BELLEVUE, WA — The Second Amendment Foundation is applauding Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s decision to recognize that gun dealers are essential to public safety, and has updated the list of life sustaining businesses to allow Keystone State gun owners to exercise their fundamental constitutional rights.
Wolf’s reversal came after the Pennsylvania state Supreme Court had ruled against an emergency legal challenge by several Second Amendment groups to the governor’s earlier order to close “non-life-sustaining” businesses due to the Coronavirus panic, but did not get to the merits of the case.
“Gov. Wolf’s change of heart is a welcome display of good sense and constitutional adherence,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “Perhaps some other state governors could take a lesson from Wolf as they issue so-called ‘stay-at-home’ orders. SAF currently has a federal lawsuit against New Jersey, and we are working on lawsuits against Washington, Massachusetts and jurisdictions in California and North Carolina, among others.
“We are witnessing what amounts to an epiphany for many Americans during this crisis, as they remember what the Second Amendment is about,” Gottlieb continued. “Those who think suspending a constitutional right is acceptable because a virus is a health threat are truly mixing the proverbial apples and oranges to suit their own agendas.”
Under Wolf’s revised rule affecting sporting goods, hobby, book and music scores, there is this caveat: “Except that firearms dealers may operate physical businesses on a limited basis to complete only the portions of a sale/transfer that must be conducted in-person under the law, subject to the following restrictions: 1) all such sale/transfers will be conducted by individual appointment during limited hours only so as to minimize social interactions and congregating of persons; 2) the dealer will comply with social distancing, sanitization of applicable area between appointments, and other mitigation measures to protect its employees and the public.”
“Gun dealers and their customers will do the right thing,” Gottlieb said. “Nobody is looking to make this situation worse, while at the same time, citizens must be allowed to exercise their rights, especially during a national emergency.”