Character and Integrity Matter Toward the Second Amendment by Jan Ireland

Character and Integrity Matter Toward the Second Amendment

By Jan Ireland

February 11, 2004

Freedom took it on the chin in Wisconsin recently when democrat state legislator Gary Sherman switched his vote at the last minute. Set to break a 130 year ban, the Concealed Carry Bill had passed both houses only to be vetoed by democrat governor Jim Doyle. Though the state Senate succeeded in overriding the governor's veto, Sherman changed his vote and caused its complete failure at the last minute in the State Assembly. What would make Sherman do that, when he was one of the original co-sponsors of the bill? It certainly was not character, and not integrity.

Those of us who live in Concealed Carry states - and that's about 44 states and growing - shake our heads with a uniform 'glad we don't live there!' when we hear a story like this one in Wisconsin. Common sense, as well as the growing body of definitive research by John Lott and others, tells us that criminals prefer their intended assault, robbery, and rape victims unarmed. While those of us in Concealed Carry states have seen those statistics go down, Wisconsin citizens may well experience an upsurge in those crimes, now that criminals have been newly reminded that their intended victims will be ill-equipped to offer much resistance.

Requirements for concealed carry are stringent in every state. Applicants are fingerprinted and have their backgrounds checked by law enforcement. They attend training sessions; study law; pass written tests; and exhibit proficiency at a firing range. They show that they can load, unload, clear ammunition jams, and hit targets varying from arm's length to several yards away. They are tested in unrehearsed, unpredictable scenarios, much as they would face in a real life and death situation. Only if they perform well under all these conditions, are they given Concealed Carry permits. Hardly a rash or slipshod process, as some critics claim. So again, how could democrat Sherman do it?

Simple. Partisan democrat politics.

Apparently, that was all Sherman needed to kill the bill he had originally co-sponsored. All he needed to break his promise to his constituents, who were expecting an end to the 130 year ban. All he needed to trash the Second Amendment to the Constitution, which deals with the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. All he needed to put Wisconsin citizens in danger, without a means to personally protect themselves. All he needed to curry the favor of his fellow democrats, and his democrat governor.

The Wisconsin State Journal says Sherman did it "to protect his governor and what limited power the minority Assembly democrats have". They quote Sherman "If you don't have the discipline to stick together as a group, you don't have anything to do with governing." That is not character, and not integrity.

Sherman is a gun owner and NRA member, who in his words has supported Concealed Carry for a long time. Obviously, he was mistaken…or lying.

Though Sherman is a state legislator, not federal, his obligation still should be to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and the Second Amendment is part of the Constitution. His votes should serve the best interests of his constituents, not his democrat governor. Pointing out Republicans who are against Concealed Carry, or ceding your vote to partisan exhortation is no expiation.

Sherman was right about one thing. At election time in the fall, the National Rifle Association will likely give him considerable attention, though I would think that they are unlikely to give him a favorable rating in light of this performance. But it is the people of Wisconsin who should pay the most attention.

Sherman betrayed them, to fit comfortably with the democrats he serves. Few official democrats support the Second Amendment. Even fewer realize that all our American freedoms are predicated on the basic right to self-defense, so that without the Second Amendment we have no real freedom. The NRA calls the Second Amendment, America's First Freedom. When it comes to the Second Amendment and freedom in America, character and integrity matter most of all.