The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr.
BRADY of Texas). Under a previous
order of the House, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. PAUL) is recognized for 5
minutes.
1999 Ron Paul 60:1 Mr. PAUL.
Mr. Speaker, we will this
week fully debate the issue of school
violence. If we had remained a constitutional
republic, this debate would
not be going on. I sincerely believe this
kind of violence would be greatly reduced,
and for the violence that did
occur, it would be dealt with as a local
and school issue. Responding emotionally
with feel-good legislation in the
Congress serves no worthwhile purpose,
but makes the politician feel like he is
doing something beneficial.
1999 Ron Paul 60:2 In dealing with the problem of violence,
there is a large group here in the
Congress quite willing to attack the
first amendment while defending the
second. Likewise, there is a strong contingency
here for attacking the second
amendment while defending the first.
1999 Ron Paul 60:3 My question is this: Why can we not
consistently defend both? Instead, we
see plans being laid to appease everyone
and satisfy no one. This will be
done in the name of curbing violence
by undermining first amendment
rights and picking away at second
amendment rights.
1999 Ron Paul 60:4 Instead of protecting the first and
second amendment, we are likely in
the name of conciliation to diminish
the protections afforded us by both the
first and second amendment. It does
not make a lot of sense.
1999 Ron Paul 60:5 Curbing free expression, even that
which is violent and profane, is un-American and cannot solve our school
problem. Likewise, gun laws do not
work, and more of them only attack
the liberties of law-abiding citizens.
Before the first Federal gun law in 1934,
there was a lot less gun violence, and
guns were readily accessible to everyone.
However, let me remind my colleagues,
under the Constitution, gun
regulations and crime control are supposed
to be State issues.
1999 Ron Paul 60:6 There are no authentic anti-gun proponents
in this debate. The only argument
is who gets the guns, the people
or the Federal bureaucrats. Proponents
of more gun laws want to transfer the
guns to the 80,000 and growing Federal
Government officials who make up the
national police force.
1999 Ron Paul 60:7 The argument made by these proponents
of gun control is that freedom
is best protected by the people not
owning guns in that more BATF and
other agency members should have
them and become more pervasive in
our society.
1999 Ron Paul 60:8 It is disingenuous by either side to
imply that those who disagree with
them are unconcerned about violence.
Everyone wants less violence. Deciding
on the cause of the hostile environment
in our public schools is the key
to solving this problem.
1999 Ron Paul 60:10 Number one, private schools are
much safer than public schools.
1999 Ron Paul 60:11 Number two, public school violence
has increased since the Federal government
took over the public school system.
1999 Ron Paul 60:12 Number three, discipline is difficult
due to the rules, regulations, and
threats of lawsuits as a consequence of
Federal Government involvement in
public education.
1999 Ron Paul 60:13 Number four, reading about violence
throughout history has not been a
cause of violence.
1999 Ron Paul 60:14 Number five, lack of gun laws has not
been a cause of violence.
1999 Ron Paul 60:15 Number six, the government’s practice
of using violence to achieve social
goals condones its use. All government
welfare is based on the threat of government
violence.
1999 Ron Paul 60:16 Number seven, Star Wars technology,
casually displayed on our TV screens
showing the blowing up of bridges,
trains, sewer plants, and embassies all
in the name of humanitarianism glibly
sanctions violence as a proper tool for
bringing about change.
1999 Ron Paul 60:17 Number eight, the Federal government’s
role in Waco and the burning
alive of innocent children in the name
of doing good sends a confused message
to our youth.
1999 Ron Paul 60:18 Number nine, government’s role in
defending and even paying to kill a
half-born child cannot but send a powerful
message to our young people that
all life is cheap, both that of the victims
and the perpetrators of violence.
1999 Ron Paul 60:19 More gun laws expanding the role of
the Federal government in our daily
lives while further undermining the
first and second amendment will not
curb the violence. Understanding the
proper constitutional role for government
and preventing the government
itself from using illegal force to mold
society and police the world would go a
long way in helping to diminish the violence.
1999 Ron Paul 60:20 Ultimately, though, only a moral society,
with the family its key element,
will make the citizens and the government
less violent.
Notes:
1999 Ron Paul 60:2
In dealing with the problem of violence, there is a large group here in the Congress quite willing to attack the first amendment while defending the second. Likewise, there is a strong contingency here for attacking the second amendment while defending the first. probably should have the amendment names capitalized:
In dealing with the problem of violence, there is a large group here in the Congress quite willing to attack the First Amendment while defending the Second. Likewise, there is a strong contingency here for attacking the Second Amendment while defending the First.
1999 Ron Paul 60:3
first amendment probably should be capitalized: First Amendment
1999 Ron Paul 60:3
second amendment probably should be capitalized: Second Amendment.
1999 Ron Paul 60:4
first and second amendment, we are likely in the name of conciliation to diminish the protections afforded us by both the first and second amendment.
probably should have the amendment names capitalized: First and Second Amendment, we are likely in the name of conciliation to diminish the protections afforded us by both the First and Second Amendment. (cf: North and South Dakota).
1999 Ron Paul 60:18
first and second amendment probably should be capitalized: First and Second Amendment.
