BELLEVUE, WA – The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington has vowed to monitor legislative reaction to three different police shootings in Washington State to make sure the proposals do not ultimately violate people’s rights if they become law.
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today reminds the ACLU that the right to keep and bear arms is a constitutionally-protected right, and demands the same protection from legislative abuse as any other civil right.
“While our thoughts and prayers remain with the families of those officers who have been murdered in recent weeks,†noted CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, “we share the ACLU’s concern that the legislature’s reaction may be to clamp down on the rights of law-abiding citizens, as well as the rights of criminal suspects, without actually accomplishing anything.â€
Washington ACLU spokesman Doug Honig was quoted by the Associated Press observing, “Our concern would be measures that are proposals that sound tough, but in practice won’t do much to make us safer, but will restrict people’s rights.â€
“That’s what gun owners have been saying for years about restrictive gun control measures that don’t reduce crime,†Gottlieb stated. “Already, some lawmakers are using these police shootings to advance their personal anti-gun agenda, calling for legislation to ban firearms that were not even used in any of the recent incidents. We also expect an attack on gun shows. It’s flash-without-substance political exploitation, and nothing more.
“When the time comes to fight these insidious proposals,†he concluded, “we will be delighted if the ACLU joins in that battle. A civil right is a civil right, and gun prohibitionists in the Legislature need to recognize that. Gun owners are through taking the rap for crimes committed by ex-cons and neighborhood thugs. We will no longer suffer for the misbehavior of people who should not be on the streets in the first place.â€