Posted on 08/25/2004 2:09:41 PM PDT by yonif
Declaring "the front line of the war against terror once again involves the citizens," Republican Alan Keyes said Tuesday he believes the U.S. Constitution grants properly trained private individuals the right to own and carry machine guns.
"You're not talking about giving citizens access to atom bombs and other things," the former presidential candidate said. "That's ridiculous."
But the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate argued the founding fathers intended the Second Amendment to allow people to carry the types of weapons "customarily carried in those days by ordinary infantry soldiers."
"And, yes, does that mean that in this day and age people would have the right to have access to the kind of the weapons our ordinary infantry people have access to? With proper training and so forth to make sure that they could handle them successfully, that's exactly what was meant."
Keyes made the remarks at a news conference he called to attack the "ideological extremism" of his Democratic opponent, state Sen. Barack Obama.
The Republican lit into Obama for voting against a bill in Springfield earlier this year that would have allowed people who use handguns to fend off home invaders or attackers to argue self-defense as a possible legal defense against prosecution for violating any local anti-firearm possession ordinances.
The measure passed the Legislature with bi-partisan support, but Gov. Blagojevich vetoed it last week.
Keyes called Obama's vote against the measure an "appalling . . . lack of common sense."
"This seems to be a man who is absolutely determined to make the world safe for criminals, while making sure that law-abiding citizens have no opportunity to defend themselves against the criminals," Keyes said.
Keyes said he supports a system in which guns would be treated similarly to automobiles, with people being required to undergo different levels of training before they would be allowed to own and carry various sorts of weapons.
"I always remind -- even people who support the Second Amendment -- that it has two parts: the right to keep and bear" arms, Keyes said. " 'Bear' means to carry, to carry around. . . . I think it has been proven empirically that . . . allowing law-abiding citizens this access to conceal-carry actually reduces crime."
Keyes said he owns two firearms himself: a 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol and a .38-caliber "six-shooter." But he said he does not keep them at his new home in Calumet City.
Keyes only indirectly answered a reporter's question about whether he would "be comfortable if the entire society was walking around with Uzis, as long as they were properly trained."
"Have you ever been to Israel?" Keyes asked the reporter. "Because if you've ever been to Israel, you wouldn't ask that question. And in the midst of terrifying dangers, you walk around the streets of Israel and you see every other person carrying arms and Uzis and so forth and so on, and believe me, you do not feel less safe on that account."
Machine guns, or fully automatic weapons, are firearms that fire multiple shots with a single pull of the trigger.
Thomas Ahern, a spokesman for the Chicago division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said private individuals can only own such weapons if they apply with the bureau and clear a series of hurdles, including a background check, fingerprinting and the OK of local law enforcement officials. Additional paperwork is required any time the weapon is to be transported.
"It is heavily regulated," Ahern said.
A spokesman for Obama defended the Democrat's record on guns.
"Certainly he believes in the Second Amendment, but he also believes in common-sense gun safety laws, such as the federal ban on military-style assault weapons." said spokesman Robert Gibbs. "If Alan Keyes truly was concerned about public safety, that would be his position, as well."
Huh?
You know, it might seem more sporting of you to wait until she returns before attacking her so that she can defend herself. She's really very pleasant and you shouldn't fear dealing with her directly. ;-)
I shouldn't have to amend the constitution in order to enjoy the rights in guarantees me. I fought for those rights, and I'll be damned if I see them flushed down the Toilet of POlitical Expediency".
Just because YOU would, doesn't mean I have to.
You've abandoned facts in this case.
Prove me wrong.
Prove to me that Alan Keyes did not come out in favor of MORE government regulation of private foirearm ownership.
Prove to me that Keyes has been endorsed by the Gun Lobby.
Show me ONE non-factual statement on thsi thread made by me.
Take your time. I can wait.
Right. Regardless, you will understand if I am waiting for confirmation or clarification of that, from my chapter.
Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater with the 14th.
I recently filed an appeal in the New Mexico Appeals Court that relied heavily on the 14th Amendment. It was crucial to my case, as a matter of fact; it was necessary to press home the fact that the appellant rights do NOT "stop at the state border".
All you'd probably have to do is call the nearest Democrat Party headquarters and ask them for a ride on one of the buses they're sending voters to Illinois on. Bet there'll be free drinks and cigarettes too!
Me too. It should be along any day now, I guess, huh?
AMEN!Case Closed!
You're doing exactly what anti-Keyesters have done to Alan for four years: spin fictional yarns designed to tear the man down.
I always liked you. I'm greatly disappointed that you have chosen to go down this path.
If Alan comes out and clarifies his remarks with regard to government licensing and permissions with regards to firearms ownership, I will happily and gladly apologize for criticizm of him on this issue, and admit I made a mistake based on bogus information.
Are you prepared to reciprocate?
Keyes has longstanding positions on the 2nd amendment. I've seen nothing to think they've changed (I noted his thoughts on education above). I realize you don't live in Illinois, but Obama, the Illinois Democratic Party and yes, the Illinois Republican Party, have strong anti-gun platforms as well. On the 2nd amendment, this isn't even close.
BTW, if Keyes wanted to take the politically smart road, in Illinois, he'd support a statewide "assault weapons" ban, that would win him support.
Take a shower man.
Clarification: my brief, which relies on the 14th, was filed recently. I filed the appeal itself a while back; it was only recently that the court agreed to hear it. (Not every appeal is accepted.)
In the name of all that is good and decent, thank you Jim!
You Living Constitution crowd ought to do whatever you can to stop Keyes. Whatever you can.
You have no clue what Alan stands for, has stood for for years and continues to stand for, but you take the 4th Estate's spin on what he stands for? All of this to sabotage a Conservative Republican Senate Candidate? Man, buy a life...
Simple, they pass a law and enforce it :<(
Actually I was thinking of the ban not only in the federal context, but in the context of National Parks or Monuments in states that allow open or concealed carry, or have a 2nd amendment equivalent in their state constitutions.
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