For the record, the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads as follows:
A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
It’s an amendment that has been and will continue to be the subject of interpretation in the courts and across the dinner tables of America for years to come. What, exactly, does “the right to keep and bear arms” mean in today’s United States?
We’re not here to debate the Second Amendment, but there is an issue related to it that you, as a prospective voter, should consider before voting for Steve Schuh.
Steve believes in the Second Amendment. So do I and it’s not as if “belief” in the Constitution is optional. It is, after all, the ultimate law of this country. The problem, if you agree that there is one, is that Steve Schuh’s personal interpretation of the Second Amendment is too strict.
Steve’s interpretation of the Second Amendment is consistent with his standing as a Tea Party Republican. Notice, for example, the logo of the Second Amendment – See the image below. –on at least one of his primary campaign mailers. …Did you even know that the Amendments have their own logos?! They don’t, of course. That logo – It’s the third one from the left. – is the symbol of the NRA, the National Rifle Association.
On March 28, 2013, in the Maryland House of Delegates, Steve voted against SB281, “The Firearm Safety Act Of 2013.” The bill passed in the House 78 to 61 and without his support. Steve was one of the 68 who voted “Nay.” You can click on the link below to see the entire bill.
SB281, The Firearm Safety Act Of 2013
My layman’s understanding of the bill is that it imposes additional rules that inhibit the carrying of weapons, on public school property in particular – the exception being weapons in the possession the police and contract security professionals.
Now why in the world would someone (Steve Schuh) vote against this bill? Obviously many did. 61 Delegate, to be exact, with 2 abstaining, and I’m sure they all had their carefully thought-out reasons. I just don’t know what they were. No bill is perfect. Maybe Steve’s voting “Nay” was about some technical issue with the bill’s language he couldn’t tolerate – even though he supported the bill overall. Maybe, but the NRA logo on his mailer suggestions otherwise.
Maybe Steve’s best efforts to correct for these technical issues failed – or maybe he allowed is excessively broad, Tea Party interpretation of the Second Amendment to take precedent over the safety of our public school children. Unfortunately, for me as a father whose children attended public schools, this Nay vote is just one more reason not to vote for Steve Schuh until he explains why he opposed the Firearms Safety Act Of 2013, and the self-labeled Second Amendment logo on his mailers – to the satisfaction of Anne Arundel County’s parents, grandparents and other prospective voters.
