(DENVER - 5:45 PM) At 12:15 pm today, December 15, 2001, Rick Stanley, Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate, was arrested by the Denver police for insisting that his constitutional right to keep and bear arms cannot be infringed. After delivering a speech detailing the reasons for his actions, Rick performed an act of civil disobedience by openly carrying a loaded weapon, in a holster, in violation of Denver Revised Municipal Code section 38-117.5(b). Stanley believes that this city ordinance is unconstitutional. It infringes citizens' rights protected by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It is also in direct violation of Article II, Section 13 of the Colorado constitution.

Duncan Philp, another true patriot determined to protect the right of all citizens to keep and bear arms, was also arrested for carrying a weapon openly. At present, both Mr. Philp and Mr. Stanley are being held in the Denver City Jail awaiting booking.

No news of the arrest yet on the Stanley for Senate 2002 website. If true, I'm afraid Mr. Stanley is facing an uphill battle. Given the current political climate in America, I suspect he'll quickly be branded a "gun nut" by the liberals and left to rot in jail for a few months as an example to others who might challenge the authority of the state.

But heck, maybe I'm wrong.

This is the second sad story involving a Stanley this week. It remains to be seen if this one ends as tragically as the first, if that's even possible.

Posted at December 16, 2001 02:39 PM