RECOGNIZE OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO CONCEAL CARRY FIREARMS INSIDE THE ALASKA STATE CAPITOL BUILDING

SUMMARY: The Alaska 2016 legislative session has proposed to allow concealed carry on University of Alaska properties known as SB 174. Although Alaska is a constitutional carry state, there exist certain areas that do not allow concealed carry such as the University buildings and the state capitol building. This is a direct affront the Second Amendment and puts all lawmakers at risk. As the National Rifle Association has made clear, "gun-free zones" such as the Alaska State Capitol are "the worst and most dangerous of all lies". The NRA, our leading defender of gun rights, has also correctly pointed out that "gun free zones... tell every insane killer in America... (the) safest place to inflict maximum mayhem with minimum risk." (March 4, 2016 and Dec. 21, 2012). Alaska is consistently ranked as the top state to die by firearm and by forcing lawmakers to leave their firearms at home, the state capitol is putting hundreds, if not thousands of people at risk both inside and outside the state capitol building. The lawmaker sponsoring SB 174, Pete Kelley, has repeatedly stated “gun free zones don’t protect anybody”. This seems to be the case as the recent shooting death outside the capitol building has prompted lawmakers to remove the second floor benches. As noted by lawmaker Charlie Huggins, “they were concerned about the “congestion” created by the benches, and that dangerous objects could be hidden underneath them”. This ineffective measure could be simply remedied by allowing concealed carry. We are all too familiar with the mass carnage that can occur when citizens are denied their basic God-given rights to conceal carry into every location. EVERY AMERICAN HAS THE RIGHT TO PROTECT AND DEFEND THEMSELVES. With this irresponsible and hypocritical act of allowing "gun-free zones", the Alaska state legislature has placed its members, visitors, and all Alaskans in grave danger.

We must take a stand. We cannot allow the Alaskan Legislature to be hijacked by weakness and political correctness. The policies of the State Capitol Building do not supersede the rights given to us by our Creator in the U.S. Constitution.

THEREFORE, WE ARE CALLING TODAY FOR THE FOLLOWING FIVE POINTS OF ACTION:

1. From the Alaskan State Capitol Building in Juneau: A suspension of their policy preventing the concealed carry of firearms in the legislative chamber and offices of lawmakers.

2. From the National Rifle Association: An immediate condemnation of the egregious affront to the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution constituted by the "gun-free zone" loophole in the state Capitol building.

3. From Alaska Governor Bill Walker: A concerted effort to use his executive authority to override the "gun-free zone" loophole being exploited by the Alaska State Legislature.

4. From Pete Kelly: An explanation of how a venue so unfriendly to Second Amendment has allowed to exist in this state. Further, we demand a contingency plan to relocate the capitol to another location should the legislature refuse to honor the constitutional rights of all citizens to conceal carry firearms inside the state capitol building.

5. From all lawmakers who voted for SB 174: You have been brave in raising awareness about the immense dangers posed by "gun-free zones." In order to ensure the safety of your constituents, you must call upon your fellow lawmakers to rectify this affront to our Second Amendment freedoms and insist upon a suspension of the state capitol’s unconstitutional "gun-free zone" loophole. Every American is endowed with a God-given Constitutional right to carry a gun wherever and whenever they please.