'On Wednesday, for example, moments after a court placed a woman's husband under a restraining order, a notice about the order popped up on a new computer terminal at the police station here. Given that information, the Woburn police went to the man's house and confiscated his guns, all 13 of them'
This is an abuse of his second amendment rights. Restraining orders are not a convicted offense. It's akin to stripping someone of a right because someone else thinks they ought to lose it.
Put another way, let's say a Police Chief, Mayor, Governor, etc., wanted to finally, absolutely, rid themselves of all those pesky 2nd Ammendment advocates. They take a writ to friendly Left-wing judge, request a "restraining order" claiming some threat against the government official by each and every gun owner. Then these gun owners have two options, i.e. turn in their guns voluntarily, or have them confiscated, and possibly, be prosecuted for illegal gun ownership (i.e. due to the restraining order).
Extreme thinking, a bit, perhaps, but if you follow the logic of the laws of Massacusetts, California, and other states, this logical progression of events can be possible. Possible, of course, because those gun owners have no defined rights to bear arms in those states, i.e. they are "priviledges" plain and simple. The state and local laws are written and enforced with that clear assumption in mind. Regardless of what the U.S. Constitution says, and what you feel about it, you will lose either your guns or your liberty or both, whenever a government official gets around to your number.
The option of citizens in these states is to become an outlaw (again, losing their right to bear arms due to a gun-related felony, i.e. owning guns with a restaining order or other transparent legal device applied against them), meekly give up their rights under the U.S. Constitution, or raise $millions and spend years in court to fight the leftists, who have the power and purse of the state behind them.
Hopeless situation. I know. I live in California, have a registered "assault" weapon, and am undoubtly in violation of one of some 20,000 CA gun laws in one way or another.
SFS
Welcome to the unrestrained and absolute power of the Judiciary in America.
As much as I do not want anyone hurt by use of a fire arm, I have to agree. Anyone can put a restraining order on anyone else and have their guns confiscated. That is a little much.