Just as Last Minute Survival previously warned in an exclusive report, (http://www.lastminutesurvival.com/tag/gun-bans/), on how the Department of Veterans Affairs was being quietly pushed politically to deny veterans the ability to exercise their Second Amendment “RIGHT” that they so valiantly fought for, more evidence has come to light. This week, Republican lawmakers justifiably held up “another” defense spending bill when they challenged the VA’s authority to unilaterally declare a veteran unfit to own a firearm without any due process. Based on the information that came forth during the floor debate, it now appears that as the VA enticed combat veterans to come forward for treatment of common symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder otherwise known as PTSD as well as during routine screenings, the VA simultaneously was using any related diagnosis to unilaterally deem veterans mentally unfit to possess a firearm.
The new evidence demonstrates that the VA has continued to move forward with unconstitutional disarmament of veterans in line with Obama Administration appointee directives. The Department of Homeland Security has been one of the biggest violators in this regard and has repeatedly released reports that deem veterans as likely terrorists. Initially, the clinician guide LMS obtained from the VA directly instructed care providers to pass veteran’s information to the police to confiscate any weapons from veterans in the event a veteran came for help related to suicidal tendencies or even mere thoughts. Of course PTSD and even mild depression, which is treatable and often temporary, can be more than enough for the VA to issue a finding of mentally unfit. This is then used to disarm the veteran without any due process. Even if the VA doesn’t take action, the stigma of mental treatment will follow the veteran and disqualify him or her for the purchase of a firearm due to non-legislatively (read: unconstitutional) enacted BATFE background check policies. Even worse, it appears to be used against veterans during background investigations, court proceedings, and even when negotiating insurance premiums. Further, once an opinion is rendered by a VA employee, it becomes nearly impossible for a veteran to appeal and remove this stigma even if the condition was mild and temporary, or even wrong!
This is not an accident, but a deliberate clandestine effort to disarm veterans by the government that sent them to war. This is symptomatic of a paranoid government that fears for its own survival and no longer cares or considers the best interests of the population it is supposed to serve. Further, the debate over even having a “judge” adjudicate disarmament is a distractor. The real issue is why are we rubber stamping vets with combat stress and other actually very minor mental issues as incompetent in the first place! Was it literally not just months prior that many of these veterans had actual assault weapons, grenades, tanks, jets, and artillery and were trusted with security clearances and told to go fight and protect Americans? Why is it that as soon as veterans want to return to normal society and seek out needed treatment for mental wounds inflicted on them by our own government’s decisions they have to fear a loss of the very Constitutional Rights they fought for? Why would a veteran have to pay out-of-pocket now to prove they are innocent to maintain a Constitutional Right? Why is it okay that some political appointee’s “opinion” is now enough to strip our combat veterans of “rights” without any due process or protection? Everyone knows our vets don’t have the time or money to fight these opinions in court and NOR SHOULD THEY HAVE TOO!
Shame on all of us if we allow this disgrace. Guilty until you can afford to prove yourself innocent? Is this the way our Constitutional “RIGHTS” were meant to be exercised? I think not. Please write your Congressman and Senators and demand accountability.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/dec/3/change-on-veterans-gun-rights-lights-fire/?page=all#pagebreak
