Posted on 05/08/2008 7:20:30 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has a few choice words for your hometown newspaper.
In an editorial Thursday, the Star-Telegram called the Republican land commissioner's position on the Christmas Mountains untenable, and said that "his obstinate invocation of the gun issue in the discussion borders on obsession."
In a response Thursday, Patterson cites the oath he took years ago as an officer of the United States Marine Corps. He also notes in his 400-plus word letter that the "Fort Worth Star-Telegram may consider my position 'untenable' and my zeal for the Bill of Rights 'obstinate' and an 'obsession,' but I couldn't care less."
Patterson has expressed an unwillingness to transfer the 14.5-square-mile tract to the National Park Service if the agency insists on enforcing its regular firearms restrictions on the land. The park service has offered to add the land to Big Bend National Park.
Patterson, who as a House lawmaker also authored the state's concealed handgun law, also has suggested he would not honor an expected U.S. Supreme Court ruling if it contradicts his views on the Second Amendment.
"I guess you can just call me an old-fashioned believer in the wisdom of those who penned the Bill of Rights and not much of a believer in the wisdom of editorial boards," Patterson wrote.
You can click on the comments section below for a full text of the letter.
--R.A. Dyer
(Excerpt) Read more at startelegram.typepad.com ...
Ditto. Semper Fi Mr Patterson. Hard to find a politician with a backbone these days.
Tell ‘em Jerry. Give ‘em hell!
Hopefully, our Land Commisioner Jerry Patterson will become our Governor Jerry Patterson.
the newspaper’s owned by mcclatchy of sacramento, ca—that’s the problema.
but mcclatchy may be bought out by a bigger fish.
We don’t call it the Ft Worth Red Star for nothing.
The paper acts as if this is a bad thing.
The staff of the paper Sucks....
Unfortunately my home town.
Paper is ran by idiots.....
Typical modern journalist. Didn’t bother looking at Commissioner Patterson’s previous accomplishments. They could have found he authored the original Texas Concealed Carry law.
So, “bordering on obsession”, really just means ‘stickng with his convictions’.
What a stud!
I knew I liked that guy!
The FW Star-Telegram’s chief claim to fame, until rather recently, was that they were the home office of the poison pen of the late, unlamented Molly Ivins.
Now they have a cretin to replace her with, Bob Ray Sanders (don’t you just automatically distrust a grown man who goes around flouting his middle name?), which seems quite appropriate.
Letter to FWST
I find it ironic that your paper, in the business of selling words and ideas under the 1st Amendment of the Constitution, stating that the Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, so easily casts aside the 2nd Amendment stating, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. Political relativism is alive and well at the FWST. What a luxury it is that you can pick and chose what parts of our rights your wish to support. It proves that, as with all moral relativism, our Constitution is no threat to our form of government.
Since Commissioner Patterson’s words seem to mean nothing to your editorial board, shall we also equate this standard to your words?
We, the citizens, rely on you, the press, to print the truth in your yellowed pages. You have a unique responsibility to us, as it is the press that guards our gates and protects or civilization from the hordes entering there, intent on our destruction. Of late, we are suspect of the impartial exercising of your constitutionally granted responsibility.
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