The donor rolls of the National Rifle Association and Planned Parenthood do not share many of the same names. But these organizations’ responses to the events of recent months—especially the Sandy Hook shooting and the trial of Kermit Gosnell—have demonstrated that they do share a troubling characteristic. Both reject reasonable limitations on the particular liberty for which they advocate. In so doing, they disregard the well-regulated liberties that vast majorities of our country desire.
Polling statistics show that American citizens overwhelmingly support modest limitations on the rights to gun ownership and abortion. These lobbies thus distort our civic discourse about fundamental rights and responsibilities. They draw inaccurate caricatures of what is, in fact, an informed and reasonable body politic.
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Dr. Michael Peppard is an Assistant Professor of Theology at Fordham University, and an affiliated member of faculty of the Center for Ethics Education.
The first two paragraphs of this post were reposted with permission from Religion & Politics.
All posts and comments on the Ethics and Society blog are solely the opinions of their respective authors, and do not represent the position of Fordham University or the Center for Ethics Education.
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