'Twas the night before Christmas...

…and Washington State gun owners once again were reminded yesterday —courtesy of a story in the Oneida, N.Y. Observer Dispatch — why they do not wish to see the Evergreen State go the way of the Empire State when it comes to regulating their right to keep and bear arms.


http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-seattle/twas-the-night-before-christmas

Or try this:

http://tinyurl.com/2d7yaqs

One of the main differences between New York and Washington is their respective Constitutions.

New York's makes only one reference to a "militia":

"Section 1. The defense and protection of the state and of the United States is an obligation of all persons within the state. The legislature shall provide for the discharge of this obligation and for the maintenance and regulation of an organized militia."

Washington's makes it very clear that the individual citizen has a right to keep and bear arms, not only for the "common defense" but in defense of the individual.

Absent that constitutional right in the NY State Constitution, regulations have multiplied without challenge. Now that the SC has incorporated the 2A to them as well as all other States, this may change (slowly I'm sure).

A big thanks to those who wrote the Washington State Constitution.