How would you feel if you received a letter from the U.S. Government
informing you that because of a physical or mental condition that the government
says you have it is proposing to rule that you are incompetent to handle your
own financial affairs? Suppose that letter also stated that the government is
going to appoint a stranger to handle your affairs for you at your expense? That
would certainly be scary enough but it gets worse.
What if that letter also stated: “A determination of incompetency will
prohibit you from purchasing, possessing, receiving, or transporting a firearm
or ammunition. If you knowingly violate any of these prohibitions, you may be
fined, imprisoned, or both pursuant to the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention
Act, Pub.L.No. 103-159, as implemented at 18, United States Code
924(a)(2).”?
That makes is sound like something right from a documentary on a tyrannical
dictatorship somewhere in the world. Yet, as I write this I have a copy of such
a letter right in front of me.It is being sent by the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs to hundreds, perhaps thousands, of America’s heroes. In my
capacity as Executive Director of the United States Justice Foundation (USJF) I have been contacted
by some of these veterans and the stories I am getting are appalling.
The letter provides no specifics on the reasons for the proposed finding of
incompetency; just that is based on a determination by someone in the VA. In
every state in the United States no one can be declared incompetent to
administer their own affairs without due process of law and that usually
requires a judicial hearing with evidence being offered to prove to a judge that
the person is indeed incompetent. This is a requirement of the Fifth Amendment
to the U.S. Constitution that states that no person shall “… be deprived of
life, liberty, or property without due process of law…”.
Obviously, the Department of Veterans Affairs can’t be bothered by such
impediments as the Constitution, particularly since they are clearly pushing to
fulfill one of Obama’s main goals, the disarming of the American people. Janet
Napolitano has already warned law enforcement that some of the most dangerous
among us are America’s heroes, our veterans, and now according to this letter
from the VA they can be prohibited from buying or even possessing a firearm
because of a physical or mental disability.
Read the entire article