Saturday, September 18, 2004

1st vs. 2nd Amendment

I constantly hear the NRA saying that the 2nd amendment is more important than the first amendment because the 2nd amendment protects the 1st amendment. I find this assertion absurdly flawed for two reasons.

First, if the 2nd amendment was necessary to protect the 1st amendment, the Washington Post headquarters would have an arsenal and every priest would be packing heat. Wolf Blitzer and Judy Woodruff would be expert marksmen.

The second reason why I find this reasoning so flawed is because of the obscene suppression of our 1st amendment rights we have seen during this election cycle. Where were the gun toting NRA members when Sue Niederer was arrested for protesting her sons death at a pro-Bush rally. Where was Charlton Hesston when Nichole and Jeff Rank were arrested for wearing anti-Bush T-shirts. What about Alexander Pincus who was arrested in New York when he wasn't even protesting. People all across this country have been arrested for peacefully protesting Bush and the NRA has never been there to back them up, never said a word.

If I were the NRA, I would be changing my mantra. It is the 1st amendment that has allowed them to pour millions of dollars into campaigns under the auspice of "freedom of speech." with out the 1st amendment, the NRA would not have nearly the clout it does nor the ability to change the outcome of elections or get assault weapons put back on our streets. The NRA does not care about our freedoms other then when it appies to their right to buy elections. It is, in fact, the 1st amendment that protects the 2nd amendment. Not vice-versa.

3 comments:

Dingo said...

Ahh, I just love it how people who have no arguement and only response is profanity never leave their name. Says so much about them - no brain and no balls.

Alphy said...

I agree with your comment about the idiot who spewed profanity at your comment. As for the NRA speaking out against those arrests, they may have, or they may not have...I don't know. I don't visit their website often, and the Media doesn't often announce any NRA position unless the NRA is coming out in opposition against a gun bill.

But the Second Amendment IS just as important as the first! These arrests are demonstrations that the government is doing more and more to suppress our voices; the time may soon come when the only voice we have is from the guns we pick up to overthrow a tyrannical government.

Unfortunately, our government has been chipping away at ALL our rights, (speech, arms, search and seizure, etc) to the point that, if the time comes for Revolution, those who would speak up and/or fight against tyranny will already be arrested; and those who would want to do so will not have the presses, or the arms, or the private security in their own homes, to do so.

Alphy said...

ps. Don't shut up: the First Amendment is just as important as the Second for preserving liberty...even if you are mistaken on this issue!