The American custom of residence gunsmithing was not particularly codified within the Structure.
Maybe it ought to have been.
I perceive why the Founders left it out. They had been sensible males, after all, chock-full of
widespread sense. They knew Individuals couldn’t totally take pleasure in their newfound proper to maintain and bear arms with out the flexibility to construct and preserve firearms of their houses, so why add pointless verbiage to a doc that was already operating a bit lengthy.
Sadly, the Founders had no concept how their good composition can be misused,
misquoted and misinterpreted a pair centuries later, by prosecutors, judges and politicians
whom they might have tarred, feathered and run out of city on a rail.
I had by no means constructed a firearm in my residence or anyplace else till final yr, when 80% Arms supplied
to ship me two GST-9 pistol kits. They had been searching for somebody with zero gunsmithing
expertise—I actually certified—to construct the pistols and chronicle the expertise.
From begin to end your complete construct course of was unbelievable, however reality be informed, I used to be a bit nervous
throughout the first one. Nevertheless, each pistols turned out completely, operate flawlessly and look
nice. I walked away from the expertise with greater than a pair dependable shooters. Constructing a firearm in your house is a uniquely American expertise, one which all of us ought to be capable of take pleasure in. For a short interval, I had one thing in widespread with gunsmiths of previous—one thing greater than a shared ardour for liberty and good whiskey.
Dexter Taylor, a law-abiding 53-year-old knowledge engineer and father from Brooklyn, will spend the
subsequent 10 years in a New York state jail for his residence gunsmithing expertise. His solely crimes had been residing in a state that doesn’t acknowledge his Second Modification rights, and showing
earlier than a fruitcake of a choose who feels the identical approach.
Taylor’s residence gunsmithing pastime one way or the other got here to the eye of each the New York Metropolis
Police Division and the ATF. On April 6, 2022, these Redcoat-wannabes executed a search
warrant of Taylor’s residence in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
In keeping with a press launch from Brooklyn District Legal professional Eric Gonzalez, officers recovered
“4 AR-15 model assault weapons, 5 handguns, 4 rifles and over 50 rounds of ammunition
along with gun powder, shell casings, triggers, a 3D printer, and varied higher and decrease
receivers used to construct firearms.”
Fifty rounds? What an archcriminal.
Issues went from unhealthy to worse when Taylor went to court docket. Choose Abena Darkeh famously informed
Taylor’s protection legal professional: “Don’t convey the Second Modification into this courtroom. It doesn’t
exist right here. So, you possibly can’t argue Second Modification. That is New York.”
More true phrases have by no means been spoken. The Second Modification doesn’t exist in New York.
Final month, a New York Metropolis jury convicted Taylor of “two counts of second-degree legal
possession of a weapon; three counts of third-degree legal possession of a weapon; 5
counts of legal possession of a firearm; illegal possession of pistol ammunition; and
prohibition on unfinished frames or receivers.”
On Monday, Taylor was sentenced to 10 years in a state jail. After the sentencing, District Legal professional Gonzalez stated in an announcement, “Ghost weapons are a risk to New Yorkers all over the place, and my Workplace is working tirelessly with our companions in legislation enforcement to cease their proliferation. As we speak’s sentence ought to ship a message to anybody who, like this defendant, would attempt to evade critically vital background checks and registration necessities to fabricate and stockpile these harmful weapons. Each ghost gun we take off the road is a win for public security.”
Taylor by no means tried to evade something. Gunsmithing was his pastime. He was by no means accused of
misusing his home made firearms. Mere possession was sufficient to revoke his liberty for the following decade.
Taylor’s case highlights the unbelievable dichotomy between free states like Florida, the place I can
construct as many home made firearms as my finances will permit, and tyrannical blue states like New
York, the place a single “ghost gun” coupled with a lunatic of a choose ends in imprisonment. Taylor
acquired caught behind enemy strains attempting to train a tiny little bit of freedom, and the Statists stomped
on his head consequently.
To be clear, Dexter Taylor is a prisoner of battle—a prisoner of Joe Biden’s battle on our weapons.
A GiveSendGo account was created to assist Taylor’s authorized protection. Thus far, it has raised greater than
$200,000. Additionally, a Change.org petition was created to take away Choose Darkeh from the bench. Thus far, it has greater than 2,600 signatures.
Article courtesy of the Second Modification Basis’s Investigative Journalism Challenge. This undertaking wouldn’t be potential with out the assist of gun house owners. Click on right here to make a tax-deductible donation to assist pro-gun tales like this.