Gilbert Arenas and the insanity of gun laws...

My opinion on the Gil Arenas situation:

First some background:

Apparently NBA star Gilbert Arenas allegedly pulled a gun on a fellow teammate because of a dispute over some gambling debt. Arenas later described it as a prank. Interesting choice of a prank but, I digress.

Now let's assume that the NBA is a fully private enterprise with the locker room being private property of the NBA. The NBA apparently prohibits guns on their property unless held by police and/or security personell. There is nothing wrong with this. Second amendment rights do not supersede property rights.

Keeping this in mind, I have no problem with the NBA suspending Arenas. I do not think it should be indefinite, but that is their decision. I also have no problem with the fines on the other players.

My problem is with the over-reaching gun laws. Arenas has been charged with "illegal" gun possession by the state before. How are laws like these even possible? These types of laws are blatant attacks on property rights and the right to bear arms. These dictates basically say: you must get permission from the local thuggery (state) to be able to defend yourself.

Support by the NRA, gun-confiscating liberals and "law and order" conservatives for laws like these are the problem.

Gun rights are synonomous with property rights. People should carry guns or choose not to carry them, that is their right.

Just take a look at these ridiculous laws that Arenas is subject to:

As listed in the DC Official Code:
§ 7-2507.06, any person who violates any provision of this Act shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $1,000 or be imprisoned for not more than one year, or both, except that: A person convicted of knowingly possessing restricted pistol bullets in violation of § 7-2506.01(3) may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 10 years and shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a mandatory-minimum term of not less than 1 year and shall not be released from prison or granted probation or suspension of sentence prior to serving the mandatory-minimum sentence, and, in addition, may be fined an amount not to exceed $10,000. Additional penalties may apply. (See Part IV, Sections 1 and 6 of this guide.)

Storage of firearms:Policy:
It is recommended that each registrant keep any firearm in his or her possession unloaded and either disassembled or secured by a trigger lock, gun safe, locked box, or other secure device.Criminal Offense: The law requires that no person shall store or keep any loaded firearm on any premises under his control if he knows or reasonably should know that a minor under the age of 18 is likely to gain access to the firearm without the permission of the parent or guardian of the minor unless such person:Keeps the firearm in a securely locked box, secured container, or in a location which a reasonable person would believe to be secure; or Carries the firearm on his person or within such close proximity that he can readily retrieve and use it as if he carried it on his person.

Penalties:
A person who violates subsection (b) of this section is guilty of criminally negligent storage of a firearm and, except as provided in paragraph (ii) of this subsection, shall be fined not more than $1,000, imprisoned not more than 180 days, or both. A person who violates subsection (b) of this section and the minor causes injury or death to themselves or another shall be fined not more than $5,000, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.The provisions of paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this subsection shall not apply if the minor obtains the firearm as a result of an unlawful entry to any premises by any person.

The machinations of the local politic is sometimes unpredictable, however one thing is certain: the local thugs....er..."authorities" will always briefly lift their tax engorged snouts from the public trough in order to enforce these un-constitutional gun laws as Gil Arenas is likely about to find out.