Alphecca

Gonzales Would Be Bad For Gun Rights

Since every other special interest group is issuing a litmus test on any proposed nominee by President Bush for the Supreme Court, I thought I would, too. You know, because I have so much say in the matter and everyone (*cough*) gives a rat's-patootie what I think.

My one-issue life revolves around protecting the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and specifically the Second Amendment. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales would not be good for our side of the issue. Anecdotally, the Washington Post reports:

Behind the scenes, Gonzales clashed frequently with Ashcroft's Justice Department. He felt blindsided when Ashcroft, early in the administration, announced that the department would embrace, for the first time ever, a view of the Second Amendment that regards gun possession as an individual right on a par with freedom of speech or religion.

Testifying before the U.S. Senate last week, Alberto Gonzales announced he supports President Bush's position on the semi-auto ban.

"The president has made it clear that he stands ready to sign a reauthorization of the federal assault weapons ban if it is sent to him by Congress," Gonzales said. "I, of course, support the president on this issue."

While some might be tempted to give Gonzales a "pass" since he was parroting his boss' position, Gonzales went even further, indicating that gun control was a heart-felt position of his own.

He spoke of his brother, who is a Houston SWAT officer, and said, "I worry about his safety and the types of weapons he will confront on the street." Hence, he supports a prohibition on semi-automatics that, in truth, only amounts to a ban on ugly guns.

I'm nervous, too, because if he is willing to curb our rights in one area, he's probably willing to curb them in others. Witness his support for the reauthorization of the Patriot Act.

I fear though that Bush and other Republicans might view Gonzales as a tool to make further inroads into the Hispanic vote which is the fastest growing demographic of voters in the country.

Update: Great minds (such as Bill Quick's) think alike.