Second Amendment - good; First Amendment - bad!

Republicans get into a lather whenever someone dares to suggest we might need restrictions on gun ownership, citing the Second Amendment as Holy Writ. Hey, that's cool - I think we need restrictions on gun ownership, but strict constitutionalists certainly have a point. I'm not sure how Representative Warde Nichols, a Republican from Gilbert, Arizona, feels about the Second Amendment, but he certainly doesn't think much of the First. Nichols has introduced House Bill 2660, which will allow those who create or sell material that causes someone to commit a serious crime to be held liable. Yes, it makes "the video game made me bludgeon my mother with a hammer" a valid defense.

Bookstores, news organizations, and other businesses, not surprisingly, are vehemently opposed to this bill. Nichols claims that the bill is not going after "your pornography" - presumably "okay" porn like Playboy - and that it would only go after the really horrible stuff. But, of course, nothing in this bill defines what would be really horrible. Plus, who's to say what a judge would define as "cause"? Opponents say it's far too broad, and it seems to be. But who cares, right? As long as we can get rid of really offensive material!

I find it ironic that a Republican has introduced this. Conservatives always say that liberals are enacting "politically correct" speech codes in college campuses across the country, but none of those were created by state legislatures. Plus, Republicans are always saying that criminals need to take responsibility for their actions and that even if someone steals bread to feed his family, it's still a crime and he should serve fifteen years in prison! Well, now they're giving criminals a built-in excuse. It would make me chuckle if it weren't so deadly serious.

The bill has already passed the House and was debated in the Senate Judiciary Committee today. Jesus, I hope the Arizona senators have more sense than the idiots in the House. Talk about a horrible idea. I'm just glad that Republicans are always looking out for us. I mean, just thinking about the fact that American Idol is so popular makes me want to kill someone! Who can I sue?

[UPDATE: The Senate Judiciary Committee threw this out, which was nice. They said it was far too broad. Nichols promises to retool it and bring it back. Our tax dollars at work! Well, mine. Not yours, unless you live in Arizona.]