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Civil Liberties
I am a Constitutional Lawyer. I deal with the Constitution on a daily basis. A former Congressman from our district gained notoriety for saying that he wasn't worried about the Constitution in regards to a certain law. He followed that statement by saying that the difference between the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence didn't matter to him. As someone who has sworn to support and defend the Constitution, first as an enlisted Marine, then as a new attorney, and again as a criminal prosecutor in the State's Attorney's Office, such disregard for our nation's foundational and supreme law will never enter my thoughts. In fact, I begin my analysis of EVERY ISSUE by first asking whether the Constitution permits, prohibits, or protects the activity in question. That is why my views can't be pigeon-holed into the artificial framework inherent in partisan politics. The Constitution is neither Democratic, nor Republican; it is the Supreme Law of The Land. I would be honored to represent you in Washington, D.C. as its defender. With that in mind, here are my stances on questions of Constitutionally guaranteed civil liberties:
Marriage Equality
I fully support equal rights for all Americans. Those on the right who oppose federal recognition and protection of marriage between two consenting adults, regardless of gender, are blatantly ignoring the Constitution. Those on the left that would have you believe that a "civil union" is "just as good" lack courage. No candidate deserves your vote unless they're willing to tell you their stance on gay marriage. The 14th Amendment to The Constitution of The United States says, "No state shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." It seems pretty clear to me that if the marital law of a state would allow person X to marry person Y, but it prohibits person Z from marrying person Y, then that state is denying person Z the equal protection of the laws. This is not a moral question. This is not a religious question. This is a Constitutional question, and the Constitution IS CLEAR.
Religious Liberty
Religious liberty is best protected when the government not only allows the free practice of religion, but also does not endorse or place any religion above others. I will provide links to blog posts regarding particular issues of religious import here:
- PPACA Contraception Requirement
- PPACA Contraception Requirement
Gun Rights
If there are those who would like to completely outlaw the public’s ownership of handguns and rifles, I suggest they get to work on amending the Constitution, because anything short of that will be insufficient. I stand with the majority of folks in my firm support of the individual right to own, carry, and use firearms.
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Cannabis Legalization
In a free society, the burden rests on those who would outlaw behavior to justify the infringement on personal liberty, not on those who would exercise their God given rights to do as they wish with their own bodies. As such, the question we should be asking regarding the legal status of cannabis isn't "why should it be legal?" but rather, "why isn't it legal?" The fact of the matter is, there is no good answer to the latter question.
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