Editorial Overview

Can there be common ground on Gun Control and the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution?

After years of losses in the courts, gun control opponents have finally won two major victories in the Supreme Court. The decisions the Supreme Court and the impacts of these decisions are still being argued between gun control advocates (generally liberal) and opponents (generally conservative). Can there be common ground on Gun Control and the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution?

With the recent Supreme Court decision on gun control in the District of Columbia and Chicago, the courts have reversed several lower court decisions that the government may impose strict gun controls. However, this decision did not eliminate all gun control laws. Both the District and Chicago are now grappling with the consequences. What laws will satisfy both the gun owners who threaten additional law suits and a majority of their citizens who want strict gun control to curb violence? What role will the United States Congress take in this process? Can liberals and conservatives find common ground?

Conservative Response

Conservatives believe the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States guarantees every American the right to own and possess firearms. The Supreme Court has finally agreed and gun owners continue to chip away at gun control laws, either through the courts or through the legislature, throughout the United States from Arizona to Virginia.

For conservatives, the Second Amendment is sacrosanct. The right to bear arms is an individual right that is central to our American identity. From the very beginning of our nation, guns have played an important role to ensure the freedoms we hold dear in America. This right should NEVER be restricted for law-abiding citizens. Read more...

— Editor

Liberal Response

Gun Rights Advocates continue to win battles in the courts and the legislatures to loosen gun control laws throughout the county. They celebrate court wins in the District of Columbia and Chicago, relaxed laws in the states and even changes at the federal level allowing gun owners to carry weapons into our treasured National Parks. Still they protest and complain that their "right" to carry guns is under assault from the government. They believe that with the election of Barak Obama as President of the United States, the federal government will ban all guns. The propaganda is so strong that the sale of guns in America soared after Barak Obama's election.

The conflict over the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution has been, over time, the most contentious and most personal battle. Read more...

— Editor

Alternative Response

The right to keep and bear arms, as defined in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, is neither an individual right to defend oneself nor a state's right to maintain an armed militia. It is an individual obligation and, in fact, an individual requirement to meet a citizen's responsibility to provide for the common defense. At a time of crisis at the local, state or national level, it is the responsibility of every able-bodied citizen to protect and defend the homeland.

Though it may be difficult for some to hear and others to agree with, this country was built by and defended with the gun. During the time of our founding fathers, it was well known and well documented that accessibility to arms was essential, not only to the survival in a fledgling nation but to ensure the continued protection of our new way of life. Read more...

— Editor

N/A

Many American citizens oppose same-sex marriage on religious (biblical) grounds. Others see opposition to gay marriage as discrimination. Is there a clear distinction between liberal and conservative camps on this issue?

Same-sex marriage is currently legal in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa and Vermont. New Hampshire will allow gay marriage in January, 2010. Gay marriage was legal in California and then it wasn't. The District of Columbia city council is currently expected to pass legislation to allow it. However, opposition to same-sex marriage has brought together some strange bedfellows. Right-wing religious conservatives along with many black church leaders, who tend to lean liberal, have come together to oppose court decisions and legislation to legalize same-sex marriage. On the other side, traditional liberals and some libertarians, also traditionally conservative, oppose any marriage restrictions. It was not long ago that many Americans opposed civil unions and benefits for same-sex couples. This has changed significantly. Do we recognize gay marriage with all its rights and responsibilities or do we pass a Constitutional amendment to ban it? Is there or should there be a compromise between the all or nothing groups?

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Abortion is one of the most divisive issues of our time. Can there be a compromise or any agreement on abortion between liberals and conservatives?

There seems to be very little room for debate between the liberal (pro-choice) and the conservative (pro-life) groups in this country. Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska praises her daughter's "decision" to have her baby but she wants to deny this decision to all other women including victims of rape and incest in the United States by overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that gave women control over their own reproductive decisions. Several states are already poised to ban abortion in all cases except to protect the life of the mother as soon as the Supreme Court strikes down Roe v. Wade. With attacks from religious conservatives on sex education and contraceptives, abortion is once again becoming the only way to address unwanted pregnancies. Can liberals and conservatives have common ground? Do we need to relive the severe impacts to women of anti-abortion laws to understand, once again, the necessity of sex education, of accessible contraceptives and, in some cases, of abortion?

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