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Anti Federalist
07-10-2010, 07:15 PM
That is one point (out of many) from an excellent article, posted at the Daily Kos, of all places.

We accept restrictions on all the other Amendments, especially the Second, well, why should that not apply to others as well?

Or is the concept of "reasonable restrictions", of any freedom, what is ridiculous here?


Suddenly, overly broad restrictions are "reasonable." The Chicago and Washington D.C. bans on handguns -- all handguns -- is reasonable, even though the Supreme Court has now said otherwise.

Would we tolerate such a sweeping regulation of, say, the Thirteenth Amendment?

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

What if a member of Congress -- say, a Republican from a red state in the south -- were to introduce a bill that permits enslaving black women? Would we consider that reasonable? It's not like the law would enslave all people, or even all black people. Just the women. There's no mention of enslaving women in the Thirteenth Amendment. Clearly, when Lincoln wanted to free the slaves, he didn't intend to free all the slaves. And we restrict all the other Amendments, so obviously the Thirteenth Amendment is not supposed to be absolute. What's the big deal?

Hat tip to the RPF member and OP of this piece:

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=252490

The original story:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/7/4/881431/-Why-liberals-should-love-the-Second-Amendment

Anti Federalist
07-11-2010, 11:48 AM
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