David Clarke – not a Constitutional expert!

I know I said I’d be taking a little break from blogging, but until my campaign kicks into high gear, this opinion piece by Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke was simply too crazy to take a pass on.

In writing about bipartisan calls for a serious national dialogue on the issue of gun control in the wake of last week’s terribly tragedy in Connecticut, Sheriff Clarke said any calls to restrict the ability of U.S. citizens to own assault rifles and extended-capacity magazines should be resisted “with the ferociousness of a junk yard dog,” and he argued the second amendment should not be limited, just as the first amendment isn’t restricted.

We have to resist with the ferociousness of a junk yard dog, any, any attempt by liberals to make us less free by chipping away at our constitutional freedoms. The second amendment is as sacred a right as is first amendment or any other amendment. I’ll be willing to have a conversation with liberals about gun control in the same conversation we should have about whether government should restrict our first amendment right or how about whether we should scale back our fourth amendment rights, how about restricting our 14th amendment due process rights? Let’s have a debate about the second amendment in that same conversation. Then let’s see what the left has to say about restricting our freedoms.

Sheriff Clarke’s huffing and puffing about an unlimited second amendment to go with an unlimited first amendment shows his complete lack of understanding that there are in fact very clear limits on our first amendment rights, as outlined by our nation’s Supreme Court – the ultimate arbiters of what’s Constitutional and what’s not.

The Freedom Forum does an excellent job of outlining the limits on our first amendment rights to free speech. For example, false and defamatory statements (slander/libel) are not protected under the first amendment, nor are “fighting words” that are likely to cause violence orother disorderly words, including profanity, obscenity and threats.

What’s more, obscenity – something a conservative like Sheriff Clarke is likely opposed to in practice – do not enjoy first amendment protections, nor do words that would create a clear and present danger, such as yelling “FIRE!” in a crowded theater.

It’s pretty clear there are very reasonable limits to our first amendment rights to free speech, and I’d argue there’s plenty of room for reasonable limits on our second amendment rights, so long as those limits don’t unreasonably infringe on those rights.

Share:

Related Articles

6 thoughts on “David Clarke – not a Constitutional expert!

  1. Fire, Fire, Fire….. Clearly there is no understanding of what is reasonable 1st ammendment rights as well as 2nd ammendment. Anyone who protects the use of military style weapons in the public sector needs to rethink his ethics.

  2. It is absolutely lamentable that Clarke, who was elected to be the sheriff for ALL Milwaukee County citizens, is so dismissive of a large number of his constituents.

    He is a thug.

  3. Zach, what about this? Can this possibly be true?

    http://www.teapartyperspective.com/2012/12/17/milwaukee-sheriff-clarke-on-firearms-freedom/

    Milwaukee Sheriff Clarke on Firearms Freedom
    Posted on December 17, 2012 by Charles Atlas Shrugging

    The following is from Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke, Jr. via Nik Clark, of Wisconsin Carry Inc.:

    Shame on liberals for exploiting tragedy once again in our country and try to use tragedy as a reason to take our rights away. Liberals are shameful.

    We have to resist with the ferociousness of a junk yard dog, any, any attempt by liberals to make us less free by chipping away at our constitutional freedoms. The second amendment is as sacred a right as is first amendment or any other amendment. I’ll be willing to have a conversation with liberals about gun control in the same conversation we should have about whether government should restrict our first amendment right or how about whether we should scale back our fourth amendment rights, how about restricting our 14th amendment due process rights? Let’s have a debate about the second amendment in that same conversation. Then let’s see what the left has to say about restricting our freedoms.

    Liberals don’t care about curbing violence because if they did they wouldn’t coddle and call for more leniency for criminal perpetrators. When a hold-up man sticks a gun in someone’s face and takes their money, liberals want to offer job training, they want the criminal to serve their sentence walking round in the community with a monitoring device on. How crazy is that.

    All the left is interested in is having the government control every aspect of our lives. Calling for gun control is just another aspect of furthering their socialist agenda.
    All of these suggestions about the need for gun control are the mindset of sheep. Once the wolf is at the door, you’re helpless. Sure, run and hide from a sociopathic killer. See how far that gets you. You know where that ‘ll get you? 26 dead at Sandy Hook School. No one could stop the shooting and the cops weren’t there yet. The only reason there weren’t more slaughtered is because the wolf took his own life before slaughtering more innocent sheep.

    I would suggest that business owners remove those signs at their front door that guns are prohibited. It is nothing more than telling a sociopath that if they choose this place to slaughter people before carrying out their death wish that no one on site will be able to stop them or fight back. Do liberals really think that a sociopathic killer or even a hold-up man is not going to enter a place with a gun because a sign says guns prohibited?

    Thinking that prohibiting guns within 1000 feet of a school creates a safety zone may sound warm and fuzzy. All its does is identify for a sociopath that he can slaughter as many people as he wants before anyone with a gun can stop him. In essence we have made schools more vulnerable to attack by mass murderers because the closest person who can stop the attack and limit the carnage is 1000 feet away and that’s just to get to the building. Then it takes awhile to figure out where the killer is even for law enforcement. Do you realize how many people will be killed by a mass murderer in that much time?

    I have a better idea to all this run and hide advice. An armed tactical trained officer or security officer in every school and public place (theaters, malls, etc) in America. How are we going to pay for it? With all the money we spend on “going green projects and other waste of money social service spending we do. And spare me the idea of more gun control. Gun control has never worked and never will. That’s a sheep mentality. It’s like saying lets capture all the wolves and then the sheep will be safe. Yeah right.
    I’ve had it with these sociopaths slaughtering innocent people who are in no position to defend themselves.

    I was in Jerusalem last year. You couldn’t go too far without seeing an Israeli border patrol agent, national police officer or security guard all armed with Uzi’s. It was impressive and I felt safe. They don’t talk about gun control in Israel to prevent violence. They dare gun toting perps to bring it.

  4. He’s got all the answers…..if there’s a disagreement lets have a shootout…..give everyone enough guns and ammo ….end of problem. End of the world too but i guess he doesn’t care about anyone but himself!

  5. I am ok with the Government coming for our guns. But first the only stipulation is they must lead by example. That means Stop providng guns to the gangs of the world. We provide 55% of the guns used in the world. Many used to kill thousands of innocent children over seas. Then Obama and his secret service needs get rid of all their guns an security. (Non of this will happen) Then a few questions. You are more likely to die of a stabbing than
    a gun. Are we going to outlaw all kitchen knives? Also deer kill 200 people a year on average more than killed in mass school shootings.. Cars Kill more people than guns being misused should we outlaw cars? Why is it mass shootings only take place where no one is allowed to bring guns? In fact the only people the govenment seemsm to want to have guns are the criminals slinging their dope. (OXY, Pot, Coke). Those are the only type of people who misuse gun. If over 100 American citizens died in The Fast & Furious Scandal (Which to be blamed on the 2nd amendment a complete FALSE FLAG) to push gun control. What makes you think they wont stage other false flags, mass shootings and kill more of our own people for political agenda?? Side note, this year is the first year suicides have taken over as the #1 form of bodily injury death. Also, Why has no one mentioned Prozac? All these mass shooters are on it look it up! It says right on the bottle may cause severe depression and suicidal thoughts. You dont see the liberals going after the medical companies because that was not on their political agenda. Just saying…

  6. The Sheriff of Milwaukee County wrote this (I live over 300 miles north of Milwaukee)? ” We have to resist with the ferociousness of a junk yard dog……….blah blah blah……”. Your Sheriff wrote this? Holy bejesus. He sounds like he needs a rabies shot.

Comments are closed.