It seems that the Rev Jayne is the legislative advocate for the Iowa United Methodist Church. Here he is, presumably on his way to lobby the state legislature in this dramatic and artsy photo:
Found at http://www.prisonterminal.com/documents/reenter.pdfOur good Reverend is a very busy man as he not only advocates for prison reform, he campaigns against the evils of gambling, is an advocate for peace, and a signatory of a letter delivered to lawmakers advocating same-sex marriage.
The Board of Editors of Between Two Rivers refuses to place an opinion on same-sex marriage, as that subject is not a part of multiple viewpoints of this blog. I only bring it up because of the fact that the letter was presented by the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund. On their front web page we have this:
Protecting Iowa’s rich diversity of religious expression; ensuring that the influence of government and religious entities remain separate. Emphasis mine.A group that attempts to influence government but at the same time wants to separate government and religious entities? Where are the howls of protest by Americans United Against Church and State?
So much for the introduction, let's go back to what Rev. Carlos writes this time.
The renewed Republican hold on the Iowa governor's office and the Iowa House carries a radical agenda, possibly moving Iowa further right and obviously seeking to repeal all vestiges of any progressive agenda.That would suggest that controlling guns in the hands of private citizens is a part of the "progressive agenda." I would have thought that someone who advocates for a citizens rights would be on the side of freedom. I guess not.
After complaining about the NRA lobbyist and "state groups" lobbying the legislature (apparently only his pet groups should be allowed to lobby, perhaps?), he makes the claim:
There would be increased gun proliferation (blanketing the state with guns is more like it)...News Flash: there are guns already in the state. I have no facts to back this up, but I would bet we have more guns than citizens.
Listing the bills, he finds the HSB17 to be the one that gets his panties in a twist, calling it "egregious." That would be the bill that would add a state Constitution amendment codifying gun rights in the state. In his eyes, adding an amendment to the state Constitution similar to our United States Constitution (Second Amendment) is the most terrible piece of legislation. I would assume he's against the federal one as well.
He doesn't care for HF7, the bill that would end the practice of prosecuting citizens for defending themselves. (The old saw of: if you shoot someone, you have to drag them into your house or else be tried for murder, has been told long before I was born.) He reads the tripe from anti-gun advocates apparently:
This legislation is referred to by national gun control groups often as "the Justifiable Homicide Bill" or " the Shoot First Bill" or the "Vigilante Bill."Apparently in the Reverend's world, you only have the right to protect yourself in your home, not on the street.
He doesn't care for strengthening our preemption laws either while advocating for banning assault weapons because a congresswoman was shot with a handgun. No large capacity magazines in his world either.
The hoplophobic money quote:
It actually has been frightening for some politicians and citizen activists to stand up and be counted on matters that can be seen by these gun enthusiasts as gun control simply for the sake of control. Emphasis mine.And there is the point of his written spewage, he is an advocate of gun control "simply for the sake of control."
He and his ilk want to control the behavior and the rights of every citizen in this state.
If Rev Carlos wants to assist those in the prisons, good for him. It would seem that he is among most Christians who think that is a proper thing to do. After all, didn't Jesus advocate to help the poor, heal the sick and visit those in prisons? Maybe you should stick with that Carlos.
But he pulls out some poll that he claims that Americans prefer more gun control to advance his position. What if a poll revealed that two-thirds of the citizens want to enslave the other third? Or outlaw practicing a religion? Or that our population is too high and anyone older than 60 head off to the gas chambers? If he is consistent in his beliefs, he would have to go along with these ideas.
I doubt he would.
In a revealing paragraph we find out his other fear: it shows the power of self-advocacy of a active and vigorous citizenry.
When a bill is being actively considered on the floor of either chamber at the Statehouse, the zealots for "gun rights above all else" flood the legislative switchboards and swamp the e-mail servers with their demands. The communication from the other side can be measured in dribbles.I would count myself proud to be labeled a zealot. Zealots fought for freedom and liberty from the oppression of Roman rule in 1st Century Judea and I am not worthy to be labeled in their numbers.
I know this is a long piece, but I have one more point to bring out.
The Register has gone overboard when they allow a staff member to create a poster advocating what this religious hack is crying out for.
Created by Mark Marturello presumably for this opinion piece, my question is how many other posters or illustrations have the register's employees created for opinions written by Sean McClanahan of Iowa Firearms Coalition, or Aaron Dorr of Iowa Gun Owners, or Chris Rager, lobbyist of the NRA?
If they did, it probably wouldn't be a favorable illustration.
Carlos Jayne is a registered lobbyist at the statehouse and apparently is afforded special privileges by the Des Moines Register.
2 comments:
If they are picking on me, then they are not picking on someone else.
Carlos Jayne is a hippocritical fool. He's afraid that we law abiding citizens might defend ourselves against one of his precious convicted felons. Isn't that just too bad for him.
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