Does any one living in MD feel their personal freedoms are limited by the state laws?? (Frederick: sale, HOA)

[Luke9686]

Originally Posted by MadManofBethesda

Yeah, it really is disconcerting not being able to open carry in Maryland. I can't tell you how many times I needed a semi-automatic on me while grocery shopping, or eating in a restaurant, or hanging out at the mall. Why, even when walking my dog in the neighborhood on numerous occasions I started to reach for my gun and then remembered that Maryland took that freedom away from me.

I don't know about you, but I'd feel a whole lot safer if everyone was walking around with a firearm strapped to their waist.

Damn those Maryland bureaucrats!

Wait till they tell you what kind of car you can drive, or where you have to get your food.

[KeyserSoze]

Originally Posted by clintsullivan

Don't accept the notion that it is better if only the bad guys have the weapons. Maybe that is why Baltimore is rough already.

You misread. I never said that it's "better if only the bad guys have the weapons." I said that if the laws concerning the right to carry in the state of Maryland were much less restraining, then it would just make it all that much easier for criminals or anyone really to get away with it. Only adding fuel to an already blazing fire.

Originally Posted by clintsullivan

Hmm, you've answered your own question.
Imagine... WV & VA both permit concealed or open carry, and both have much lower crime rates, even in heavily populated areas or when adjusted for population density.

That's the thing. WV & VA have heavily populated areas, and then rural ones. Their population is spread out. Most people in MD live within the 95 corridor between Baltimore & DC. The population isn't as spread out. Like I said, a densely populated area is going to have to have restrictions of some kind. If Maryland's population were more evenly distributed, I think the law would be different.

[Moth]

I have issues with some of the laws and policies in Maryland. But none of them really impinge on my personal freedom. I can purchase a firearm with a background check- something I find reasonable. Carry permits? Gimme a break. The same idiots who behave like mad chimps in public should be able to carry a gun? Sorry, no. I will take my chances with the criminals.

I do not understand why Montgomery County runs the liquor stores. And although I do not smoke, I do not see liberty in telling bar owners they must ban smoking. But do these inane things mean I am living in Il Duce's Italy?

I think not.

[MikeK]

I believe this is a link to the study:

Freedom in the 50 States

It appears pretty comprehensive and uses many factors to arrive at the rankings. As a lifelong Maryland resident (if my personal situation were different I would have left by now.) the state has become much less free for the reasons mentioned above - firearm restrictions, security cameras etc. and it gets worse each year. It's now called the 'old line state' rather than the 'free state'. At least the politicians were honest about something.

[clintsullivan]

This is why it is good that we still live in a republic of United States(sort of.) Those who are willing to sacrifice personal freedoms for perceived benfits can live in a State such as Maryland with other like minded citizens. And, when in MD, as much as I disagree with the State Regs, I obey them. But because of this I also make very few, like 3 to 5 trips a year, into Maryland even though I'm less than 5 miles away. I prefer to drive into Virginia when necessary to spend my money and to work (I'm licensed in WV, MD & VA.)

Thanks for the link to the study, Mike.

Oh, another funny lost freedom I was thinking of... Is it MD, DC, or a certain county that has a law against leaving your car unlocked, or starting it on a cold morning in your driveway? I forget the specifics. I know it's not a biggy, but it criminalizes something that the Gov't should have no authority to regulate.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by clintsullivan

Hmm, you've answered your own question.
Imagine... WV & VA both permit concealed or open carry, and both have much lower crime rates, even in heavily populated areas or when adjusted for population density. Don't accept the notion that it is better if only the bad guys have the weapons. Maybe that is why Baltimore is rough already.
Not that I intended to sidetrack this into a one issue thread. Just my 2c on freedoms.
Also in ref to the septic tax; yes it's only' $30 a year, but those only's add up after a while and it is one fee that we don't have here in WV, yet. Although the wackos have been trying to get it, and at some point they may. Also I think one may find that on-site septic disposal systems, when properly installed (and inspected ) have far less negative impact on the environment than the mass sewer treatment facilities. I do understand that in high density areas there is no option, but I don't agree with the notion that installing central treatment systems in low density areas, already served by functional on-site systems is somehow a good idea. Or that an individual who may be living in a low cost home and on the edge of making the monthly payments & buying groceries should be hit with another scam tax.

