortunately the debate that has occurred over many years about this issue has not been very well informed and has been dominated by those wanting absolutely no gun control. Hopefully Governor Kaine’s changes to the reporting of the mentally ill will prevent them from being able to purchase guns. Maybe tragedies like that at Virginia Tech can be prevented in the future. Certainly it is better than the current idea being promoted at George Mason University that all students be allowed to have a weapon. A bad grade, a broken heart, or an argument may too often be settled by a gun under such an approach. Supporters of unlimited gun rights have argued for years that the gun laws on the books should be enforced. Yet when the Governor of New York attempted through a sting operation to break up the flow of illegal guns from Virginia being used in crimes in his state, the Virginia Attorney General’s response was to take action to stop the Governor of New York. Since we are dealing only with illegal purchases here, why could the Commonwealth not cooperate and take action to stop this illegal flow of guns? Instead a gun raffle was held to support the dealers who were illegally selling the guns. We have grown beyond our need for a standing militia with their own guns. We need to make and enforce laws to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill.
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Delegate Ken Plum’s Weekly “Virginia Report” on Reston Comcast Channel 28
Tonight - Wednesday, May 23 at 10:30 p.m. – Chitra Sharathchandra and Shannon McGrail –“Partners in Policymaking”
Tuesday, May 29 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, May 30 at 10:30 p.m. – Dr. Preston Royster, African American Adoptions, Inc. – “Share Your Life with a Child” * * *
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Help shape Virginia’s transportation future. You can review the Working Draft FY 2008-2013 Six-Year Improvement Program Working Draft on VirginiaDOT.org or attend the statewide hearing in our region tonight, May 23, 7:00 p.m., Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax. Your comments are invited.
Attend “Expanding Regional Mobility Through Advanced Technology,” Seminary #2, on Friday, May 25 at the BoozAllenHamilton Conference Center, 8283 Greensboro Drive, McLean. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and the program is 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. This will be an interactive discussion of our regional needs and how we plan and implement new technologies in today’s zero-budget environment. Seminar Fee is $35; government employees attend free. Continental breakfast provided. A parking attendant will direct attendees to the parking garage. Call 703.572.8714 to register.
Have you been to Margaret’s Garden this week? It’s iris season again, and Mrs. Margaret Thomas welcomes you to her garden at 12410 Lawyers Road, just past the entrance to Fox Mill Estates. You will enjoy an incredible display of irises along with peonies, poppies, and columbines. Meander at your leisure, capture that perfect photo, or place an order for some irises. Margaret and her volunteers will be taking orders for irises beginning on May 26 until the supply is sold out. Your order will be ready in the fall. Margaret’s Garden is open 9:00 a.m. until dark daily through the blooming season.
Fairfax County is accepting nominations until May 31 for the eighth annual Environmental Excellence Awards Program designed to recognize individuals, organizations and businesses that unselfishly dedicate time, energy and expertise to improve the environment in support of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ environmental goals. For more information call the Fairfax County environmental coordinator at 703.324.1788, TTY 711.
The 19th Annual Clean the Bay Day will be held on Saturday, June 2, 9:00 a.m. to noon. Last June nearly 5,000 volunteers from communities throughout the Commonwealth joined the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s efforts to Save the Bay. Your participation in this high profile event will be a wonderful opportunity to interact with citizens of Virginia who demonstrate grassroots support for a healthy Chesapeake Bay. Contact Charlene Ihrig in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Hampton Roads Office at 757.622.1964 by Friday, May 18, for assistance with finding one of the hundreds of sites close to your home to help with the clean-up.
Join fellow boaters and lake enthusiasts to kick off Reston’s first Lake Cleanup on Saturday, June 2, 9:00 a.m. to noon, at Lakes Anne, Thoreau, Audubon, and Newport. As part of Lake Appreciation Month and in conjunction with National River Cleanup Week, Reston Association is looking for volunteers to get on the water and collect as much trash as possible. Supplies will be available at each lake. Participants will get BBQ afterwards! Contact Ha Brock, Volunteer Coordinator, at habrock@reston.org or 703.435.7986 to volunteer.
Virginia Political Landscape...a program of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston Social Justice Committee will be held Saturday, June 2, 9:00 a.m.at the Church at 1625 Wiehle Avenue. Panelists include Delegate Ken Plum and Senator Janet Howell. Information call 703.742.7992.
The annual Celebrate Fairfax! Festival is the weekend of June 8-10. Visit www.celebratefairfax.org for details about events, entertainment, and advance ticket sales for this fantastic weekend.
Make your own rain barrel! The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District invites you to make your own rain barrels to prevent stormwater runoff erosion and water your garden/lawn with recycled water. Workshop is Saturday, June 9, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. at Frying Pan Farm Park Visitor Center, 2739 West Ox Road. Cost is $35 per barrel for materials and supplies. Call 703.324.1423 for information or registration or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/rainbarrels.htm. Registration deadline is May 30.
The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce has scheduled “Taste of the Town 2007” for June 16 at the Reston Town Center. To celebrate, the chamber has unveiled www.restontaste.com, the new online home of Taste of the Town and your direct link to all things Taste related.
***************** Authorized and paid for by Kenneth R. Plum.
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