NYT article on vehicular CCW in Texas

[nobody_special]

Unusual Allies in a Legal Battle Over Texas Drivers’ Gun Rights
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/05/us/politics/05guns.html

A partial quote:

Will Harrell, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, said that even before the current dispute, his group and the N.R.A. had been collaborating on racial profiling issues, particularly on what he called a “Bubba profile” that made certain white men the focus of gun checks by the police.

Consequently, Mr. Harrell said, the A.C.L.U. of Texas, the Texas State Rifle Association and the Criminal Justice Coalition filed public information requests with more than 300 district and county attorneys for any advisories on the vehicle handgun law given to local law enforcement officers. Many did not respond or said they had no guidelines, but 13 acknowledged instructions to continue arresting drivers with unlicensed guns or to take their weapons.

Mr. Harrell said the collaboration with the Texas State Rifle Association came easy. “I find working with strange bedfellows more comfortable than with those we most often agree with,” he said. And, he said, “the police don’t know what to think of it.”

Alice Tripp, the legislative director for the rifle association, conceded that the groups had been seen as an odd couple. “Everybody kind of went, ‘Oh my God, what’s the A.C.L.U. doing here with the gun people?’ ” Ms. Tripp said. But she said they had found common ground on self-defense as an endangered liberty.

I think this is great.

With the recent successes for the pro-gun rights position -- Parker, shall-issue CCW in many states, etc. -- perhaps this cooperation between the ACLU and gun-rights activists can continue. I always thought it odd that liberals are pro-civil-liberties in every way except the RKBA. After all, the 2nd amendment is a civil liberty.

 

[Ratzinger_p38]

Ive thought it before, the ACLU-NRA alliance would be great, but the ACLU has become a mostly hatchet job lately it is sad.

 

[K3]

Every once in a while the ACLU comes up with a surprise. I say milk them for all they're worth on the RKBA issue.

 

[Dave in PA]

And how much money goes to RKBA groups in the US annually? How many staffers are on the ACLU payroll? How many more could be added to support the RKBA?

The list goes on and on, BUT it warms my heart to see this type of cooperation to defend ALL the rights, not just ones certain people like or approve of.

 

[mechdriver]

It makes me think of using a copperhead as a watchdog, they might be effective but remember, they don't care who they bite.

 

[F4GIB]

The NATIONAL ACLU is dominated by the BIG money that flows from it's New York City and Southern California chapters as well as the fact that a large majority of its national staff were born and raised in NYC.

State chapters have a lot of local autonomy. The Texas chapter is showing some.

 

[TexasRifleman]

State chapters have a lot of local autonomy. The Texas chapter is showing some.

Exactly. DO NOT confuse this with the national ACLU. They wouldn't touch this with a 10 foot pole.

Where are they on Parker? See them lining up to help?

Didn't think so.....

This is one state chapter that has helped to write one little PDF file on the problems here.
So far that's all they have done.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Nice to see that Mr. Patton was able to have the charges dismissed; but note that it cost him $2,068.00 to do it. I hope the legislature corrects this problem during the current session.