Larry Pratt says Fox misstated his position
He says FoxNews misstated him when they said his position that the state has every right to restrict conceal and carry permits to citizens. From Jacob Sullum:
Pratt now says Fox “misstated my position,” which distinguished between rights of citizenship such as voting in U.S. elections and natural rights such as those protected by the Second Amendment.
Pratt’s response is at that link. He says, in part:
. . . fundamental human rights such as the right to self-defense as embodied by keeping and bearing arms, on the other hand, SHOULD MOST DEFINITELY extend to everyone, period.
Good for Larry Pratt.
Update: Seems his staff didn’t get that memo:
From: Gun Owners of America [mailto:noreply_goa@gunowners.net]
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 10:33 AM
To: XXXXXXX
Subject: Gun Owners of America: Ticket 201115416, FOX NewsRe: Ticket XXXXXXXX, Responded
Dear XXXXXX
A new message has been added to the email #XXXXXXXXX.
Constitutional rights belong only to citizens. The ACLU’s logic can lead to tearing down our border – that there are no rights unique to American citizenship, so, hey, let everyone come in. That same logic allows the state to take away the right to keep and bear arms of a citizen. We have argued in court that only a citizen can lose his right to keep and bear arms by renouncing his citizenship. The current view that citizenship is no big deal has led to a progressive encirclement of the exercise of our rights. We gave gone from denying the right to keep and bear arms to felons, then to those with misdemeanors, now to those with certain medical diagnoses (and that without any due process).
We must make the distinction between citizens and others.
The American constitutional order is one of rights for citizens. Any enjoyment of those rights by non-citizens is a privilege in constitutional terms. The ACLU, as usual, is wrong in this case. It is for the state of South Dakota to determine whether legal non-citizens have the right to keep and bear arms. I don’t agree with their new policy, but constitutionally, they are within their power to so act.
I have forwarded your comments to my supervisor.
Robert Duggar
Gun Owners of America
January 11th, 2011 at 5:15 pm
I don’t think he was misquoted based on their replies. Now that they have ribbon been criticized for their stupidity anti-gun position, he’s trying to say he was misquoted.
From: Gun Owners of America [mailto:noreply_goa@gunowners.net]
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 10:33 AM
To: XXXXXXX
Subject: Gun Owners of America: Ticket 201115416, FOX News
Re: Ticket XXXXXXXX, Responded
Dear XXXXXX
A new message has been added to the email #XXXXXXXXX.
Constitutional rights belong only to citizens. The ACLU’s logic can lead to tearing down our border – that there are no rights unique to American citizenship, so, hey, let everyone come in. That same logic allows the state to take away the right to keep and bear arms of a citizen. We have argued in court that only a citizen can lose his right to keep and bear arms by renouncing his citizenship. The current view that citizenship is no big deal has led to a progressive encirclement of the exercise of our rights. We gave gone from denying the right to keep and bear arms to felons, then to those with misdemeanors, now to those with certain medical diagnoses (and that without any due process).
We must make the distinction between citizens and others.
The American constitutional order is one of rights for citizens. Any enjoyment of those rights by non-citizens is a privilege in constitutional terms. The ACLU, as usual, is wrong in this case. It is for the state of South Dakota to determine whether legal non-citizens have the right to keep and bear arms. I don’t agree with their new policy, but constitutionally, they are within their power to so act.
I have forwarded your comments to my supervisor.
Robert Duggar
Gun Owners of America
January 11th, 2011 at 5:22 pm
I really hate spell check on the Ipad. Meant “rightly”, not ribbon.
January 11th, 2011 at 5:28 pm
Duggar? Would that be one of the many Duggars from Arkansas?
http://www.duggarfamily.com/aboutus.html
January 11th, 2011 at 5:46 pm
Translated: “I said something I regret, caught tremendous flack for it, and now to get out of it, I am going to say I was misquoted.” Kind of like apologizing for people’s reaction to your offensive conduct rather than apologizing for the offensive conduct.
January 11th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
Based on Duggar’s response it sounds like Pratt is backpeddling for not supporting Natural Rights.
January 11th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
And that is what happens when you meddle in everything even though you are supposed to be only about gun rights.
Countdown before the blame the NRA for their footwear tasting faux pas starts now.
January 11th, 2011 at 7:57 pm
Pratt is really not looking good.
January 11th, 2011 at 8:06 pm
Larry Pratt is an opportunistic tool? Whod’a thunk?
January 11th, 2011 at 8:24 pm
So is he lying, backpeddling, or simply incapable of properly controlling/leading his organization?
No matter how you count it, hell of a way to fail.
January 11th, 2011 at 10:17 pm
This would really be upsetting, or at least it would be if the GOA had any political relevance whatsoever.
January 11th, 2011 at 11:34 pm
Dear Mr. Duggar,
So by your logic, if immigration thinks an illegal alien lives somewhere they can enter the domicile without a warrant, detain the suspect indefinitely without a lawyer, and sentence him for whatever crime without a trial. You know, since constitutional rights only apply to citizens.
That sounds nothing like a police state, you ass.
January 13th, 2011 at 5:14 am
Wow, the hate is really out in force today.
http://waronguns.blogspot.com/2011/01/pratt-fox-news-got-it-wrong.html