Re: Systemic infringements of Gun Rights in New Jersey

New Jersey firearms owners are united in one voice as we request reform in how Police Departments and the New Jersey State Police handle and process firearms permitting in New Jersey. The Second Amendment community has been a longtime supporter of our Law Enforcement personnel, who protect and serve our state. However, applicants for Firearms Purchase Identification Cards, Permits to Purchase Handguns, and Applications for Permits to Carry a Handgun encounter a system wrought with delays, denials and absolutely no accountability. These systemic delays are infringements and violate the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Defunding Police will inevitably result in Police force reductions, which will result in services being even more strained—this includes permitting.  Moreover, reduced policing will result in an increase in crime and reduced response times.  Thus, we will continue to see an increase in gun ownership as record numbers of new people seek to protect themselves.  As you are aware, we have already seen record numbers of new applications over the past few months.

New Jersey firearms owners request the following:

  1. Police departments, New Jersey State Police Barracks, the Firearms Unit, County Adjusters, and private contractors be retrained, or reformed as necessary to ensure that applications for Firearms Purchase Identification Cards and Permits to Purchase a Handgun are timely processed, including maximizing coordination among the various agencies and providers of information so that the 30 day processing time frame required by 2C:58-3 is never exceeded due to the action or inaction of a New Jersey governmental agency (State or local) or any private contractor of such agency.
  2. Remove Qualified Immunity for Police Departments, officers, and municipalities where there is a delay in permitting beyond 30 days processing time frame required by 2C:58-3, not attributable to a non-New Jersey agency, resulting in death or bodily harm for the applicant.  Recall the case of Carol Bowne who was murdered at the hands of her attacker more than 30 days after she applied for her Firearms Purchase Identification Card. She inquired about the status of her delayed permits on Day 41-she was senselessly murdered on Day 43.  See more:  https://youtu.be/Z7evnf5rGIM.
  3. Remove the State Police as a Point of Contact under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (“NICS”), so that FFLs may contact the federal NICS portal directly, resulting in 24/7 service versus the current limited service provided by the State Police, which is only Monday through Saturday and not on state holidays.  This will result in savings to taxpayers, improved access to NICS checks, and the elimination of wasteful duplicative, and dilatory processing through the State.

Our right to self-defense and preservation of life is a human right and it shall not be taken by any other individual or government. We will no longer be complicit in the degradation and diminution of our own rights.

The Second Amendment Community is a diverse one, crossing all facets of humanity, notwithstanding color, gender, politics, religion or any other identity.  We are the diverse community who attends hearings and testifies, files litigation, submits to background checks in every stage of the process. We are the law-abiding, the ones who refuse to be victims, the ones who refuse to be strong-armed out of their safety, security of persons and property.

We request reforms of the systemic infringement, the end to qualified immunity for permitting violations and accountability of government in this process.”

In liberty,

The Coalition of Jersey Firearms Owners (CNJFO)
The Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs (ANJRPC)
Anthony Colandro, Gun For Hire Woodland Park Range
Tony Simon, Founder, The Second is For Everyone (2A4E)
The Women of The DC Project, New Jersey State Delegation
NJ2A Sanctuary

35 COMMENTS

  1. Good luck. You’ll need it.

    NJ: One of the many states where gun rights die. 8~(

  2. Jesus. Im on day 78 waiting for my foid renewal in Il. These extra permits beyond a federal background check that do absolutely nothing other than annoy people is stupid.

      • like a pipedream. too much to redistribute to other coffers. it will be years before the final ruling, and that will not be favorable. hope i’m wrong.
        i’m pending in limbo since oct.
        spoke to my isp bra looking for a contact that might expedite. “they were hiring an additional twenty workers to help with the backlog until the superflu reared it’s green card and a grinding halt occurred. nothing to be done.”
        i may have paraphrased a bit.
        not prosecuting for expired as long as not suspended or revoked. some harmfist sellers are ok w/ ccw, some want foid. dumb, but it’s their dick to get stepped on.
        i buy ammo at thiessen’s in ames. .22 still .02cents/ rd. no limits.

  3. It’s beyond bad in most areas. and it’s totally up to the LOCAL police chief, so your little town of 8,000 has a tiny police force, housed in a converted house, and this permit application comes in… I know, I used to live there.

    And carry permits are ONLY issued to people who know the chief; you need to supply a REASON why nothing other than carrying a gun can protect you. What’s that? You carry $40,000 cash on a regular basis? Denied.

    So, the only people allowed to carry guns in NJ are cops and criminals. Hey, if they paid attention to the law, they wouldn’t be criminals!

    • That first paragraph is exactly why I don’t bother applying for a C&R. CLEO here is a not-so-deep-in-the-closet statist do-boy running on a RHINO platform. So was the last.

      Off topic:

      In point of fact, the prior Sheriff was almost entirely responsible for the Obummer era vast expansion into the militarization of our local Dept. Of which, mind you, was quite high up in the charts for the Mil hardware lend-lease program.

      Where was this? A city of millions?

      Nope. In a county of far < 1M, with a fair portion thereof being seasonally transient. Full. Stop.

