Free Republic

ANNAPOLIS — The Maryland State Archives collection is among the largest in the country with nearly 400 years of history, including Colonial-era paintings, keepsakes of the state’s governors, and thousands of land, court and genealogy records. With all that history, the Archives has run out of space. The agency first filled its Annapolis headquarters to capacity in 2000, then leased and filled a warehouse. It leased a second warehouse and a third before brokering a deal to store some of its property at the Baltimore City Archives. All of the facilities are now full, and state archivists have been pushing...

State police officers routinely scan license plates at toll booths to ensure emissions inspections are up-to-date. Portable cameras fine speeders practically everywhere in the state. In the name of safety, children of all heights and weights are now required to sit in a rear- facing car seat for their first two years, regardless of whether they fit in it. And legislators once again found new and creative ways to tax residents this year, in part by redefining rich. But, relax, the government doesn't control everything in this state ... yet. You can still freely sip sugary soft drinks of any...

Back in January, we noted in this space that Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell "offer competing political visions. … McDonnell stresses fiscal restraint and believes government should live within its means," while O'Malley "sees taxes as boosters of prosperity." The piece noted that others have remarked on the dichotomy — such as The Washington Post's metro columnist, Robert McCartney, who wrote: "Two states. Two governors. Two philosophies. Take your pick and see which succeeds." We concluded "conservatives are fond of likening the states to laboratories of public policy. The experiments on opposite sides of the Potomac...

A federal judge is considering whether to block enforcement of a recent court ruling that would relax Maryland’s handgun-permit law. The state is currently appealing a March ruling by U.S. District Judge Benson Everett Legg that struck down as unconstitutional Maryland’s law requiring people seeking concealed-carry permits to provide a “good and substantial reason” for needing a gun. Judge Legg issued a temporary stay against the ruling shortly after the state filed its appeal, allowing the state to continue enforcing the “good and substantial” restriction. He is now weighing whether to end the stay or extend it until after the...

Archbishop William E. Lori delivers the homily during his installation on May 16, 2012. Baltimore, Md., May 16, 2012 / 01:20 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- At his May 16 installation in the “Premier See” of the U.S. Church, new Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori urged believers to proclaim their faith to the nation while standing up for the Church's freedom.“Let us not shrink from entering the public square to proclaim the person of Christ, to teach the values that flow from reason and faith, to uphold our right to go about our daily work in accord with our teachings and...

Legislators from a Maryland county are planning to introduce a law that will create a gun offender registry in a fashion similar to the sex offender registry. This new law would not create something quite as extensive as Family Watchdog, the national sex offender registry, but it would still keep constant records of the whereabouts of gun offenders. Under this plan, gun offenders would be required to personally report to the police every six months and provide an update of any crimes committed, aliases, current residence, and recent employment. The type of crimes that would make someone qualify for constant...

As reported here, on March 30th Judge Legg granted a temporary stay of his ruling in Woollard v. Sheridan. In that case, he ruled that the “good and substantial reason” requirement to receive a Maryland handgun permit was unconstitutional. The temporary stay order set three deadlines for briefs to be filed. The first was an April 19th deadline for the state. The second is May 9th for the plaintiff’s response. And a final brief is due from the state on May 23rd. Following that, Judge Legg will issue his decision on whether or not a permanent stay is appropriate while...

Last month, U.S. District Judge Benson Legg ruled that one of Maryland’s major gun control laws is unconstitutional. Specifically, he ruled as overly broad the requirement that applicants for a concealed carry permit show a “good and substantial reason” for wanting such a permit. It wasn’t long before the gun-control advocates issued grave warnings that, if this ruling stands, Baltimore would become “Dodge City” — as though it’s not already. Admittedly, this is something of a personal issue for me. A few years ago, the Maryland State Police, which administers the concealed-carry permit program, denied my application for a permit...

1.) SB 512 (Currently being heard in House of Delegates) OPPOSE! The law is being sold as a bill to keep criminals from running gun shops. As laudable an effort as that it, this bill – among other things – requires Maryland dealers to collect personal information about each and every individual who purchases a firearm in the state of Maryland, along with details about the firearm purchased. This bill also gives the state the power to demand your records from the dealers at any time, without a warrant, probable cause or even a showing of suspicion that any crime...

Before I get to the thread title material, let me say that Bush is not going away anytime soon. Obama brought him up today with Medicare Part D and will continue to bring him up again & again. If Romney praises Med. part D, Obama can say "See, Romney agrees with me that the first Republican president was right about the federal gov't..." as he said today. If Romney attacks Med. Part D as being big gov't, Obama can retort "Why is Romney attacking me for attacking Bush? Romney has also attacked Bush." And the issue of whether or not...