It doesn't impact functioning systems, that's the thing, only systems that fail and have to be replaced anyway. Just went to a meeting today about it and that was made very clear, about $13M a year collected from septic users-60% in the grant program to replace failing systems the balance to farmers for reduced nutrient programs-which they've had to do for years. I don't think anyone is suggesting building central systems in low-density areas, the costs would be astronomical. I mentioned earlier about some of the new regs, my town is involved right now in an upgrade of the regional plant-total cost as of today $25M for a 1MGD plant.

The law about leaving your car running unattended is a PG County law (and may be statewide and only enforced there)-the highest car theft jurisdiction in the state-something like 50 a day are stolen.

[PGC301]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

The law about leaving your car running unattended is a PG County law (and may be statewide and only enforced there)-the highest car theft jurisdiction in the state-something like 50 a day are stolen.

I remember reading about that a while ago, that police were writing tickets for people leaving their unattended cars running. Like you said, they did it in response to the insane amount of car thefts. I haven't seen any more recent numbers, but in 2005, there were 18,000+ cars stolen in the county (which works out to about 1 every 30 minutes)

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by mikey jam

Signs of the times. Now your being watched. Cameras everywhere you go now. Better dress nice!

Make sure you have on clean underwear.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by clintsullivan

Oh, another funny lost freedom I was thinking of... Is it MD, DC, or a certain county that has a law against leaving your car unlocked, or starting it on a cold morning in your driveway? I forget the specifics. I know it's not a biggy, but it criminalizes something that the Gov't should have no authority to regulate.

As noted by others, that is in PG County. They can issue a ticket even if it's in your driveway, and even if the driveway goes into your backyard behind your house.

[Tim Rankin]

It seems like a lot of the posters are basing their opinion on firearms. Let's see...here's a list of state deaths per capita by firearms.

Firearms Death Rate per 100,000 by state. Definition, graph and map.

Crime Statistics > Firearms Death Rate per 100,000 (most recent) by state

Showing latest available data.

# 1 District of Columbia: 31.2
# 2 Alaska: 20
# 3 Louisiana: 19.5
# 4 Wyoming: 18.8
# 5 Arizona: 18
= 6 Nevada: 17.3
= 6 Mississippi: 17.3
# 8 New Mexico: 16.6
# 9 Arkansas: 16.3
# 10 Alabama: 16.2
# 11 Tennessee: 15.4
# 12 West Virginia: 14.7
# 13 Montana: 14.5
# 14 South Carolina: 13.8
# 15 North Carolina: 13.6
# 16 Georgia: 13.4
= 17 Kentucky: 13.1
= 17 Oklahoma: 13.1
= 19 Missouri: 12.3
= 19 Idaho: 12.3
# 21 Indiana: 11.7
= 22 Colorado: 11.5
= 22 Maryland: 11.5
= 24 Florida: 11.1
= 24 Virginia: 11.1
# 26 Texas: 11
# 27 Michigan: 10.9
# 28 Oregon: 10.5
# 29 Pennsylvania: 9.9
# 30 California: 9.8
= 31 Illinois: 9.7
= 31 Kansas: 9.7
= 31 Utah: 9.7
# 34 Vermont: 9.6
= 35 Ohio: 9.3
= 35 Washington: 9.3
= 37 Delaware: 9.1
= 37 North Dakota: 9.1
= 39 Wisconsin: 8.1
= 39 Nebraska: 8.1
# 41 South Dakota: 7.9
# 42 Iowa: 6.7
# 43 Maine: 6.5
# 44 Minnesota: 6
# 45 New Hampshire: 5.8
= 46 Rhode Island: 5.1
= 46 New York: 5.1
# 48 New Jersey: 4.9
# 49 Connecticut: 4.3
# 50 Massachusetts: 3.1
# 51 Hawaii:

Hmmmmmm, looks like the safest places are liberal bastions, like HI, MA, CT, NJ, NY, RI.

Maybe the title of this thread should be "Does anyone feel safe in MD because of Firearm restrictions...because you should!!"