The Federalist Makes the Case for National Reciprocity

The only reason I wouldn’t vote for national reciprocity if I were in Congress was because we’d passed national constitutional carry. Realistically, though, I don’t see that passing first, so obviously, I support national reciprocity.

Of course, I’m not a member of Congress. I’m actually kind of glad of that, though it would be nice to be reminded of my shenanigans from my 20s.

However, there are members of Congress who can make this happen, and over at The Federalist, they have a piece about why it should pass and pass quickly.

Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate have introduced the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which President Donald Trump has vowed to sign.

Congress faces a crucial opportunity to reaffirm a cornerstone of our constitutional freedoms: the right to bear arms. National concealed-carry reciprocity legislation would ensure that state borders do not restrict or invalidate this fundamental right, guaranteed by the Second Amendment.

At its heart, this is about acknowledging that constitutional rights are universal, not dependent on geography. The Constitution does not stop at state lines.

A Natural Right, Not a State Privilege

Imagine if a woman lost her right to vote, protected by the 19th Amendment, simply because she crossed into a state with different historical views on sex roles. Or consider if a journalist’s First Amendment protections were recognized in one state but ignored in another. Such infringements are unthinkable — and rightly so.

Yet this is precisely the reality facing law-abiding gun owners who travel with concealed-carry permits. Their constitutional right to self-defense, which has been affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court, is undermined by a patchwork of state laws.

Like other rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights, the Second Amendment exists to protect individuals from government overreach. Allowing states to restrict concealed-carry permits undermines the universality of these protections.

This is, of course, the primary reason this needs to happen.

No other right gets forfeited because you cross state lines, so why is it that it’s tolerated when it’s the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans? Do they not face dangers away from home? Of course they do.

But this isn’t just an academic discussion, either. This has become a problem.

See, while there are many places with peaceable journey laws, there are other places that don’t care where you came from, where you’re going, or anything else. If you get pulled over, you could end up in hot water.

Beyond the constitutional arguments, there is a compelling practical case for national concealed-carry reciprocity. The current mélange of state laws creates confusion and exposes travelers to potential legal jeopardy. For example, a concealed-carry permit holder driving from Pennsylvania to Florida could unwittingly become a felon upon entering New Jersey, where his permit is not recognized.

For the record, that’s not a hypothetical. A lot of people have gotten jammed up by the state of New Jersey. Police there pulled people over who were traveling with a lawfully owned firearm, then were arrested because they violated some aspect of New Jersey state law, despite the fact they were only traveling through the state.

Now, national reciprocity won’t solve all of those issues, but it will help with some of them, including just having a gun in the wrong part of the car.

Yeah, really.

See, if you’re not licensed to carry a firearm in a given state, you may be restricted in which parts of the car a firearm can be stored. Sure, in the trunk is usually safe, but what about in the center console, where many people keep it in case they need it? What about the glove box? These are common places where people put guns, but they might be illegal in some states.

The truth of the matter is that national reciprocity should happen. This is the best chance we’ve had in eight years and we have a president who supports the legislation. This absolutely the second best time for this–the best time was eight years ago–so it needs to happen right freaking now.