It’s time to protect rights of our nation’s citizens

Dear editor,

The survey results are in, and the first topic I will discuss is strengthening the right to keep and bear arms in Idaho.

Vice President Harris has promised that if she becomes President, “We will finally pass red flag laws, universal background checks, and an assault weapons ban.” With the current makeup of Congress, including Republicans, this could become a reality.

Local, state, and federal authorities are looking at Idaho and how to weaken the 2A to make it another California or New York. We can do many things to keep bad actors away from our natural rights, which God has given us.

Idaho needs a stronger stand-your-ground law. If someone has been arrested in Idaho and believes they acted in self-defense, they should be able to call a pre-trial hearing within a short period.

A timely pre-trial hearing would force the government entity to show evidence that a crime has been committed or not. Prosecutors could no longer hide behind red tape and bureaucracy and defer a lengthy amount of time. These games of legal maneuvering ruin the lives of the innocent, who exercised a God-given right to self-defense. Also, if someone is prosecuted but a jury finds them not guilty because of self-defense, that person should have the ability to have attorney’s fees awarded to them.

Idaho must also strengthen its firearm pre-emption law, which the Idaho Supreme Court gutted. If the legislature doesn’t fix this issue, “Gun-free zones” are a real possibility on public property. If it’s public property, you have a right to defend yourself there, but the ISC disagrees and has opened the door for people like Boise Mayor Lauren McLean to implement “gun-free zones” all over the capital.

My thought is that anyone who usurps the right of self-defense should be automatically liable when we are rendered incapable of taking care of ourselves because they decide to limit our access to use our firearms.

“Gun-free zones” should be relabeled as “mass shooting zones.” Gun-free zones have shown to be the preferred location mass shooters look at first. The U.S. Concealed Carry Association reports that from 1988 to 2019, more than 85 percent of mass public shootings have occurred in gun-free zones.

In Idaho, we have gun-free zones in our schools, and this needs to change. We need to allow those who want to carry a firearm the ability to be able to keep it on their person. A sign and an invisible line will not prevent a mass shooting in these areas. We currently carry at our banks and grocery stores, driving our kids and grand kids around and going to the park/outdoors with the family.

“Gun-free zones” need to be a thing of the past.

We also must strengthen our Second Amendment Preservation Act. Currently, in Idaho, if the President of the United States passes a so-called “assault weapons ban,” then federal agents could start no-knock raids and take personal property away. This will lead to violations of 2A rights, 4A rights and, I’m afraid, possibly deaths.

Wyoming strengthened its firearm laws against federal overreach. Currently, under WY 6-8-405, if any official, agent, or employee of the United States Government tries to enforce an assault weapons ban or anything else federal firearm-related, they can be prosecuted and could be convicted of a misdemeanor.

This law adds that their Attorney General may defend the Wyoming citizen if the U.S. government prosecutes them on a federal firearm charge.

In Idaho, there is zero reason we shouldn’t have the strongest 2A laws in the country. If Wyoming can protect against federal overreach, we can do it as well, and even better!

It’s time for Idaho to lead the country in defending the 2A. We can and will do better.

Again, I want to remind you of the importance of focusing on an Idaho First Agenda! We need patriots who will serve in our state capitals to fight federal overreach and stand firm against those — in both parties — who prioritize seizing political power over representing constituents.” State Freecom Caucus Network

– Christy Zito,

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