Home > Alerts & Updates > Alert for 3/21/2013: HB 76 S1: Will Gary Herbert Foment Grassroots Republicans Against Him Like Mike Leavitt Did? 

Gary Herbert: Pro-gun? Or just another politician?

HB 76 S1: Will Gary Herbert Foment Grassroots Republicans Against Him Like Mike Leavitt Did?

(Alert for 3/21/13): Activists are inquiring as to what they can do to advance our right to keep and bear arms now that the legislative session has ended.  Consider the following:

With the passage of HB 76 S1 (Carry Unloaded Firearms Concealed) and its arrival to his desk, governor Gary Herbert faces perhaps the most consequential political decision of his incumbency to date.  He has long indicated his support for the Utah Republican Party platform and its principles, and has made no exceptions for firearms.  He also made pre-election political claims that he is willing to make difficult decisions on behalf of gun owners such as signing SB 11, "Utah State-Made Firearms Protection Act".

But now the election is behind him, Herbert has a real opportunity to demonstrate his true political identity.  SB 11 may, albeit unlikely, achieve some good years or decades from now.  In contrast, Herbert's signature on HB 76 S1 would immediately protect law-abiding Utah citizens from vicious prosecution and jail time for virtuously carrying a concealed firearm in self-defense and in the defense of others.

Can you imagine him asking for a "permit"?

Opponents of HB 76 S1 argue that allowance for carry of unloaded, concealed firearms is already addressed for those who subject themselves to the Utah "permit" system and the invasion of privacy that it entails.  In theory it is impossible for the permit information that the state holds to escape to unauthorized persons.

However, recent events demonstrate a shocking failure of Herbert to protect private information held by the state as indicated by the theft of records involving nearly a million people in 2012.  As well, the state may change the statutes and subject permit holders to public scrutiny as happened in New York state.  Finally, it was brought to the attention of gun owners last month in consideration of HB 317 that state government bureaucrats have many escapes from prosecution should they fail to protect private records.

So based on the philosophy that Herbert appears to express, you may choose to carry concealed by subjecting yourself to a shameful and degrading invasion of personal privacy by the state and potential public disclosure of your information.  Or you may carry concealed without a permit and face arrest, prosecution, and jail time.  Meanwhile, violent criminals, against whom you are entitled to viably defend yourself, carry knives and loaded firearms concealed ANY TIME THEY CHOOSE with repercussions irrelevant to the crimes that they commit.

Unquestionably, various leftist political operatives and religious organizations who love government power oppose HB 76 S1.  The idea of individuals exercising personal responsibility for defense of themselves and their families is nearly intolerable to them.  And the "image managers" for the state no doubt wish to defeat the bill to dispel their phony notion that Utah is populated with a bunch of "gun-crazed wackos".

Remember him?  Former governor Mike Leavitt thought he could skate by whilst supporting gun control.

And so the political stage has been nicely set.  Will Gary Herbert play to his large campaign donors, out of state cronies, powerful economic concerns, and other special interests who revile at the thought of mere serfs and peasants being able to defend themselves without government involvement?

Or will he recall the tumultuous gun control legacy of former governor Mike Leavitt, who had to learn the hard way that angering gun owners is not smart politics?

Appropriate Actions

Help Herbert with his political priorities.  Call his office at 801-538-1000 and inform him that his decision on HB 76 S1 and various anti-gun bills now on his desk will determine the focus of your political participation. 

For Herbert's additional contact information, click here.

At UT Gun Rights we support substantive reform of state statutes on your behalf.  We will happily work with you to harness and effectively direct your energy to make favorable political changes should Herbert be both politically ignorant and deaf!

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