Idaho activist charged for loaded gun in luggage

[Book]

Idaho activist charged for loaded gun in luggage

by Associated Press - KTVB.COM

November 1, 2010

BOISE -- A popular tea party activist in southwestern Idaho has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor after he packed a loaded gun in his checked baggage at the Boise Airport.

Jack Stuart, of Meridian, will be sentenced Friday for one count of shipping a loaded firearm.

The 84-year-old is best known his impersonation of founding father Patrick Henry at tea party rallies and recites the "Give me liberty or give me death" speech from memory.

Stuart says he packed the pistol while traveling to Oakland, Calif., in late August because he feared for his safety and did not realize he was breaking state law.

The gun was confiscated by police at the Boise Airport and Stuart, who was traveling to California for a high school reunion in Redwood City, says he was able to continue onto his flight.

http://www.ktvb.com/news/Idaho-activist-charged-for-loaded-gun-in-luggage-106466348.html

[Dogman]

As long as the rules have been in place, you would think everyone that
does any flying would know not do this kind of stuff. :conf:

[hoarder]

As long as the rules have been in place, you would think everyone that
does any flying would know not do this kind of stuff. :conf:
Do you realize how many laws there are? I have a difficult time trying to make it through hunting season without unknowingly breaking some ridiculous law.
The purpose of most laws is to create criminals out of citizens, thus giving the rulers more jurisdiction over them.

[joe_momma]

There are way too many laws in the US (no one knows how many) - so inadvertently breaking one is inevitable - but this one is not unknown. Having a loaded weapon anywhere (when not in your personal control) is just plain stupid - I suppose it could have been a stupid mistake, though knowing the airline nazis, it would be hard to forget.



Personal favorite - woman finds a dead bald eagle, makes a "dream catcher" and sends it to the President [Clinton]. Fish and Game then arrests her for a felony (it is illegal to do anything with a bald eagle corpse) - and the woman gets a massive prison sentence (15 years?) - Bill pardoned her just before leaving office.

[madfranks]

As long as the rules have been in place, you would think everyone that
does any flying would know not do this kind of stuff. :conf:


No victim - no crime.

[hoarder]

There are way too many laws in the US (no one knows how many) - so inadvertently breaking one is inevitable - but this one is not unknown. Having a loaded weapon anywhere (when not in your personal control) is just plain stupid - I suppose it could have been a stupid mistake, though knowing the airline nazis, it would be hard to forget.
Granted, not having a sense of paranoia about gun laws shows a sense of disconnect with current-day reality. However it is concievable that many people do not think like criminals hiding stuff all the time. Whenever anyone breaks a law out of ignorance of that law he deserves our support.

The "ignorance is no excuse" policy might have made sense 200,000 laws ago, but it doesn't today. It might be a good idea to insist on a jury in the hope that jury nullification would override this obsolete policy.
Ignorance of the law IS A VALID excuse for many so-called crimes today, IMO.