NYC Court rules city can block the poor from owning handguns

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said the $340 handgun fee for a three-year license was legal for the same reasons that fees imposed on those seeking to stage a rally or a parade are constitutional.

"Imposing fees on the exercise of constitutional rights is permissible when the fees are designed to defray (and do not exceed) the administrative costs of regulating the protected activity," the appeals court said.

Keep in mind here that the same permit outside of the city costs just $3 or $10 to acquire.

Quite a markup the city is charging there.

I wonder if the court would feel the same way if the city charged just $1 to cover the costs of administering an election?

Oops, the real reason behind the high cost leaks out:

Susan Paulson, a lawyer for the city, said the court "properly recognized that the city's licensing process is designed to promote public safety and prevent gun violence."

You know, because poor people cant be trusted with guns. They're clearly either stupid or violent or both. So says the great city of New York.

Link

I am surprised that we don't have to buy a license to talk, to defray the costs associated with regulating free speech.
Or a license to attend church, to help defray the costs of regulating freedom of religion.

reply to post by butcherguy


A permit to not be searched without probable cause, a permit to not be forced to quarter soldiers, etc...

It's painfully obvious the judges made up their mind long ago and were just searching for anything they could to justify that position.

And the best they came back with a sloppy mess destined to be struck down eventually.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere

And the best they came back with a sloppy mess destined to be struck down eventually.

Let's hope that it is, anyway.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere
That really sucks that they would make permits so expensive as to be out of reach for many poor people. They are the one's who need to be able to protect themselves the most since being poor doesn't afford the opportunity to live in a gated fortress community with a full staff of security guards, closed circuit surveillance cameras and high priced alarm systems. They get stuck living in high crime areas where it takes the police an hour to show up when called, if they show up at all. They need to be able to get affordable permits in order to protect themselves and their property legally!

reply to post by littled16


It's the trap of the poor. They very often live in bad neighborhoods because it's all they can afford.
Bad neighborhoods are typically crime ridden. Having lived in a so-called "ghetto" for a decade I'll tell you that anyone who attempts to work, go to school, and keep their meager property repaired and clean are made targets by the neighborhood thugs.

So you seek to protect you and yours.

But now you cant afford to do so legally. The cost of permitting is half that of a pistol if not more.

So you may be tempted to acquire one illegally. Not to hurt anyone but to protect yourself.

That in itself could be a life-wrecking decision.

It shouldnt be this way. But in NYC it is.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


Take note - this is what the Nanny State looks like.



Bloomberg and his globalist friends in DC are doing everything they can to prevent people from owning guns. First the SAFE ACT now this backdoor attempt. I was glad to see the people of NY rallying against this garbage but they need to be vigilant if they’re going to win this war on guns.

We need to see more of this:

What can I possibly add to the litany of stupidity that is NY government?
I left the state rather than put up with it 30 years ago.

Eta: There's plenty of new handguns that cost less than what they are demanding in permit fees. Jim Crow ain't dead, that's for sure. They've lost their #$^ minds. I hope they lose their butts. Blatantly unconstitutional behavior.

reply to post by littled16


My thoughts exactly. And poor people are often forced to live in high crime areas where the police don't even bother to patrol. So of course they need their own protection.

I feel this will lead to more arrests of people who couldn't afford their license but needed protection, so they kept their guns, and it will also lead to people feeling forced to commit some other crime to make the money needed to buy the license so more arrests for small time drug dealers or shoplifting merchandise to sell, and of course it will lead to more guns being sold illegaly on the black market so it isn't registered, which in turn will lead to more arrests being made on illegal gun owners and sellers and more gun thefts so they can sell them on the black market, so more burglaries and more burglary arrests too. And more deaths that will take place during a home invasion becuase someone is so desperate to steal guns since a gun is such a hot commodity now since its cheaper to buy one off the street than it is to buy just the license nevermind gun ammo and safe and etc...

And if I was in a situation where I had to save my life or someone else's, I'd rather do that and then face the charges for owning an illegal firearm cause then at least you are alive to even face those charges to begin with. Alive is better than dead, right? I'm just checking because everything seems to be the opposite as I remember growing up...

Of course the right thing to do is to do what it takes to save up the money for the license, but we know we can't always count on everyone to do the right thing, and so, rather than a decrease in gun violence, I think we will see what I have outlined above... I dunno, but it seems like they just want more people behind bars... They must've made a deal with the privatized prison owners.

reply to post by 3n19m470
To tell you the truth I have to wonder if the people who came up with the price for the permit are in bed with the illegal gun trade. Make it too expensive for the poor to afford a legal permit so they have no choice but to buy illegal guns in order to protect their homes and families.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


Dear Lord. NYC is run by absolute idiots.

CJ

reply to post by littled16


That was very well said.

So I wouldn't actually take issue with charging people an amount that seemed reasonable, I don't mind paying my $25 or whatever it is to renew my CPL. A few people have to take a few minutes to print the thing and mail it to me, and (though I doubt it) check my background again. How on Earth is it costing the city that much? I think it's weird enough you need a permit to just own a gun.

It really seems like it's designed to make criminals out of people who can't afford this ridiculousness.

I could easily afford this, but not for one second do I think because I can I have any more right to protect myself and those I love than someone who cannot.

reply to post by Domo1
You're right Domo, it's ridiculous since just outside of the city the same fee is only $3 to $10. Maybe someone should marinate their hamburger for them?

reply to post by littled16


Every time I've cooked meat lately I start laughing about that. You and your erudite posterior.

Did they say anything about poor people?? I think they're just trying to discourage gun puchasing in general.

promote public safety and prevent gun violence

Oh we wouldn't want to prevent violence now would we?

Also, we do all the republicans disagree that making poor people buy a driver's license to vote infringes on their rights, but they think a gun permit does???

Every store in NY should decide that city official should pay 10x the regular price for groceries. Also forbid them to use the soda machine.

Another poster stated something about driver's licences and what Domo said also caused a wee spark to go off in my little brain.

If we can get enough of us that can afford the payment, then we set up an account/trust for those who can't.

This could also go for other permits as well.

Originally posted by CB328
Did they say anything about poor people?? I think they're just trying to discourage gun puchasing in general.

promote public safety and prevent gun violence

Oh we wouldn't want to prevent violence now would we?

Why are people like you unable to actually contribute anything to threads like this?

You probably hate guns, we get it, either shut up or CONTRIBUTE something. If you feel so strongly as to feel the need to voice your opinion on the matter, why don't you actually contribute the conversation instead of just stirring up chit?

Posts like yours are the reason for the one line min here on ATS, a concept that you have cleverly evaded with two worthless lines, not that ATS enforces this anymore anyway.

Stop embarrassing yourself.

Originally posted by CB328
Also, we do all the republicans disagree that making poor people buy a driver's license to vote infringes on their rights, but they think a gun permit does???

The high costs of a permit in NY is done FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF STOPPING PEOPLE FROM GETTING PERMITS. The city ADMITS this.

The cost of a DL is not to stop people from driving.

If you can't see the difference, you don't have the caliber of intellect required to even begin to have an intelligent conversation about this.

Move along....