We learn from our mistakes: I never should have been so silly. A show on WIBC is “Gun Guy,” hosted by attorney Carmel Guy Relford. Wow, talk about red flags - gun(s), Carmel and WIBC. He stated things on his Saturday show and I called in to comment.

On Civil Discourse Now, we had people from various, sometimes bizarre (e.g., Paul Ogden) points of view. (Paul was co-host, but still...) Never did we cut anyone off, despite the sheer joy we might have felt.
Mr Relford is not interested in a free exchange of ideas, apparently.

He is very good at control of his show. Have someone who might - just maybe, possibly - want to say something contrary to the host’s ideas? Talk over that person after expression of impatience.

Here are a couple of the things I tried to say: certiorari is a little more complex than Mr Relford seems to think. The process? A petition for cert, and maybe (usually) no brief in opposition. That is important because Mr Relford discussed 10 cases before SCOTUS.

We are in a pandemic during which oral arguments before the Court are via Skype or Zoom or whatever provider is used. The Court’s conferences, behind closed doors and in procedures very steeped in traditon and protocol, obviously are affected.

In the simplistic world of Mr Relford, in which reports of guns and other blasts are a nifty lead-in to discussion of all things 2nd Amendment, such matters are mere trifles. I sincerely am sorry I wasted my time.

On the other hand, I hope no people were killed via guns today. Usually the number is north of 60. No other advanced country has such a lax attitude toward firearms - mechanisms first developed about 500 years ago.

In the Heller v District of Columbia case, 554 U.S. 570 (2008), the Supreme Court extended the interpretation of the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment was extended to the States by incorporation in McDonald v City of Chicago, 561 U.S. 742 (2010).

When I disagreed with the host’s description of the doctrine of incorporation, I was cut off completely. That’s too bad. In a free exchange of ideas Mr Relford might have learned something. I might have learned something, too.

In the meantime, people continue to be killed via gun violence. We lead the World in those deaths. We can thank the NRA, and those who give that nefarious corporation ardent support (and NRA gets money from Russia!) For those deaths.

I’m Mark Small, GOP candidate for Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District (INCD5) on June 2. We need to remove restrictions on research into guns. We also need a vibrant 1st Amendment. I approve of this blog. Hell, I wrote it.