The Blue Tent Sky: How the Left’s War on Guns Cost Me My Son and My Freedom

The Blue Tent Sky: How the Left’s War on Guns Cost Me My Son and My Freedom

Author: Cato Institute December 11, 2014 Duration: 1:02:13

In 2009 Brian Aitken, a media consultant and web entrepreneur, ran afoul of New Jersey's draconian gun laws when he was arrested while transporting two handguns unloaded and locked in the trunk of his car. Despite the fact that Aitken owned the guns legally and had called the New Jersey State Police for advice on how to legally transport his firearms, he found himself sentenced to seven years in prison.

In 2010 New Jersey governor Chris Christie commuted Aitken's sentence. But Aitken's experience, like that of other law-abiding gun owners who've faced long prison sentences for honest mistakes, raises troubling questions about gun-law overreach, prosecutorial discretion, and judicial abdication. Join us for what promises to be a lively discussion of these issues.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Step inside the Cato Institute's renowned Washington, D.C. events without leaving your desk. The Cato Event Podcast brings the lecture hall and briefing room directly to you, featuring unfiltered audio from live policy forums, author discussions, and Capitol Hill briefings. Each episode captures the substance of these gatherings, where scholars, policymakers, and leading thinkers engage in detailed conversations about liberty, governance, and current affairs. You'll hear substantive debates and thoughtful commentary that cut through the noise of daily headlines, offering deeper analysis on the issues shaping legislation and public discourse. This isn't a produced studio show; it's a front-row seat to the kind of candid exchanges that happen when experts gather to challenge conventional wisdom. The Cato Institute, through this podcast, provides a direct conduit to these discussions, emphasizing a perspective rooted in individual freedom, limited government, and free markets. Tune in for a raw, intellectual experience that goes beyond soundbites, perfect for anyone who wants to understand the foundational ideas behind today's political news.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 102

Cato Event Podcast
Podcast Episodes
The Federal Role in Public Transit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:12
Transit ridership is declining nationwide despite billions of dollars in federal subsidies, observes Randal O’Toole, one of the nation’s leading critics of the transit industry. He argues that the federal government shou…
The Liberal International Order: Past, Present, and Future [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:11
Recent political tumult and the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency have driven anxious commentators to lament the collapse of a post-1945 liberal world order. Invoking the supposed institution building and m…
The Indian Child Welfare Act at 40 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:58
Passed in 1978, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) was intended to stop abusive practices by state and federal officials, who often removed Native American children from their families without sufficient justification.…
Of Rockets and Robotics: GROUNDING "UBER OF THE SKY" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:27
Innovations in aerial technology present regulators, lawmakers, and entrepreneurs with numerous challenges and opportunities.Although there have been advances in supersonic engine technology, the Federal Aviation Adminis…