Opinion: Attorney general is ensuring our individual rights

There is no doubt that the Second Amendment guarantees the individual citizen the right to possess firearms. A poll taken following Attorney General John Ashcroft's affirmation of this right showed that 75 percent of U.S. voters think so, agreeing with Ashcroft. The U.S. Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution published a carefully documented report in 1982 saying so. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said so recently in the well researched Emerson decision. The 14th Amendment's intent was to specifically guarantee all citizens the right to vote, as well as all other Constitutional rights, including the right to bear arms, which were not to be abridged by any of the states.

Attorney General Ashcroft has not "created new constitutional protections." He has put the Second Amendment where it belongs: on a even keel with the entire Bill of Rights.

The intent to destroy the National Instant Criminal Background Check system (NICS) records was the clear intent of Congress. The system is an "instant check," not a means to create government dossiers on law abiding citizens who exercise their Constitutional right to purchase a firearm.
-- Lee Hanson, Hudson

No illegal registry needed

Re: The NRA poster boy.

If you would take the time to read the Brady law you would see that the attorney general is only following the law as it is written. If the NICS operator finds no information that would prohibit the transferee from possessing a firearm, the personal information is to be deleted immediately. The FBI retains the date and time and FFL (Federal Firearms License) number of the NICS check and the FFL dealer must retain the Form 4473 "yellow sheet" for 20 years. The FBI has three working days to complete the check if needed. If the three days pass without resolution then the dealer may transfer the firearm.

I do these checks all of the time and I always wait for FBI approval no matter how long it takes. If the FBI finds that a transfer has been made to a prohibited person after the three days they need only call the dealer for the personal information. There is no need for the FBI, ATF or FDLE to maintain an illegal registry of firearm owners.
-- Bruce Osborn, Tampa

The NRA's attorney general

Re: The NRA poster boy.

When John Ashcroft lost his re-election bid for his Senate seat, the gun violence prevention community celebrated his defeat and our participation in that defeat. However, his subsequent appointment to attorney general was first thought to be a disaster.

It now appears it's not as bad as we first thought. Utilizing his office as the NRA's attorney general instead of the people's attorney general has generated a good deal of public comment about his shameless support of the gun lobby and the issues involved. We feel in the long run this will turn out to be more of a liability for the NRA than an asset. With the vast majority of Americans still supporting reasonable restrictions on firearms, we feel John Ashcroft will provide the catalyst necessary to harden and even increase support for sensible restrictions on firearms.

The appointment of John Ashcroft to attorney general was an attempt by President Bush to shore up his right wing, but in this case it was to shore up his far-right wing. We tend to think since Ashcroft is so far from mainstream on gun control this can only hurt Bush at re-election time and will further the public's perception that the NRA is a far-right wing organization only interested in its ideology of total individual gun rights at the expense of public safety. This has already started to happen.

Within months of his appointment, our courts have been assaulted by terrorists, felons and others chaffing under firearms restrictions they feel are unconstitutional according to the attorney general, placing him in direct conflict with state attorneys general and with the law created by our high court for the last 60 years. This has not endeared him to the public, law enforcement and our legislatures.

The NRA feels it's now riding high and closer than ever to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that will render all gun control laws unconstitutional. With John Ashcroft exposing the real goal of the NRA, absolute gun rights, we think public opinion will solidify to stop this insanity.
-- Arthur C. Hayhoe, executive director, Florida Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Inc., Wesley Chapel

Satan for Florida governor?

Re: Political ads and hypocrites, editorial, July 25.

The Times has clearly shown its bias in the upcoming elections, but none so blatantly as this editorial.

The Times blasts the Republicans for use of the so-called "three-pack" rule on a political advertisement. You state that the ad is "ridiculous" and imply the Republicans are hypocrites. But when the Democrats do the same thing the Times says they are "walking a fine line."

I suspect that if the Republicans said the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, you would blast the GOP for jumping to irrational conclusions. Yet, if the Democrats accused Gov. Jeb Bush of being a serial ax murderer, you would probably turn a blind eye.

Let me save you the trouble and write your endorsement for you now: The Times recommends Janet Reno, Bill McBride, Satan, or whoever wins the Democratic nomination for governor.
-- David Manning, Dunedin

McBride and the military vote

Re: McBride's new tour of duty, by Adam C. Smith, July 28.

