Luminous Animal

Luminous Animal's Journal

July 10, 2015

About this gun thing. Let's see what Obama has said and done.

I think that the only legitimate flack that I can give Bernie is his original vote against the Brady bill.

Bernie makes the point that people should address the difference of how guns are viewed in an urban environment as opposed to a rural environment. There are a few in GD-P who are claiming that the subtext to this is: "White rural gun owners, good; black urban gun owners, bad."

But here is what Obama said, ""Part of being able to move this forward is understanding the reality of guns in urban areas are very different from the realities of guns in rural areas. And if you grew up and your dad gave you a hunting rifle when you were ten, and you went out and spent the day with him and your uncles, and that became part of your family's traditions, you can see why you'd be pretty protective of that."

Bernie has also stated that urban advocates need to listen to rural gun owners.

Here is what Obama has said on that point, "So it's trying to bridge those gaps that I think is going to be part of the biggest task over the next several months. And that means that advocates of gun control have to do a little more listening than they do sometimes."

Bernie has stated that even though he is not a gun owner (and I don't think he even shoots them), he supports those who enjoy the hunting life and realizes it is often a family outing.

Here is what Obama has said, "I have a profound respect for the traditions of hunting that trace back in this country for generations," Obama told The New Republic in an interview published Sunday. "And I think those who dismiss that out of hand make a big mistake."

He also says he shoots skeet at Camp David.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/01/27/170393072/gun-control-advocates-should-listen-more-obama-says

Obama supports universal background checks and a ban on assault rifles, so does Bernie.

One of the other votes that people are criticizing Bernie for is his vote to allow guns on checked luggage on AMTRAK. In 2010, Obama signed just such a law. Another law that Obama signed was one allowing people to carry concealed weapons in National Parks and wildlife refuges. Both actions earned him an "F" from the Brady Foundation

Here is an excerpt from an op-ed that Obama wrote for the Arizona Star in 2011:

Now, like the majority of Americans, I believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. And the courts have settled that as the law of the land. In this country, we have a strong tradition of gun ownership that's handed from generation to generation. Hunting and shooting are part of our national heritage. And, in fact, my administration has not curtailed the rights of gun owners - it has expanded them, including allowing people to carry their guns in national parks and wildlife refuges.

The fact is, almost all gun owners in America are highly responsible. They're our friends and neighbors. They buy their guns legally and use them safely, whether for hunting or target shooting, collection or protection. And that's something that gun-safety advocates need to accept. Likewise, advocates for gun owners should accept the awful reality that gun violence affects Americans everywhere, whether on the streets of Chicago or at a supermarket in Tucson.

http://tucson.com/news/opinion/mailbag/president-obama-we-must-seek-agreement-on-gun-reforms/article_011e7118-8951-5206-a878-39bfbc9dc89d.html

July 8, 2015

The False Framing of Kathryn Steinle’s Killing

The last few days have been very stressful, agonizingly so in bearing witness to the terribly tragic murder of Kate Steinle and the anguish of her family; and frustratingly stressful to see how sound public policy that makes all of us safer is under attack and blamed for Ms. Steinle's murder.

The actions of one single individual do not represent a community and should not be used to stereotype a community and undermine public safety efforts.

Our Sanctuary City and Due Process for All Ordinances recognize the great contributions immigrants make in San Francisco. They were crafted to foster trust between immigrants and law enforcement so that immigrants won't fear deportation when they come forward as witnesses to help law enforcement officials do their jobs. Domestic violence victims including children benefit with this legislation and are protected because of it.

The Due Process for All Ordinance is founded on Constitutional Rights guaranteeing that law enforcement show probable cause when investigating and prosecuting the laws and that all suspects are afforded due process in our justice system.

In March of 2014, the Federal District Court in Oregon with Judge Janice Stewart presiding ruled that Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer requests to county law enforcement officials to hold people past their release dates for ICE to pick up are unconstitutional. Subsequentlly, counties across the country limited their honoring of ICE detainer letters lest they get sued by former detainees for having their constitutional rights taken away. Clearly, San Francisco is not isolated in our Sanctuary City policies.

http://modernluxury.com/san-francisco/story/the-false-framing-of-kathryn-steinles-killing

The Constitution is not just a piece of paper.

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