Last year, the Supreme Court overturned a handgun ban here in the federal enclave of Washington and ruled that the Second Amendment protects individual gun ownership (the justices did leave room for firearms regulation, saying government could prohibit guns in “sensitive places” and forbid ownership by certain dangerous people, such as felons). But the court …
Continue reading "Does it Apply?"
At my age I probably should not be-but constantly am-amazed at the things some in the pro-gun lobby will say in order to get a mention in the news. In a desperate attempt to fire-up the faithful, groups like Gun Owners of America (GOA) have accused Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor of being an anti-gun …
Continue reading "Sound the Battle Cry of Radicalism"
Many of you are aware that CSGV Executive Director Josh Horwitz has a book coming out this month, Guns, Democracy and the Insurrectionist Idea, that recasts the gun debate by demonstrating how reasonable gun control is essential to the survival of democracy and ordered liberty.” Josh is not the only person thinking about this …
Continue reading "It’s About Citizenship"
The U.S. Senate has always embraced tradition and precedent, and one of the chamber s great traditions is to read George Washington s Farewell Address every year on the birthday of our extraordinary first president. This year, the honor of reciting this wonderful speech went to newly-elected Senator Mike Johanns of Nebraska. Washington s Address …
Continue reading "The Duty of Every Individual"
Something strange seems to come over far-right Republican Members of Congress during election season. A case in point is seven-term Congressman Mark Souder from the state of Indiana. He is by all accounts an opponent of Big Government and federal interference in local matters. But in an election year when he is facing a …
Continue reading "Something Wicked This Way Comes"
Now that we have properly celebrated the Declaration of Independence and the birth of our freedom as a nation, perhaps it is time to begin a reflection on the obverse side of the same coin. As German theologian and Nazi resister Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Responsibility and freedom are corresponding concepts. Factually, though not chronologically, responsibility …
Continue reading "Freedom vs. Responsibility"
I had thought that our system of government was broad and stable enough to stand up to the pressures of any one wing of political factions. Now I must admit that I am amazed at the damage that has been done to the American political system by a small group of dedicated Neo-Cons over the …
Continue reading "Standing the Constitution on its Head"
This week marks an important step in the quest to determine the role the Second Amendment will play in the national campaign to reduce gun violence. On Tuesday, March 18, the nine members of the Roberts’ Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case of the District of Columbia v. Heller. The District s …
Continue reading "What a Difference 2/9 Can Make"
We were very disappointed on March 9 when the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declared D.C.'s handgun ban and firearm storage laws unconstitutional in its ruling in the case of Parker v. District of Columbia.