Rudy 9-11 Guiliani

My membership in the NRA is based on a couple things that don't involve politics: firearms education, competitive shooting, and the 2nd Amendment, I'm actually pretty tired of their rightwing caterwauling. I suppose some of that is due to the idea that a left Democrat couldn't understand the 2nd or manage to own firearms, too bad, they alienate people like me. But I'm hopeful that even with that baggage they can figure out Mr. Nine One One.


Every once in awhile the WaPo will run something like this AP story that is pretty straight, highlighting the ex-mayor's stands on strict gun control and suing firearms manufacturers, some of the most radical espoused by a major elected official and his NRA "conversion." You have to consider that a former federal prosecutor was willing to contravene the Bill of Rights and use the civil law process as a harassment technique against law abiding businesses. In Rudy's world of NY if you were rich, connected, or criminally influential you or your bodyguard employee could own and carry a handgun, minus those qualifications you were out of luck, just another serf. But Rudy had an awakening (cough).

"You have to look at all of these issues in light of the different concerns that now exist, which is terrorism, the terrorists' war on us," the Republican presidential contender told The Associated Press in an interview. He also mentioned immigration and border security.

OK Rudy, now what was the legal impetus? Apparently he heard about the Federal Appeals Court ruling tossing DC's 30 year old ban on handguns ruling that the Constitution gives (gasp) individuals the right to possess firearms. The Second Amendment isn't very long, consisting of a single sentence with a subordinate clause and a declarative clause, you'd have thought he might have bothered to read it, or even some of the relevant literature of the period? But, being a lawyer the meaning of words and supporting documentation doesn't seem to have had bearing on his legal actions, the court ruling:

"It is a very, very strong description of how important personal liberties are in this country and how we have to respect them," he said of the ruling, adding it "sort of maybe even did more to crystalize my thinking on the whole gun issue in light of Sept. 11."

Oh there it is, 9/11, and you thought maybe I was just being snotty. But wait...there's more...new and improved Rudy...less content, greater spin.

"I think, after Sept. 11 _ I mean I probably would have had the same impression before, I'm not sure _ but after Sept. 11, all that seemed much more powerful to me."

Oh hogwash, in 2002 and 2004 he was quoted strongly backing gun control, a continuation of the Brady Bunch pitch that the Second Amendment applies to States' ability to arm themselves with the National Guard. Now that he's caught nine-eleven-itis during a Primary that's not the case. But really, this is the Republican savior:

"I think political professionals would tell you that if my opponents get the nomination, a day after the convention, no matter what they say, the Republican Party operation closes down in 20 states, and then we concentrate on the remaining states," Giuliani said. "I think they would tell you that if I get the nomination, there'll be a Republican Party operation in virtually every state, and then as the campaign goes on, we'll assess where we are."

There are a lot people who don't like guns and don't like other people owning guns or guns they don't like and those people mangle the English language and historical facts get to the end they wish. I can't fault their desires, I fault their methods. They believe that a little lying around a part of the Bill of Rights they don't like has no other consequences. They fail to understand that the BOR is not negotiable, it is not subject to their petty interference without consequences. If the Second Amendment presents the threat they say it does, then Amend the Constitution to reflect that. I think that's a real bad idea, I think it would have outcomes worse than the ills gun banners wish to address, but that is the only course available to them that does not put the entire Bill of Rights at risk.

I take converts where I can find them and where I can help create them, but the operative word is converts, not to owning firearms, but to respecting the Constitution. I'd take Rudy, if there were any chance that this stuff is any more than momentary political convenience. What a political hack. Mr NineEleven, Republican, any politically convenient stand; re-read his "save the party" quote and do the math and you'll get his policy stands. Do the Republicans deserve this bunch they've got running? Yes...

Update

You know that goofy cell call during the NRA speech, well AP has the story on that, turns out it was 9-11 caused as well :

"And quite honestly, since Sept. 11, most of the time when we get on a plane, we talk to each other and just reaffirm the fact that we love each other," he said."

Giveme a break, and the sun came up in the east, because everything was different after 9-11.