Hey, if Bush supports the people's right to carry concealed weapons ...

[zbdent]

why is there so much security detail whenever he makes a "public" (staged, very screened) appearance?

I mean, the only people who would be carrying a firearm would be his supporters, right???

[Hangingon]

1. No. Reagan believed in RKBA too.

Another nut job who wanted to make a name shot him.

[derby378]

9. Reagan was not a champion of RKBA...

He signed into law a provision that outlawed the manufacture of automatic firearms for the civilian market. Doesn't sound like a believer in RKBA to me...

[fightthegoodfightnow]

16. Nonsense

He supported the RKBAs.

He also understood that that right is not without restriction.

Amend your constitution to say it protects ownership of automatic firearms.

Until then, it does not.

[jody]

2. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is primarily about self-defense for law-abiding citizens.

There will always be criminals who will obtain firearms to use in committing violent crimes.

SCOTUS has said government is not obligated to protect an individual unless she/he is in custody.

Self-defense is a personal problem and firearms are the most effective, efficient tool for that job.

That's why the Democratic Party says in our 2004 platform, "We will protect Americans' Second Amendment right to own firearms, and we will keep guns out of the hands of criminals and terrorists by fighting gun crime, reauthorizing the assault weapons ban, and closing the gun show loophole, as President Bush proposed and failed to do."

See http://www.democrats.org/pdfs/2004platform.pdf

[fightthegoodfightnow]

12. Bravo

From the Democratic party platform: "We will protect Americans' Second Amendment right to own firearms, and we will keep guns out of the hands of criminals and terrorists by fighting gun crime, reauthorizing the assault weapons ban, and closing the gun show loophole, as President Bush proposed and failed to do."

Well said. Still relevant today. The gun lobby in the Demcratic party would have us think otherwise.

[RL3AO]

3. Is this a serious question?

[jody]

4. Probably not but it does acknowledge that RKBA is a civil right or liberty, something that many

people ignore.

RKBA = Right to Keep and Bear Arms

[pipoman]

5. Where'd the OP go?

The reason concealed carry is important is because lack of enforcement of laws already on the books has lead to a lot of criminals having guns.

[pipoman]

6. BTW Since this is the civil liberties forum...

where is the ACLU when it is time to defend the 2nd Amendment. Maybe if they were actually for the defense of the Bill of Rights/civil liberties and not a political agenda it wouldn't be necessary for Democrats to support the NRA. I will continue to send my annual donations to the NRA and never supporting the ACLU until they wake up and get off of their political rant.

[plantwomyn]

8. NRA has a rant too.

I wonder why they never talk about the "well regulated" part of the 2nd Amendment?

[lepus]

10. Maybe because it is a subordinate clause?

Or that it does not detract from the right given to the people as are all the others in the bill of rights.

[jody]

11. "right given to the people"! NO, the BOR recognizes natural, inherent, inalienable rights possessed

by everyone.

The Constitution also recognizes powers granted by We the People to government and the BOR asserts "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

[fightthegoodfightnow]

15. You are Getting the BOR mixed up with the Declaration of Independence

You are Getting the BOR mixed up with the Declaration of Independence

[OKCandHouston]

17. The only one getting anything mixed up...

...is you. Jody quoted the 9th amendment.

In addition, the Constitution grants no rights. It grants government specific powers and places limits upon those powers.

[SteveM]

7. Well, zbdent, will you engage or just toss a bomb from the back of the crowd?

[fightthegoodfightnow]

13. What Bullsh*t

Zbdent has engaged you in a way you simply can't respond other than with this cr*p.

[fightthegoodfightnow]

14. You Will Never Find Dissent in any "PUBLIC" appearance.

Ironically, the fact that the President has had to give so many pro-war speeches to military audiences is not playing so well lately.

My guess is the man will be giving speeches to himself sooner rather than later if he wasn't already.