Never have I been so excited to get an Automated E-mail...

Pastor....I agree with you that most Church-goers probably don't have an opinion one way or the other. But, what I do know is -- the ones who opposed Sunday hunting here in NC were a STRONG group. They were also the largest opposition to Sunday hunting in NC for many years.

Here's a few excerpts from a study our NCWRC had commissioned in (I think) 2006.

83% of the opposition was based on religious reasons.

I really don't make this stuff up.

 

I was once out shooting my bow with a friend of mine on a Saturday when an older gentlemen stopped by smoking a cigarette and was obviously a little tipsy. We began talking about hunting and such and the no Sunday Hunting argument came up. He was clearly ticked at me for talking about hunting on Sunday. He said it was the day of the Lord. So this guy drove away slightly drunk, smoking a cigarette, and probably went home to drink past midnight (which would have technically make it drinking on a Sunday). You would be surprised at how many people we have just like that here in Virginia (old school country Virginians who control much), thinking their crap does not stink while they are actually some of the biggest hypocrites know to man.

 

I hear ya, Brett.

The ones crusading against it, here, were the same ones who stopped at Cracker Barrel (after getting the car washed) before heading to the Panthers game on Sunday.

Honestly, I felt sorry for the majority of the ones who stood up and spoke in opposition to Sunday hunting in NC. The majority of them were just plain ignorant.

 

Jeff, people that speak against Sunday Hunting on certain grounds clearly comes across like this........

 

So you know who you need to call the most

Senator Ticer: YES
Senator Petersen: Bill Patron - YES
Senator Hanger: NO
Senator Obenshain: NO
Senator Whipple: YES
Senator Watkins: UNDECIDED
Senator Reynolds: NO
Senator Ruff: NO
Senator Blevins: UNDECIDED
Senator McDougal: UNDECIDED
Senator McEachin: YES
Senator Northam: YES
Senator Stuart: UNDECIDED
Senator Marsden: YES
Senator Pucket: NO

 

The problem with this is......the politicians don't care if the people they're polling (that's exactly what the offices of the undecideds are doing) are hunters or not. They're only interested in voters.

In NC, the overwhelming majority of the general populus was against Sunday hunting. The problem with that is....hunters create revenue that not only pays for hunting....but, it also pays for the parks system upkeep. So, you wanna be against Sunday hunting.....but, you still wanna fish; ride horses; hike; etc..., etc..., etc...? Pay your own way.

Representation without taxation. I've been opposed to this in ALL forms of government, forever.

Sadly, it was about 50/50 among hunters polled. That's just pitiful. If you stay at home with no electricity and eat food you cooked on Saturday.......you have room to talk. If not, spare me. You're a hypocrite.

 

I agree....

 

I am no law scholar but if I were to seriously consider attacking the No Sunday Hunting law in place in a court setting, I would attack it using the fourteenth amendment, or the the equal protection clause.

"no state shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws"

What if a Jewish person held a traditional Monday-Friday (9-5) job and also held to the belief that he/she should not work on their Sabbath which for Jews is on a Saturday. That person would effectively not be protected by the fourteenth amendment due to the fact that they were not given the opportunity to hunt at all, but that same protection was afforded to others given the construction of the current law. That is not equal protection under the fourteenth amendment.

 

Although it's nowhere in the US Constitution, a lot of folks want to recognize the separation of Church and state, Brett. If you're going off the premise that's already occurring, how do you justify the citing of the 14th amendment?

FTR....the reason the "No Sunday hunting" law was on our books......didn't have anything to do (according to the lawmakers) with religion. In other words....the law didn't have an explanation box beside it in the books. If pressed, they could cite any number of reasons the law was in place.

 

I admit there is nothing in the Constitution that specifically cites separation of church and state. I am citing the First Amendment that states people have freedom of religion. And when the government starts favoring one religion over another, ie posting of the 10 commandmants in the courtroom, it violates one's exercise of freedom of religion. So my ability to use the Fourteenth Amendment is not compromised by me citing "separation of church and state".

Jeff, I totally understand if pressed that politicians could cite any number of reasons as to why the No Sunday Hunting law is still on the books (although we all know why). The law is so transparently religious in nature that one couldn't hide the true reason of the law if they blacked out the law books with 100 days of complete darkness of earth. It is laughable.

 

What?!? Seriously not allowed to hunt Sundays? I think the last 3 years all my deer have been harvested on a Sunday! I hope it passes!

 

I don't know how else to put this...that law is ghey.

Its not a law here in Michigan, but I have talked to hunters that think it should be. For those rare individuals, it really came down to this. There was no way their wives were going to let them miss church for hunting, and if they couldn't be out there, no one else should be either. Their original stance was because its "God's day", but it only took a few questions to figure out the real reason.

Not saying that is all hunters' opinion that are in favor of it, just the few I have encountered.

For Virginia hunters, I hope it passes. Good luck dudes.

 

Thanks Vito. One of the main reasons I hope it passes is because in a couple of years my kids will be able to hunt with me. Sunday afternoon or morning hunts will allow us to enjoy the woods and each others company for many years.

 

have never understood this law - outdated for sure.

Good Luck guys!

 

We got blown out of the water.... 2.... that's right... 2 Senators voted yes.

Leaving 13 that voted NO...

http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?111+vot+S01V0052+SB0850

 

The "anti's" voices are louder than the hunters'.

In NC, it came down to $$ and votes. The insurance company lobbyists had more $$ (and claimed more voter persuasion).

I wish you guys luck. But, you're likely in for several years of being disappointed, first. We were.

 

The only two senators to vote yes on the bill were democrats. The rest of the senators that voted 'No" were a mix of Democrats and Republicans. I thought Republicans were about allowing the free flow of the world, or kind of a Laissez-Faire attitude that just allows the tide to come and go so to speak? I guess not. I guess it is all about getting re-elected in their individual districts.

Where is the U.S. that my father spoke of when I was growing up? I thought we were supposed to be able to pursue our passions with full vigor as long as they did not overwhelmingly "hurt" other people?

HELL, people can buy and sell "devil" stocks online while watching porn on Sunday, smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, people can rip each other off all day Sunday, cheat on their wives....all on Sunday. But people cannot hunt? And to think of all of the history that IS Virginia this is just plain old DUMB.

 

That's CRAZY!!! Y'all better start voting those liberals OUT!!

 

Well, that sucks.

Liberals don't make decisions based on religious beliefs...they use common sense.





I don't have a party preference. I'm just stirring the pot. Sorry, Justin.

 

its NOT religion, IMO ..... it also has nothing to do with party lines .... it's a MENTALITY ... Bible believing Christians stand up for a persons right to choose ..... whether it is right or wrong in their opinion .... the others are just posers ...