Rich Whitney supports concealed-carry laws

by: bridgetdooley

Tue Sep 05, 2006 at 11:30:01 AM CDT


Crossposted from Bridget in the Sixth (so excuse the reference to "over at SbC").

Over at SoapBlox Chicago, there are a several folks who insist on promoting Rich Whitney, the little known Green Party candidate for Illinois Governor. After some looking around on his site, I had some questions about his stance on choice issues. I emailed the campaign a week ago and never received a response. Whitney backers at SbC pointed to his statements on Project Votesmart regarding this issue, which seem fine. But after the following business, I think I know what he is trying to do by masking his stance on choice. Weirdly, he is pandering to conservatives.

More...
bridgetdooley :: Rich Whitney supports concealed-carry laws
So yet again I am wondering who the hell this guy is and who exactly is backing him. Bernard Schoenburg of the State Journal-Register profiled Rich Whitney on Sunday. (hat tip to Rich Miller over at The Capital Fax Blog for putting this on my radar).

And Rich Whitney apparently supports concealed carry gun permits. He stated that he thinks is it a "civil rights issue".

This seems to me to be an issue that Whitney is using to try and grab the support of (especially downstate) voters who typically vote Republican and may be a little to a lot more "gun nutty" than us northerners. The fact that he has opened up his headquarters in Carbondale and his backers are all over the place making claims that he will take votes from Topinka leads me to believe that this is his strategy.

We don't hear a lot about concealed-carry laws in IL because, for the most part, people are just not into guns here. But in places like Wisconsin where many people hunt and NRA support is strong, concealed carry has been used as a Republican wedge issue for years. There are LOADS of single-issue concealed carry voters in every typical (read: not Milwaukee or Madison) area of Wisconsin.

Note to Rich Whitney: I am not alone when I say that I absolutely DO NOT want to live in a state where I have to worry about who may be unexpectedly packing heat. Bad, BAD idea.
Tags: , , , , , , , , (All Tags)
Print Friendly View Send As Email
Rich Whitney supports concealed-carry laws | 15 comments
I think the Green Party attracts a certain kind of libertarian... (0.00 / 0)
and that this is where the hide the handgun thing might come from.  It may also explain why they play so well with the radical right, which also attracts a certain kind of libertarian.

Omnes vulnerant, postuma necat
I was under the impression that... (0.00 / 0)
...the Green Party platform has parallel progressive and libertarian viewpoints on many points. However, concealed-carry gun permits isn't one of them!

[ Parent ]
Gun opinions cleave the rural/urban divide (0.00 / 0)
much more tightly than abortion which really cleaves a moralist divide. Gun issues are also a lot more amenable to rational compromises. The biggest difference between the city and the country is the time it takes to do things. Since everything takes longer in the country a lot of the passion crimes have less impact. It's passion crimes and the quick availability of victims and guns in the city that makes guns laws so necessary in urban environments.

Jeff Wegerson
[ Parent ]
Maybe concealed gun permits didn't used to be on the platform. (0.00 / 0)
But it looks like what's for dinner now.

Omnes vulnerant, postuma necat
[ Parent ]
Whitney Quotes (0.00 / 0)
From Rich Whitney's campaign website:

"Few people would argue that the Second Amendment entitles citizens to bear hand grenades, bazookas or missiles. Lines do have to be drawn. And we have to be honest enough to admit that sometimes it is difficult to know where exactly to draw that line in a manner that best serves the interests of the people."

"For the most part, I support the status quo on gun control. Most of the measures that have been adopted to keep guns out of the hands of persons with a criminal history, and to establish some accountability for firearm ownership, are fair and reasonable."

But he doesn't say one way or another... (0.00 / 0)
whether he thinks concealed weapons should be legal.

But I take his point about bazookas and missiles.  I'd much rather get shot in the head with an automatic.

Omnes vulnerant, postuma necat

[ Parent ]
Quote from the article (0.00 / 0)
(on Whitney trying to get past the "tree hugger" stereotype)

"For example, he would like to see Illinois become a state where it is legal for regular citizens, with training, to get permits to carry concealed guns. It's not in the platform of his party, but he thinks it's a civil rights issue.

"I think that every government that has the support of its people should allow its people to bear arms," he said.

After someone on my blog questioned the credibility of the author of this article, I called Whitney's campaign manager, Jennifer Rose, for a clarification. No one answered, so I left a message. Her number is the only one listed on the site.

[ Parent ]
Stop, you're getting me excited. (0.00 / 0)
It could be the best of all worlds.  Pistol packing Green party candidates spitting organic chewing tobacco.

Altough now that I hear that he thinks people should be trained before they strap on that Browning 9mm automatic, I certainly feel much better.


Omnes vulnerant, postuma necat

[ Parent ]
lets drop the bigotry, ok? (2.00 / 1)
The fact that he has opened up his headquarters in Carbondale

Uh, his headquarters is in Cdale because that is where he lives and works and where he has developed his political support base.  It is not part of some nefarious triangulation strategy.

Really, folks, can we agree to drop the bigoted, elitist "north v. south" and "urban v rural" dichotomies that so many resort to when their need to express themselves outreaches their knowledge and experience?

Excuse me?! (0.00 / 0)
Okay, so you denying that there is a fundamentally different political dynamic in northern and southern Illinois?! What the hell does that have to do with bigotry or good vs. bad? Where does elitism come in there?

Guns are more popular in rural areas. Because I don't like guns and I don't support concealed carry laws I'm bigooted towards these people somehow?

Obviously YOUR need to toss out derogatory remarks "outreaches your knowledge and experience" if you don't get this.

[ Parent ]
Still waiting on that callback... (0.00 / 0)
...from the Whitney campaign.
[ Parent ]
Debate (0.00 / 0)
If Rich Whitney were allowed to participate in the debates, maybe this would be one issue that could be debated.  Too bad Blagojevich is trying to keep Whitney out!
[ Parent ]
whitney can still debate topinka... (0.00 / 0)
what's stopping him?

"We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it." - President Obama, Sept 9, 2009
[ Parent ]
Topinka Debate (0.00 / 0)
Who says anything is stopping him?
[ Parent ]
so when's it scheduled? i'll watch... n/t (0.00 / 0)


"We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it." - President Obama, Sept 9, 2009
[ Parent ]
Rich Whitney supports concealed-carry laws | 15 comments
Prairie State Blue
Front Page - Back Page


Menu

Make a New Account

Username:

Password:



Forget your username or password?

1 User(s) logged on.
Search




Advanced Search

Misc
View
Powered by: SoapBlox