Oh wow, Barack Obama was right…the right wingers do turn to guns for comfort

Posted on | June 27, 2008 | 6 Comments

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Before I take the weekend off from blogging (it’s Cyndie’s 40th B-day! We’re celebrating it with a slumber party at my house!), I thought it would be a good chance for everyone to discuss the US Supreme Court’s recent decisions this week.

First off, I find it interesting that the ban on guns in DC and the death penalty for child rapists is coming out this week (it was probably scheduled but the timing is weird), because just recently the point was made on the news (either CNN or MSNBC….can’t remember which) that the republican party has never made the US Supreme Court as an issue when one of their own is running for the presidency. That could be true. The republicans always seem to run on the abortion laws, guns, gays, and gawd. Yep. They always turn to religion and guns when they want to comfort themselves and their base, so I find it interesting that these two very important cases came out this week. Maybe to help Johnny McTeleprompter? Could be, but since he admitted recently that he just stopped beating his wife 2 weeks ago, well then, I don’t think he’ll even care about the rulings this week at all!

The ban on guns in Washington, DC…

I can see why this 32 year old ban was overturned. The 2nd Amendment gives Americans the right to bear arms (though they can’t form militias) in this country and no town/city, county, or state as a whole can ban any individual from owning a gun (only a few exceptions exist). Of course, they can regulate guns by taking the right to carry one in public away or they can enforce background checks (to refuse to sell guns to the mentally ill, felons etc.) before allowing an individual to buy one. To me these regulations make perfect sense, but to a zealous gun dealer (as this Freeport, Maine gun dealer proves), some don’t really give a flying rat’s ass what the laws are of this country or what gun regulation is all about. It’s guys like this who are making our streets more dangerous. As the right wingers like to point out all the time: GUNS DON’T KILL PEOPLE, PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE. Well remind the wacko gun dealers of that please!

Another thought about the US Supreme Courts decision to lift this 32 year old ban: Why now? Is it because Barack Obama is going to be the next president of the United States? Again, the timing of this decision is just odd to me. Blue Texan of FireDogLake also questions the timing of these Court decisions. Yep, the wingers are going to use the Court now to freak out the base, when really, a good majority of Americans understand the current wingnut Court is very, very dangerous and with Johnny McTeleprompter at the helm of this country, it will get even worse!

The ban on the death penalty to be used in child rape cases…

Rape is a horrific, vile, violent crime and I don’t care if it’s done to a child, a teenager, an adult, or against one of the prisoners at GITMO, Abu Graib, or in a secret CIA prison around the world. Rape is a punishable crime, The End. But is the death penalty warranted in ONLY the rape of a child? Let’s think about this for a minute…..as the Associated Press article points out, those on Death Row in this country are there because they KILLED someone. Their crime was horrific enough to warrant the death penalty and I’m sure every single case…the death penalty is the correct decision for these men & women (that is…if they are truly guilty, but that’s another post!). But….there has never been a rapist on Death Row WITHOUT the death of the victim. I have to say, I agree with the Court’s decision on this. As brutal as the crime of rape is, I think life in prison without the possibility of parole is the best decision, especially for those rapists who will most likely rape again if given the chance.

I’m not sure if you saw the video of a Massachusetts state rep giving his thoughts on mandatory minimum sentences for crimes against children, but when I first saw this Democrat spewing “hate”, I was livid. I’ve settled down a bit now.

What are your thoughts on what he’s saying? Rather than letting the jury decide on the punishment for the defendant if found guilty of the crime against a child, a mandatory sentence of 10-15 years minimum would be imposed no matter what. Our emotional brains will always react, “Good! Let the bastards rot in hell for that long!”, but from what I’m understanding is Rep. Fagan is saying he does not LIKE the idea of going after a child hard on the stand who has gone through a most unbelievable horrific crime just so he can defend his client with. He has a point, but does he really?

Of course, I can see a mandatory minimum sentence for repeat sex offenders. This kind of criminal should be facing at least 15 years in prison because of his or her pathological history and should not have been let out the first time. Maybe the “jury of his peers” is the problem here? Could be.

But…

If you think about it, allowing the death penalty for the rape of a child could force the rapists in the future to kill their victims so the one and only witness to the crime is silenced. Yes, I know, the death penalty in this country has not deterred crime and doesn’t work. Personally, I’m against the death penalty, but like Barack Obama pointed out…it is warranted in some cases. As a society, sometimes the most egregious of crimes should end with the death of the criminal! That said, I don’t agree with Barack that ALL crimes against children warrants the death penalty. The after effects of rape and sexual assault can be dealt with in time (believe me…as a woman I am not making light of rape! I’m getting light headed just writing this post!), but I don’t believe the death penalty is the answer to it. And besides, how many child rapists/murderers last a long time in prison? They tend to get their justice if you know what I mean (think Jeffrey Dahmer and Catholic Priest John Geoghan).

What are your thoughts on these two US Supreme Court rulings?

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