| Lesser Evil |
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| Written by Daniel White | |
| Sunday, 18 May 2008 | |
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As another presidential election approaches, we are once again forced to choose between the lesser of several evils. The two current Democrat front runners, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, have proven themselves to be enemies of the Second Amendment, despite recent claims to the contrary. On the other side, you have John McCain, who while no great friend to gun rights (he has pushed for background checks to close the non-existent "gun show loophole" and has supported legislation that restricts the rights of groups like the NRA to conduct political campaigns). Of course, it was McCain who attended the NRA's national convention in an attempt to reach out to gun owners and garner their support for his election campaign. “It seems every election, politicians who support restrictions on the Second Amendment dress up in camouflage and pose with guns to demonstrate they care about hunters,” Mr. McCain said, “even though few gun owners fall for such obvious political theater.” We all saw John Kerry try exactly that when he went goose hunting in Ohio with now Governor Ted Strickland. The fear, though, is that while McCain might not actively fight for your rights, Clinton or Obama might, based upon their previously expressed views, actively campaign against them. The threats of a new and stronger "Assault Weapons Ban", a repeal of The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, enactment of limits on purchases (one-gun-a-month laws), and the cultivation of a government atmosphere conducive to gun rights abuses and even confiscations the likes of which were seen after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans are very real should either of the latter become president. In contrast, John McCain was quoted by the Associated Press last year as saying, "I strongly support the Second Amendment and I believe the Second Amendment ought to be preserved — which means no gun control." In this case, a lesser evil could very well be the difference between a continuation of current gun rights and freedoms and a return to the darker days of the AWB, Brady waiting periods, and a levee to stop the tide of gun rights reforms currently sweeping the nation. That, we cannot allow to come to pass. |