General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Starbucks Boycott Over Marriage Equality Spurs Tenfold Backlash [View all]DougKrick
(26 posts)Thanks for your message, as it allows me to address a lot of misconceptions.
"...they both advocate a society that fundamentally says to the individual that they are on their own and should not expect intervention from the government. They both believe in a break down of our political order to produce a society that is essentially survival of the fittest."
Incorrect regarding the Libertarian Party. They advocate that a government should not protect and individual from *themselves*. Currently, police are *NOT* required to protect people from each other, they are only there to clean up the mess afterwords. This has been upheld at the SCOTUS.
"In this context, when you preach about a notion of "Gun Rights," it comes off as a hollow argument."
How so? "God made all men. Misters Smith and Wesson made all men equal." I'm not going to go into an in-depth argument here, but refer you to the book "More Guns, Less Crime" by John Lott. (Yeah, he's gone on to become a reporter at FOX news, and I hate that station and it's lies as much as you do. But his reporting on this issue is valid. He started out writing the book to prove that guns should be banned, but when he did the research...)
As for not being in bed with the NRA sounding hollow... What can I say? We're too lazy to form a PAC or other political group, and don't accept donations (with one exemption, the first time we filed a Amicus Curie Brief with the SCOTUS).
We've worked with them, sure. They funded our 2nd and 3rd Amicus Curie Briefs. We still criticize them for being too liberal on the issue of Gun Rights.
"What constitutes "support of the Second Amendment" in your opinion? Why does your website not have specific policy positions?"
The Pink Pistols *ARE* a Second Amendment extremist organization. Unless a court has removed your right, after a fair trial, to carry a firearm, we hold that the 2nd Amendment allows you to carry one for any reason.
"Many here believe that the NRA supports an extremist agenda that puts dangerous weapons in the hands of hate groups and other dangerous individuals by rejecting gun control measures that have traditionally enjoyed wide support in the Democratic Party."
Believe what you will. I'm not here to change your mind, only to correct some statements that were made.
"Will you denounce the NRA's extremist agenda in support of an unregulated bazaar of dangerous weapons?"
What agenda of unregulated bazaar of dangerous weapons? The "Gun Show Loophole" is a myth. Do your research.
"Denounce the politics of NRA-ILA, it's the right thing to do. Also, apologizing for your previous "enemies list" might be a smart good faith measure."
As I've previously stated, I disagree with the NRA-ILA, they've given in far too often. As for the "enemies list", it was nothing more than a list of groups that had taken a public stance against the 2nd Amendment. Nor were we the group to create the list, we merely allowed a copy to be passed on.
Unless the Democratic Party is opposed to the 2nd Amendment, you've got no leg to stand on.
Krikket
(aka Doug Krick)
Illinois Democratic Judge of Election