According to the Reuter's news service today, Attorney General Ashcroft's office stated that they are nearly ready to release a legal opinion that "an individual has the constitutional right to possess firearms, not just a group of individuals". The article further stated that this legal opinion would be a complete reversal of the legal opinion given by the AG's office during the Nixon administration 30 years ago. Three cheers for John Ashcroft..it's a cloudy day for the gun control folks.BTW, did anyone else find it interesting that so little coverage was given by our illustrious TV news media about the school murders in Japan where a firearm was not used??????? I admit to being more and more leery of the media as I age, but nobody will convince me that if a gun had been used, the media would have been talking incessantly about statistics involving firearms in other countries vs the USA, blah, blah, blah....Columbine=the school murders in Japan..same senseless horrific crime, same pure evil, same heartbreaking loss of young lives, one with firearms and one with a knife. I applaud John Ashcroft for his willingness to upset the status quo and to give the "liberals" a dose of common sense.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), July 11, 2001

Answers

Yep. I have to say that I am actually pleased with the stance the Bushy Boy has taken on the UN gun control agenda. I doubt that it really will be effectual, but I am still glad they are finally holding to the second ammendment. I am still irritated about the mcVeigh case, but it's too late on that. Kudos to Ashcroft on this one.

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), July 12, 2001.

Hmmm... a politician that really and truly believes in the Constitution?? A literalist?? WONDERFUL!! Now if they would just take care of those pesky little Executive Orders (from way back as far as FDR!!!!! and most especially the Kennedy admin and since) I'd be all good to go...

I have to say... I've doubted what good Bush would be, though I couldn't have stood the thought of a Gore presidency. Still treading water on it, but some things like this give one hope anyway -

Don't know how many of you get BHM... but the latest (and all previous) installment in 'Coming Dictatorship' is quite interesting...

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), July 13, 2001.

Just curious, what irritates you about the McVeigh case? Not for argument purposes, but I am just curious... I recently finished reading "American Terrorist" and would be interested in your opinion about everything.

-- Clancy (cwb98@hotmail.com), June 13, 2002.

Lesley, what label should you be stuck with? Apparently you think that, since I'm a liberal, I need a "wake up call". Sorry, but I'm a gun supporter all the way. Except maybe for the federal government; they can't have guns, because they are mostly felons.

Maybe this should be a wake up call toYOU, and all the other___'s. All liberals are not cut out of the same cloth.

As far as Kudos for Ashcroft? ƒraid not! He's still a fascist in my book. Unless and until he and President Select Strangelove, along with their sheep in congress repeal the PATRIOT act, and call off the FBI and CIA's searches, it's KLUNKERS for Ashcroft!

-- joj (jump@off.c), June 13, 2002.

Joj,

Just because you happen to be an exception to the rule doesn't mean that lesleys blanket statements about liberals are unfounded. Liberals and Conservatives alike tend to fall into general groupings of opinion, which is what classifies them in the first place. Don't you think this argument "hey look at me, I'm different than all the other liberals" is a little trivial? If you were really that different than all the other liberals, you'd be... well, -- conservative...

Congratulations to you for being on the right side of the gun issue. You're moving in the right direction.

Clancy

-- Clancy (cwb98@hotmail.com), June 14, 2002.

Clancy, I have to disagree with you. Part of the problem is that people not only assume that they understand someone else's views by putting them in a box (calling them conservative/liberal, whatever), but also because so many people actually DO conform, perhaps because it's easier to parrot what their fellow conservatives/liberals/whatever tell them than to do the required research and thinking to come to a conclusion on their own.

My point is that ALL people who have true individuality are different from each other. There are no "true" conservatives or true liberals. There is a spectrum.

-- joj (jump@off.c), June 14, 2002.

go a few posts north from here... you'll see quite clearly that YOU are the first person to label yourself as a liberal. BTW lesley, I agree that the media is spinning as usual by avoiding the non-firearm school killings in Japan. Although, I have to add that at least from my point of view it seems japan is largely ignored in the media anyways.

We are also in the middle of another prime example. The elizabeth smart kidnapping. I feel for the family of course. But when is the last time you turned on the news to see a story about a 14 year old girl kidnapped from the inner city?

Clancy

-- Clancy (cwb98@hotmail.com), June 17, 2002.

"go a few posts north from here... you'll see quite clearly that YOU are the first person to label yourself as a liberal"

Your point being???

-- joj (jump@off.c), June 18, 2002.

ugh.... anyways, doreen, I would still be interested in hearing you viewpoint about the mcveigh case, especially in light of the newly "discovered" alleged involvement of Jose Padilla in the bombing.

Clancy

-- Clancy (cwb98@hotmail.com), June 18, 2002.

I went ahead and labeled myself for the convenience of the pubic. I would just like to send my thanks to joj and to point out that Lesley actually said, "Kudos to Ashcroft". Oh, thanks alot. Cheers mates.

-- Just another liberal (brownwm@hotmail.com), November 10, 2003.

If you look at the date of the original post it was Pre 911.....I fully agree with you on the Patriot Act, joj.

As to McVeigh.......

I am completely convinced that he was a 'good soldier' to the end. He did what he was told to do. He wasn't a saint, or someone to be admired, but he was the fall guy. There are too many things that I haven't the time to get into, but if you check this site out there should be several threads on McVeigh with the appropriate links.

-- D'reen (bisquit@here.com), November 11, 2003.