When Guns Are Outlawed...

Rep. Louie Gohmert, the distinguished gentleman from Texas, has his own preferred legislation in response to the tragic events in Arizona this past week.

"If members of Congress wishes [sic] to carry a weapon in the federal District of Columbia, it should be permissible. Accordingly, we are in the process of drafting a bill that will allow members of Congress to do that." (Read the quote here, if you'd like.) Rep. Gohmert perhaps envisions a return to the days of dueling lawmakers and vigilante justice. Hmmm...he might be on to something there!

There is just one slight problem with his legislation. It's NOT illegal to carry a handgun in the District of Columbia, with proper training and permitting, of course. District of Columbia vs. Heller, heard before the Supreme Court in 2008, struck down a 1975 law that had banned firearms in federal enclaves.

But, hey, what's a little Supreme Court decision or two amongst friends? And why should our legislators be bothered with knowing the law? They can just make new ones!

Maybe I'm being a little hard on Rep. Gohmert...but, then again, this is the same guy who melted down JUST A WEE BIT in an interview with Anderson Cooper on CNN when Andy challenged his assertion (actually first delivered on Fox News) that pregnant foreign women are having babies in the U.S. “with the nefarious purpose of turning them into little terrorists, who will then come back to the U.S. and do us harm.”

COOPER: The FBI says this is just not happening. You are spreading scare stories, and this is completely about politics.

GOHMERT: It is happening. It is happening.

COOPER: Where? Give me some evidence. Tell me one person, one terror baby that’s been born? Can you tell me?

GOHMERT: The explosions will not happen for 10 or 15 or 20 years and then you will be one of those blips. I’m not comparable to Winston Churchill, but the detractors like you are comparable to his detractors. [...] Anderson, do you really believe that the ones that want to destroy the United States are more stupid than these entrepreneurs in China, than these people in Mexico? [...] And I bet you, on 9/10, he were to come on your show and say there is no credible report of a plan to take down the World Trade Centers, because he didn’t have one.

COOPER: OK. So, you don’t believe the FBI when they currently say there is no credible report?

GOHMERT: — taking shots at me and look at the gaping hole in the security of this country. I’m an easy target, and you and Jon Stewart can have your fun. But please, at some point, look at the gaping hole in our security. (see the clip here)

I'm certainly not saying that security should become lax, nor am I opposing true Second Amendment rights in our great country. But, I guess I am questioning just a LITTLE bit the reactionary, emotional response that is being encouraged by some of our elected leadership. Election, in my understanding, implies a certain level of responsibility not only to and for your constituency -- but to your country -- all of it! 

I suppose that the good people of Rep. Gohmert's district are entitled to return him to Congress for as long as they wish. We've had Ted Kennedy, Strom Thurmond, Ted Stephens, Charles Rangel and others over the years who were returned repeatedly by the electorate despite attitudes and actions considered outside the mainstream of American life. That's just part of who we are, and part of our greatness.

Now that we've questioned the use of such terms as target and crosshairs in political discourse, maybe Mr. Gohmert can help us consider the wisdom of "taking potshots" at those who disagree!