This has been popping up all over (emphasis mine):
a Vermont state legislator recently introduced a bill requiring all unarmed Vermont citizens to pay $500 for the privilege of not owning a gun.
...
Under the bill, adults who choose not to own a weapon would be required to register their name, address, Social Security number, and driver's license number with the state. Those of military age, with the exception of police and members of the armed forces, would be required to pay the $500 fine.
Brings a smile to my face.
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7 comments:
I would like to suggest an amendment to make the database of those people open to the public and search-able online :)
Let's see if people really respect the privacy and rights of those who choose not to carry.
I'm sure only people with honorable intentions would ever even look at such a database
*snickers*
Hey, if we should be registered for daring to exercise our rights, those who are not exercising their civil rights should be registered as well!
I hope that's satire, because it can be used to find out who has a gun by the process of elimination, never mind how wrong it is to fine someone for not having a gun.
Not constitutional, but yes it brought a smile to my face too. For it points out the insanity of doing the same for those who are, or chose to be armed to do the same.
From Say Uncle's link it appears that it IS in the VT Constitution:
"Article 9th. Citizens' rights and duties in the state; bearing arms; taxation
That every member of society hath a right to be protected in the enjoyment of life, liberty, and property, and therefore is bound to contribute the member's proportion towards the expense of that protection, and yield personal service, when necessary, or an equivalent thereto, but no part of any person's property can be justly taken, or applied to public uses, without the person's own consent, or that of the Representative Body, nor can any person who is conscientiously scrupulous of bearing arms, be justly compelled thereto, if such person will pay such equivalent; nor are the people bound by any law but such as they have in like manner assented to, for their common good: and previous to any law being made to raise a tax, the purpose for which it is to be raised ought to appear evident to the Legislature to be of more service to community than the money would be if not collected."
Cool.
Double-secret cool!!!!!!
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