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."
No, actually it means that gun ownership would be decided on the whims of the government - just like car ownership. Owning and driving a car is not a right - it's a privilege. So, it makes sense that the government can make all these requirements for training, testing, insurance, etc... before they ALLOW you to own and drive a car.
That's what Keyes wants for Gun Ownership - if you want to own one, you have to jump through all kinds of government-mandated hoops before they ALLOW you to exercise a constiutional right...
Something about that bothers me, as it should bother any 2nd amendment supporter...
(Still Alan Keyes is better than Obama, but I have a disagreement with Keyes on this issue with regards to "licensing guns like cars")
Actually, Keyes is unelectable because of his mouth - most of his positions are pretty good, actually, but when he gets going with that mouth of his, he ends up saying stuff like how Arnold is like the AIDS virus, and how Bush is more evil than Clinton.
Not exactly the best way to convicne people to make an honest assessment of your positions, and give you a chance. Alan Keyes has a small base of people who will support him no matter what, but if he wants to get elected he needs to educate people, and get them to take an honest look at what he has to say and then get them to vote for him.
I have no problem with Keyes saying what he thinks - I find it refreshing - however, he also needs to realize that many people are turned off by over-the-top rhetoric.
Until Alan Keyes learns to control that rhetoric, and until the "Great Orator" learns to be more Reaganesque in his public speaking, he will do nothing to advance conservatism in America and will always remain known as "that guy who kept running for president and losing" - Ya know, sort of like that other guy I used to support with my time and money, Pat Buchanan...
If voting could change anything, it would be illegal.
Did voting stop NAFTA or GATT?
Did voting help obtain a balanced budget?
Immigration reform? Term limits?
I humbly decline to participate in a game where there is no way of winning.
When you can demonstrate that, get back to me.
Full auto gets expensive and I'm on a budget...LOL
Fired a full auto CETME before...fun stuff TSR trigger group...not telling where though...LOL
Was thinking more along the lines of a Licensed HK knock off...Tactical LLC, Bobcat etc...
Arrested Adolescence in most cases...I just let the idiots and blowhards hang themself, it's like trapping...no hurry.
And thank you.
You did see #173? It seems to back up my guesses.
If Amelia wants to talk about why she was banned when she gets back, I'm sure she will.
And I understand you're defending a friend. That's fine.
But until you're officially designated the Post Police, I'd appreciate you not telling me when and where I should post anything.
rofl...
but we need a "pop the hood and.... " conclusion to complete the triuvirate of commedy at ole Ross's expense...
No, actually it means that gun ownership would be decided on the whims of the government - just like car ownership. Owning and driving a car is not a right - it's a privilege. So, it makes sense that the government can make all these requirements for training, testing, insurance, etc... before they ALLOW you to own and drive a car.
Fine, but apparntly Alan's new position in this is open to such interpetations that it is not really all that clear and concise - So, if he clarifies it, then great.
I want to leave some inspirational music for you to listen to while you’re waiting.
“Keep your hand upon the throttle, and your eye upon the rail.” ;-)
Similar does not equal identical. they are not synonyms.
If both require a license to operate, which one has to have some sort of training to get, the situation is similar. Even if nothing else is similar.
Do you think that we should be down to debating the meaning of "if" (in a manner of speaking) when it comes to this candidate on this particular subject?
Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?
Welcome back.
Perhaps the most powerful science fiction novel of the twentieth century, this apocalyptic satire shows with grim conviction how Winston Smith’s individual personality is wiped out and how he is recreated in the Party’s image until he does not just obey but even loves Big Brother.
bttt
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.