      Let freedom ring?

    • At some point once it is far too late, the people who live in these crapholes are going to realize that no one cares what a law-abiding citizen thinks b/c the authority will be quite comfortable with the ranges of possible reprisals. Once you’re outnumbered, they aren’t intimidated by your complaints or petitions if they don’t think it likely you burn down their house tonight.

      Fetishizing the behavior of the “law-abiding” has run its course and is no longer useful. It’s been proved that destroying stuff, looting, killing, and rioting is the only behavior that warrants respect and consideration. If someone thinks you are actually law-abiding, they aren’t concerned with what you think.

      • It’s sad but true. Violence is getting them what they want in days not years. Cowards are in office.

      • What you have said is not a new idea…

        “What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance. Let them take arms.” (Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, Dec. 20, 1787, in Papers of Jefferson, ed. Boyd et al.)

      • This is why I describe myself as a peaceful gun owner, not a law-abiding one. The law gets repeatedly redrawn in an ever-shrinking circle. Meanwhile, even if they draw that circle so tight that I’m no longer standing in it, I’m still a peaceful man who does no harm to others.

        Unlike the law, being peaceful is entirely within my control. I’ll be peaceful…until I can’t be anymore. And that’s a line that *I* draw, not them.

        • “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

          That was Romans 12:18 — one of my favorite Bible verses and one of my most important life creeds.

          Note to Christian pacifists: that Bible verse absolutely and utterly destroys your claim that God orders us to always be non-violent. Rather, God only wants us to be violent as a last resort — and only in support of righteousness.

    • Yeah it’s not even a demand because there is no weight. Neither the circuit courts in the NE or the Supreme Court are interested in hearing anything about the 2nd Amendment.

  4. “applicants for Firearms Purchase Identification Cards, Permits to Purchase Handguns, and Applications for Permits to Carry a Handgun encounter a system wrought with delays, denials and absolutely no accountability.”

    They see this as a feature, not a bug

  5. Interesting, but I have to ask a few questions of the so-called pro-2nd community.
    Have you never read the Constitution? If you did, did you not understand it? Do you understand that the terms set out must be read by what those who wrote the Constitution understood and experienced? Do you know the actual reason for the Bill of Rights? Do you believe that the Bill of Rights was enacted to enumerate rights, or to warn public officials that they must adhere to the original Constitution?
    Are there only 14 words in the 2nd, or are there 27?
    There hasn’t been a proper right to keep and bear arms case since Miller when Justice McReynolds explained the meaning of the 2nd.

    • Of course, you’ll find a fair few posts on the subject by myself. Detailing exactly how US v. Miller gutted not only NFA 1934, but all subsequent firearm “law”. Here’s another.

      “Certainly it is not within judicial notice that this weapon is any part of the ordinary military equipment, or that its use could contribute to the common defense.” Being the de facto litmus test within.

      – Miller’s conviction based solely on that ground alone, was an gross miscarriage. More to the point, the court purposefully donned blinders to the fact that shorter blunderbuss’s (buck & ball advocated for by Washington, meaning both them and cannon) were used in U.S. military forces in this country as early as the Revolutionary War. Making the ruling against Miller, a disgusting mockery of justice

      – Further, that also killed any attempt to do away with civilian ownership of fully automatic weapons. As MG’s were fairly prolific on pre-U.S. v. Miller WW 1 battlefields, and ubiquitous thereafter in military services. SMG’s were also quite common in WW 2, and the STG 44 beget the inception of common military use for Assault Rifles. There’s more, of course, but I care not to write a book, and this will be necessarily long in tooth to point out the deficiencies in application.

      – “Common defense”, i.e. every person capable of fighting beyond the measure of those in military service (read: including National Guard in the modern day). Put succinctly, the citizenry. Technically, although Miller was a scummy individual, it applied to him as well, until if & when a legitimate felony conviction removed his rights.

      – I need not tread to far into the subject of the limitation of government power over individuals (our rights) being subject to a “tax” and Federal approval, or denial, being a steaming pile of self-serving manure within the scope of the overall ruling. That one, exposes itself quite nicely.

      This ruling, that the USSC & every court below it, has summarily & blatantly ignored ever since. This ruling, which vacated every armament “law” put forth from that time until the present day. For a period nearing 85 years.

      • “vacated every armament “law” put forth from that time until the present day.”

        Correction: nearly every armament “law”…

        Happenstance I actually agree on some export restriction laws.

  6. They won’t be defending this part of police I can tell you that much. I bet the three of them laughed so hard at these pages they needed to compose themselves before issuing a fresh lockdown edict.

  7. The present two-tier system for NICs in NJ is both operationally & fiscally stupid. Why use NJ tax $ to provide a “service” already provided by Federal tax $?

  8. Murphy will read the first two lines, yawn and then throw it in the garbage. The Supreme Court won’t hear 2A cases. The anti 2A states are now free to do whatever they want. There is no recourse. It doesn’t matter what the constitution says. It only matter what some judge says and if the governor agrees. Not only will this letter be ignored but ammo background checks will be next in NJ.