The fact that Bill McBride liked Vietnam is very disturbing to me. Although my brother-in-law was in Ranger Airborne and was a Green Beret who received three Bronze Stars, I was very much opposed to the undeclared war. I was appalled at the nightly carnage on the television.

War is not the answer, it never has been and never will be. The answer to differences is open dialogue and diplomacy. How can McBride consider Vietnam a just war? I look at this as an effort to secure the military vote.

When I am selecting a candidate to vote for, I consider military service a disadvantage. There is rampant waste in the military with limited vision. We have far too many former military personnel in politics. I am vehemently opposed to the direction in which America is headed. We must dedicate our country to humanitarian causes and peace.
-- Mari D. Anderson, Titusville

No tax break for families

Like many of my fellow Floridians, I have had to grit my teeth when witnessing the latest wave of television ads for Georgia's sales tax holiday pass across my screen. This is just one of the many reminders that Florida gave a $262-million tax break to corporations while neglecting a tax break for families buying back-to-school supplies.

In the past four years, one week had been set aside as tax free for school supplies and clothing to benefit families preparing their children for the new school year. Parents were relieved to be able to save money during a time that usually puts a dent in many family budgets. Stores were bustling with business during the sales tax holiday.

In the past, Gov. Bush had always been a supporter of the sales tax holiday. He even called it "a great idea" in March of this year. So what happened? As described recently by Sen. Durell Peaden, R-Crestview, "with the budget squeeze, it was low on the priority list."

How many parents who must now prepare their children for another year of school without any concern from the governor are comforted by this monumental corporate tax break? How is it that Georgia found money in its budget for both a sales tax holiday and pay raises for all teachers, yet Florida cannot do either? It's good to know that Gov. Bush's priorities are with corporations and not with Florida's families.
-- Camille West, Tallahassee

Sunshine State for sale

Re: Manatees no threat to $60-million film, Aug. 1.

Once again the public is left out of the decisionmaking process. Our state government seems to be more concerned with catering to big money than to representing the interests of the people who put them into office. What happened to public hearings when changing the rules?

Columbia Pictures states that "Bad Boys 2 will suffer immediate adverse economic hardship if an emergency waiver is not granted." What possible hardship could the multibillion dollar entertainment industry suffer if another moronic sequel is not filmed in the Miami area?

Economic hardship is when your life savings have been lost due to corporate greed, not if your movie runs over in production time. It is blatantly obvious the "economic hardship" that Columbia Pictures is worried about is the loss of billions of dollars from ticket sales, video and DVD rentals and merchandise sales.

It is a shame there isn't the same enthusiasm to help solve education problems, problems within DCF and a litany of other problems faced by the citizens of Florida. What our state leaders are telling us is that if the price is right Florida is for sale, especially wildlife and the environment.
-- Alicia J. Haselwood, Tampa

Movie will send a bad message

Re: Manatees no threat to $60-million film.

I am very concerned about the message the movie Bad Boys 2 is giving about showing a high speed chase in a manatee speed zone and the message that the governor is giving by waiving the manatee regulations. If we can override the zoning provision once, it shows the world how you can go on high speed chases in Miami after talking to the governor. And in the meantime, there is no guarantee for manatee safety. How can Jeb Bush so lightly waive manatee rules?

I think it is time to have as a governor of Florida someone who can say that it is okay to tell a Hollywood movie producer that we do not do high speed chases through a manatee zone.
-- Pat Morris, Tampa

Heartbreak doesn't make headlines

Re: Manatees no threat to $60-million film.

Manatee zone restrictions and bashing Gov. Jeb Bush over temporarily lifting the bans are more important to the liberal St. Petersburg Times than the five Americans killed by terrorists in Israel. It is absolutely amazing that a non-story such as the waiver of a manatee speed zone for a movie filming would be more prominently displayed than the heartbreaking loss of innocent Americans.

How can the attempt to portray our governor in a bad light be more compelling than the fact that our citizens are now being openly targeted abroad by terrorists? Your bias is shamefully blatant.
-- Pat Jennings, Dunedin

Vatican's move tragically funny

I just read the Aug. 1 article, Catholics get first Indian saint, and if it wasn't so tragic, it would be funny. It should have been placed on the page with the comics.

The Aztec civilization was destroyed in the name of Christianity, and the Spaniards relieved those native people of their gold and their lives if they didn't submit to the church's will. This is absolutely absurd!
-- Steve Oromaner, St. Petersburg

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