Wives were threats. Girlfriends were threats. Women who talked too much were threats. And women who held public office and wouldn't shut up were the scourge of the land.Joan Burbick is so impressed with her own ignorance, she's positively authoritative about it.
To believe her, you must believe that men who wish to see you armed and trained think it will make you easier to beat. And as for rock salt being a superior home defense weapon than maneuverable military pattern firearms, I guess the foremost experts in the world--the guys who defend the world's most famous house*--need to reassess their choices.
There's no recognition that sometimes false charges are vindictively filed, no indignation over denial of rights without establishment of guilt, no admission that, sometimes, it is the women who find themselves legally restrained and disabled for life--over incidents as trivial as tearing a pocket, or throwing down some keys.
And for the record, Ashcroft's Justice Department, through Solicitor General Ted Olson, filed a brief defending the disarmament statute:
ROBERT COTTROL: Well, the Justice Department is charged with enforcing the law, which includes defending the constitutionality of federal statutes. You have the Emerson case in the 5th circuit where the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that although the second amount is an individual right, that it is nonetheless reasonable regulation to prevent individuals who are under a restraining order because of domestic violence issues from owning guns. Dr. Emerson, who was the defendant in the case, is appealing that to the Supreme Court and it is, of course, up to the federal government to defend the statute.
The position of this Administration is that of the 5th Circuit, namely that the law is constitutional, because although this Administration supports the individual rights view of the Second Amendment, that there is an individual right to keep and bear arms, it sees the statute as reasonable regulation. So this is within the normal processes of the Justice Department defending a federal statute.
UPDATE: Oh lookee--gun ownership is also "a white male political power play."
BuzzFlash said it, I believe it, that settles it.
I think Joan the Authority has some hostility issues.
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[*I got the White House example from Ed Monk]