    • There is recourse for when those chosen to Govern decide to Rule. It requires Courage long forgotten/abandoned by a citizenry that has grown fat and lazy. Who believe words written on a piece of paper should guarantee their Rights. Rulers are never swayed by words, especially words they find erroneous. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights require the Authority of the Citizenry to see that they are followed. Unfortunately those who expect such from these hallowed documents. Have ceded their authority to those who would deny them of their Rights. So yes there is recourse unfortunately there is No Courage. Keep Your Powder Dry.

  9. Politicians seem to only listen to those who demands and threats of violence rather than entertain peaceful requests.

    And that sounds interesting and dangerous. I wonder if we resorted to these brazen tactics and demanded the repeal of the NFA nationwide, would they do it?

    What would need to be our catalyst? Duncan Lemp clearly wasn’t it despite what happened to him is what a lot of us fear.

    • Governments only have two tools. Money and force. What they cannot purchase with one, they will procure with the other.

      So naturally, since the government has only money and force as tools, it believes these are the only two tools available. Hence, those are the only two tools that get the government’s attention. Either you’re rich enough to buy a couple Congressmen and spread a few bribes–I mean, “campaign contributions” around, or you show up with a few thousand of your friends armed with whatever you can cobble together.

      And still we have people who think letter-writing and “town hall” meetings actually make a damn difference. Your elected officials do not care about you or your petty problems. They only care about who can line their pockets. Not even getting voted out of office is a significant threat anymore, because the chances of that happening are minimal these days thanks to decades of gerrymandering, but also even if they are, they still hold immense power thanks to the fortunes they made while ruling, and the connections they made.

      There is only one way anything is going to change for the better. Be prepared.

  10. They should have said: ‘This here founding document says you must not touch my right to own and carry arms! Do it at your peril.’

    Instead we hear: ‘If it isn’t too much inconvenience, could you, pretty please, wear softer soled boots while you are stomping on my neck? Thank you for your consideration.’

  11. What you expect in DIRTY JERSEY… Long influenced by it’s neighbor, NY and other dramacrat states. It’s all about control like a rapist over it’s victim.
    Sad, so sad.
    Wouldn’t it be nice if gun owners would rise up like the black lives matter movement.
    Think of what we could accomplish!!
    And, let’s get Chief Roberts out of SCOTUS!

  12. That letter’s not for the addressees. As a legal input, to a working process, good luck with that. As a constituent appeal to their reps n agents, it’ll just be ignored. It is good advocacy n politics. Well done.

    Well done.

  13. They’ll pay attention to the next protest or petition when they got thrown out after ignoring the last one.

    Representitive govt is extortion: do what we want, or you aren’t in office any longer, “rep.” Once they know the threat is real “Nice career in politics you have there; would be a shame if anything happened to it.” works.

  14. We request reforms of the systemic infringement …

    So, New Jersey advocates of our inalienable right to keep and bear arms are asking their overlords to infringe a little bit less. Got it.

    When a group of men are going to gang rape a women, should we petition the gang to voluntarily remove half of the men from the gang so that only half of the gang rapes the women? Should we petition the gang to voluntarily restrain themselves such that each man in the gang only gets four minutes with the woman? How about only 60 seconds? Or — and here is a novel idea — we tell the gang of men in no uncertain terms that we will use any and all force necessary to stop any of the gang members who proceed to try and rape the woman?

  15. I don’t think law enforcement across our nation realize what a precarious situation they are in.

    Historically, law enforcement could depend upon peaceable people to quietly follow the rules. And up until recently, even the criminal element kept things to a dull roar and largely left police alone. Fast forward to May, 2020 and several people decided that George Floyd’s murder at the hands of the police was the last straw, which of course resulted in a LOT of angst and violence directed at law enforcement.

    And now, police are failing to release their death grip on the inalienable rights of decent, peaceable people who just want an effective means of self-defense. Well I have news for law enforcement: peaceable people’s patience and willingness to quietly follow rules which infringe on their inalienable rights is wearing extremely thin. It would be in everyone’s best interest if law enforcement across the nation promptly stopped infringing on the inalienable rights of good, decent, peaceable people. The consequences of law enforcement failing to respect our inalienable rights could be catastrophic.

  16. They sent Murphy a letter? A LETTER? Oh, man, I’ll bet that Murphy is absolutely sh!tting his pants over a letter.

  17. “The Second Amendment community has been a longtime supporter of our Law Enforcement personnel, who protect and serve our state.”

    Good for you. But guess what?

    The law enforcement community doesn’t give a shit about you. But I guess that is acceptable to some, since they are “just following orders.”

  18. “Time to end Jim Crow Gun Control.”

    Unfortunately it is somewhat difficult to say Gun Control is an agenda rooted in racism when gun talking bigots on this forum trip over each other to take cheap shots at people who are not lily white.
    Jim Crow Gun Control has standing as long as Gun Owners are seen as non-racist. Bottom line…Gun talking bigots are to your Gun Rights what a drunk farting gasbag is to fine dining.

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