So many (Ryan, Rubio, GHWB, etc) have come forward recently to endorse Romney to be the standard-bearer for the GOP. But curiously missing is GWB... Secondly, Bill Clinton has said very recently that he will soon hold fund-raisers and even stump? for Obama. So where is 43 at - and very recently at that? Pro-Romney forces have said that it is time to quickly rally around the front-runner (Romney). If so, then what better way than for perhaps Romney, Ryan, Rubio, etc, to get or seek Bush 43 to quickly endorse Romney, stump for him and hold fund-raisers for Romney?...

Edit: A definition from Wikipedia is useful here: Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things.[1] Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy,[2] while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy.  [Fell's Point, Baltimore, MD] There was a show called "Cheers" on television years ago.  It was bawdy and vulgar yet there were some borders it was not safe to pass in the early 80s when the show first aired.  It depicted a homey place, reminiscent of an unpretentious neighborhood bar with a hint of old world ambiance and Boston charm.  The heavy wooden furniture and the bar...

Bishop-designate Gregory L. Parkes and Bishop-designate David J. Malloy. Washington D.C., Mar 20, 2012 / 12:54 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI appointed new bishops on March 20 for the dioceses of Baltimore, Md., Rockford, Ill., and Tallahassee-Pensacola, Fla. The Pope filled the position for the oldest U.S. archdiocese of Baltimore on Tuesday with Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, Conn., who serves as chairman of the U.S. bishops' committee on religious freedom.Monsignor David Malloy, former general secretary of the U.S. bishops' conference, will take over the apostolic duties of the Diocese of Rockford, Ill. while Father Gregory Parkes...

A Baltimore County gun owner, whose federal lawsuit led a judge this month to declare a portion of Maryland's gun laws unconstitutional, has filed a court motion to protect the ruling, which would make it easier for state residents to carry firearms. Attorneys for Raymond Woollard filed the 29-page document in Baltimore's U.S. District Court at the close of business Friday in response to a filing last week by the Maryland attorney general's office, which sought clarification and a delay of the judge's order so the agency could have time to appeal. But any such stay of the order would...

I often describe my political ideology as “fiscally conservative, socially liberal” — a description that’s definitely played-out on a college campus but is nevertheless a pretty accurate characterization for me. While I’m usually firm in my beliefs about social issues, I’ve never felt strongly about gun control. That has recently changed. Last week, a federal judge declared part of this state’s gun law unconstitutional, and a few days later, a student allegedly threatened a shooting rampage on this campus. Combined, the incidents made me wonder whether “gun rights” deserve to be protected or whether they’re an oxymoronic notion that persists...

RAYMOND WOOLLARD, et al., Plaintiffs, v. TERRENCE SHERIDAN, et al., Defendants. Civil Case No. L-10-2068. United States District Court, D. Maryland. March 2, 2012. MEMORANDUM BENSON EVERETT LEGG, District Judge. This case calls upon the Court to determine whether the State of Maryland`s handgun regulation statute violates the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution insofar as it requires an applicant to demonstrate "good and substantial reason" for the issuance of a handgun permit. Plaintiffs Raymond Woollard and The Second Amendment Foundation[1] bring suit against Terrence Sheridan, Secretary of the Maryland State Police, and three members of the Maryland Handgun...

One Youtube member has created a parody film of Hitler reacting to Maryland to U.S. District Judge Benson Everett Legg's ruling that would remove the requirement for Maryland residents to provide a "good and substantial reason" to legally own a handgun when applying for their conceal carry permit. The film replicates a popular Internet meme, subtitling a clip from the 2004 film Der Untergang, or Downfall. Take a look at the video, it's a good laugh:

U.S. District Judge Benson Everett Legg's groundbreaking March 5 ruling that Maryland cannot refuse to issue a handgun permit to an otherwise qualified individual unless that person has an acceptable reason for wanting one is a jurisprudential gem that correctly shifts the burden of proof from the citizen to the government. His elegant reiteration of basic Second Amendment rights in Woollard v. Sheridan will be quoted for generations: "A citizen may not be required to offer a 'good and substantial reason' why he should be permitted to exercise his rights. The right's existence is all the reason he needs." Maryland...

Good Lord, what would we do without the Second Amendment Foundation? SAF was created in 1974, currently having 650,000 members, to combat anti-Second Amendment crusaders who use “safety” as an excuse to restrict our Second Amendment rights. Consistently battling the opposition in the Courts and otherwise, thanks to them, a positive Court ruling has been issued by the Honorable Judge Benson E. Legg in the Maryland district court on March 5, in the case of Woollard v. Sheridan. The main Plaintiff in this case Raymond Woollard, a Maryland resident and Navy veteran, attempted to renew his gun carry permit, but...

DOES THE Second Amendment protect an individual right to carry a gun outside the home? Last week, a federal judge in Maryland concluded that it does and in the process struck down a Maryland licensing provision for carrying concealed weapons in public. Judge Benson Everett Legg of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Maryland issued a thoughtful and measured decision but one that should be reviewed by the federal appeals court.