It's up to us

Here's an excellent editorial by veteran journalist Robert Scheer, in reaction to the shameful Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, and why, regardless of political stripe, we should all be outraged. Mr. Scheer observes,

(T)he president is now prepared to deny a day in court to the victims of gun violence and the local governments that must deal with the financial and societal costs and mayhem that plague our cities... What hypocrisy for the Republican Party, which came to power railing against an overbearing federal government, to now use its power in Washington to prevent local governments from seeking to protect their citizens through the legal system.

As I wrote several days ago, if we allow Mr. Bush to sign this bill into law without making our opposition palpable, then we are simply willing accomplices to those in Washington who believe our rights are available for a price. If we do not take a moment of our time to demand that the President oppose this paean to the influence of lobbyists and corporate cash, then we're silently conceding that our laws are for sale.

Are we really going to permit the American government to legislatively shield the most dangerous industry in the nation from accountability? This bill is nothing short of a Constitutionally unethical kickback scheme, in which elected officials on both sides of the aisle are criminally complicit.

It's up to us to raise a voice against this assault upon our rights as U.S. citizens. So make a noise, America - if we don't care enough to speak up when those rights are threatened, then perhaps we do deserve to lose them.