[Glenn E. Meyer]

While debate the legalities of various restrictions on weapons ownership is something we have done repeatedly, the reference to treason is quite a stretch. Treason is defined as:

Section 3. Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted.

---- So saying that someone wants to levy a fee on full auto guns (for example as one of debates), guility of treason makes this discussion go off the deep end.

If one wants to challenge the Consitutional base of a state forbidding CCW, that's legit. Aren't some on the Heller case folks looking at IL laws?

So if you want to change the situation in IL, saying that legislators are traitors and should be punished for treason as you don't have CCW is a great case of the innoculation effect.

Folks listening to the argument will think you are, shall we say, extreme. Thus, your argument for CCW will be not listened to. Rational arguments for others may be assigned to the same irrational category as the treason claim.

We have restrictions on many 'rights'. So you can belong to a church of your choice. And some religious groups have argued for constitutional protection of some drug usage - and I think they have been successful (but I ain't going to google that). Some religious groups might argue that their faith allows some old toot to marry and have sex five 12 year girls - well, that doesn't sound like a good idea. Or, hey - it's the local Aztec temple - let's skin you alive. Even if you consented - think the state should stop that.

And last but not least, the Constitution changes. Women couldn't vote - now they can. No slaves anymore. If you argued for the women's vote - were you a traitor then?