Gore, Guns, and Contrasts
by George A. Reimann
reimann@srv.net
I have written very few of the words below. Some of the material presented below has appeared in the national media, much has not, especially on a side-by-side basis. If a reader can locate a similar set of contrasting, troubling material related to G. W. Bush, please post it on this site. Were there no Internet or cable news channels, and if dissemination of information were left totally in the hands of the establishment news media, Al Gore might now have lock on the election November 7.
An editor from The Tennessean recalled Gore explaining his early congressional opposition to gun control laws, which he privately favored, and in fact had advocated in an earlier incarnation as an editorial writer for the Tennessee paper. “Look, I’m running in a district where people favor guns, and there’s no way I can win if I take a position that indicates I’m going to take away their guns,” he reportedly said. “It’s as simple as that.” Posted by toyman ® , Aug 27,2000
Memo to Al: “This is very important.” “…do not overstate your degree of involvement...” “The main point is to be careful not to overstate your role.” “You did say…something like ‘I’m the only farmer in this race’…your main pitfall is exaggeration. Be careful not to overstate your accomplishments…” - From: Arlie (Gore staffer), excerpts from memo dated Feb 15, 1988.
"I'm going to lay it on the line. The next president of the United States has to be someone who the American people can believe will stay with his convictions." -- Al Gore, 1988 Democratic Presidential Debate, 2/18/88.
Gore calls guns an addiction
FT. LEE, NJ.—April 20, 1999 Looking more like a speaker at an AA meeting than Vice President of the United States, Al Gore, appearing before a rally of high schoolers, declared that he is "Gun free and feeling fine".
"For three months every year, I lived as a Southerner," the Vice President continued. "And as a Southerner, I fell victim to the addiction that is guns. I was forced to associate myself with guns because it was expected of me. As soon as I was able to get out of spending my summers in Tennessee, I abandoned those Southern ways, and quit my gun use cold turkey."
Gore went on to compare gun use to drug addiction, saying that the problems must be addressed in similar ways. "I have already called for the Gun Czar, now it is time to call for the diagnosis and treatment of gun use as a disease," he said. Gore outlined three new strategies for combating and treating gun abuse: (1) Intervene with elementary school students who may have gun use tendencies, or who are living with suspected gun users. (2) Provide intervention from the Department of Human Resources when someone is reported using guns on a regular basis. (3) And to prevent gun use by employees prior to work, order random gun use testing on government employees to determine the presence of any gun use residue on their clothes or in their hair.
http://www.bsnn.net/gunaddiciton.htm
According to National Rifle Association, Key Vote Analyses (1985-1992), between 1985 and 1990, Sen. Al Gore voted with the NRA 75% of the time. But, in July of 1999, the The Atlanta Journal and Constitution has Gore proclaiming that, "In this presidential race, there are some who believe the urgent matter related to guns is the need to extend new protections to the gun manufacturers. I believe it is time to have new protections for our children and our families. Some want more concealed weapons, but they can't conceal the fact that they are doing the bidding of the NRA."
http://www.egroups.com/message/cemb/399
"Al Gore has no quarrel with gunners and sportsmen who are members of the NRA,'' spokesman Doug Hattaway said. "He's been a hunter. He grew up shooting a gun, but he disagrees with the increasingly extreme agenda of the NRA.'' The Associated Press June 2, 2000
http://www.worldnews.com
“I will not do anything to affect the rights of hunters or sportsmen. I think that homeowners have to be respected and the right to have a gun if they wish to.” “The problem I see is that there are too many guns getting into the hands of children and criminals and people who for whatever reason, some kind of history of -- of stalking or domestic abuse, really should not be able to get guns. I think these assault weapons are a problem. So I favor closing the gun show loophole.” “Well, I'm not for registration. I am for licensing by states of new handgun purchases…” “I think states should do that for new handguns because too many criminals are getting guns.” - Al Gore, excerpts from 2nd Presidential Debate, Oct 11,2000.
“But all of my proposals are focused on that problem: gun safety. None of my proposals would have any effect on hunters or sportsmen or people who use rifles.” Al Gore, excerpt from 3rd Presidential Debate, Oct 17, 2000.
From oral arguments, U.S. v. Emerson, 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, June 13, 2000
Judge Garwood: "You are saying that the Second Amendment is consistent with a position that you can take guns away from the public? You can restrict ownership of rifles, pistols and shotguns from all people? Is that the position of the United States?"
Meteja: (for the government): "Yes"
Judge Garwood: "Is it the position of the United States that persons who are not in the National Guard are afforded no protections under the Second Amendment?"
Meteja: (for the government): "Exactly."
From Seth P. Waxman, Office of the Solicitor General, U. S. Department of Justice, August 22, 2000,
(excerpt from letter):
"In light of the constitutional history, it must be considered as settled that there is no personal constitutional right, under the Second Amendment, to own or to use a gun."
"In my view, the Constitution ought to be interpreted as a document that grows with our country and our history." -- Al Gore, 1st Presidential Debate, October 3, 2000
"I have kept the faith with our country. Nine times I have raised my hand to take an oath to the Constitution, and I have never violated that oath." -- Al Gore, 3rd Presidential Debate, October 17, 2000
In the 3rd debate, I was hoping for a question, preferably to Al Gore first, as follows:
“This is a two-part question:
(1) Do you believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms or do you believe that it is a collective right reserved only to the states?
(2) Do you believe licensing of gun owners and registration of all guns will establish a system enabling eventual confiscation of all guns?"
G. A. Reimann
Also from G.A. Reimann:
