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Brady Campaign Praises Sotomayor's History of Gun Control

Opinion by Brady Campaign
(June 01, 2009) in Society / Guns
By Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

The nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court appears to be a positive one for those committed to reducing gun violence in this country. Judge Sotomayor’s legal opinions have shown a strong respect for precedent in upholding federal and state gun laws, while her background and experience promise to bring a real world, personal understanding of the effects of gun violence that will be welcome on our nation’s highest Court.

Respect for precedent and understanding the importance of strong gun laws in the real world will be especially important as the Supreme Court is likely to face gun lobby efforts to expand the Court’s recent Second Amendment ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller into an unbridled right to any gun, any place, any time. Her experience prosecuting perpetrators of gun crimes in New York City added to her appreciation for the real-world life and death consequences of any efforts to roll back gun laws that protect all Americans.

As a judge on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Sotomayor has shown a respect for precedent that has narrowly interpreted the Second Amendment, a far contrast to the activist majority in the Heller case, which sidestepped seventy year old precedent in finding a new individual right to have handguns in the home. Judge Sotomayor has consistently rejected challenges to gun laws that protect our communities from gun violence.

Based on her background, her experience, and her strong record of upholding lifesaving gun laws, we are pleased with Judge Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court and look forward to hearing and evaluating her testimony during her Senate confirmation hearings.
Regarding Opinion
Brady Campaign Praises Sotomayor's History of Gun Control

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  • KentMcManigal
    Balderdash

    Gun control is always the precurser to genocide. Anyone who wants to make it harder for you to own and to carry a gun does so in order to be able to do things to you that you wouldn't allow if you were adequately armed in order to effectively resist. Gun "laws" are only "lifesaving" for you if you are intent on attacking the innocent. Only a monster would advocate or support such things. Are YOU a monster?

    - KentMcManigal June 1, 2009 12:59PM

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    • richardsonkr
      Maybe a bit excessive.

      While gun control is often a precurser, to genocide, it isn't always. For example, the gun control being passed in South Africa right now is clearly a precurser to genocide. The gun control here, on the other hand, is slightly, oh so very less slightly, less sinister. Gun control here is a precurser to bigger and bigger government. More spending, more taxes , less personal freedom. Also, it is an attempt to make the death penalty unneccessary, and thus getting rid of it, by making crimes that would incur the death penalty less likely by making them more difficult. Ultimately, these efforts have proven themselves to not only be a gross violation of our rights, but also counter-productive. It needs to end. Bring on the C4!

      - richardsonkrUS June 1, 2009 10:11PM

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      • KentMcManigal
        You missed what I was saying, slightly

        All genocide follows " gun control "; not all "gun control" has led to genocide. Yet. Google "Innocents Betrayed" and "JPFO" for a lot more information.

        Banning guns doesn't make murder more difficult. Sam Colt didn't "invent" murder. What banning guns DOES do is make it harder for a smaller, weaker target to effectively resist a bigger, stronger attacker. That's all.

        The Brady Campaign are what I call "Mass-murder cheerleaders". You can almost see them holding their collective breath, barely able to wait for the next massacre to occur (in a "gun-free zone", of course).

        - KentMcManigal June 1, 2009 10:36PM

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  • jfh
    well, that settles it.

    If Paul Helmke considers her fit, then she isn't.

    However, as is usual, his reading of her "strong record of upholding lifesaving gun laws " is superficial. That fits with the statement--which is really only a means to solicitiing donations.

    The Brady Campaign has a twenty-year history of distortion and lies promoting gun control . Perhaps this press release is yet another.

    - jfhUS June 1, 2009 2:17PM

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  • Carl in Chicago
    judicial activism

    Brady Campaign said: " ...while her background and experience promise to bring a ... personal understanding of the effects of gun violence that will be welcome on our nation’s highest Court."


    Leave it to the Brady Campaign to advocate for a Supreme Court justice who will allow personal feelings to rule the day, and to color her legal opinion.

    Brady's should be ashamed of themselves for this advocacy, and be ashamed that you are hacks.

    We demand that Sotomayor impartially uphold the constitution of the United States.

    - Carl in ChicagoUS June 1, 2009 2:21PM

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  • bandofotters
    Precedent?

    "Judge Sotomayor has shown a respect for precedent"
    _________________________

    Now that DC v. Heller is precedent let's wait and see how correct Helmke's assessment is of her.

    - bandofotters June 2, 2009 9:52AM

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