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Joyce, Obama, and the Heller case
I've mentioned below the Politico article on how, during Obama's time as a Director of the Joyce Foundation, it pumped millions into anti-individual rights scholarship. It also goes into Joyce's essentially "buying up" law reviews to run exclusively anti-individual rights article, and the effect on the Heller case (i.e., groups filing amici in support of DC had been recipients of millions from the Foundation).
Now, Obama's campaign has had to respond. It's really a nonresponse, more like "well, the Joyce Foundation also gave money to other things, and Obama says he's really not against the Second Amendment, believe him." That and Joyce Foundation has some (minor) ties to Bill Clinton. The last point is downright pitiful.
Over at Democratic Underground, things are getting out of hand. Hundreds of posts. Hillary supporters, I'd guess, are posting it, and Obama supporters are outraged -- except for the ones who think banning guns is a great idea. One commenter makes a good point: "THIS IS WHAT IS COSTING US ELECTIONS! Saying that "well, most pro-gun people are Rethug anyway" is EXACTLY why we lose elections! Giving the issue to them means that the Thug leadership has a stick to beat their base with. And as HALF of the DU membership owns guns and as 39% of the gun owners in this country are Dems (source: Gallup), we CANNOT afford to give in to the toxic thinking that "well, guns are a Thug issue." Anyone who promotes this view is at best incompetent and at worst a deliberate plant."
Here's some of my past posts on Joyce Foundation:
Its financing of the "GunGuys" antigun web page.
Its financing, and indeed writing, an antigun report of IACP.
Its buying up an issue of the Stanford Law and Policy Review, and doing the same at Fordham Urban Law Journal and Chicago-Kent Law Review (frequently cited in briefs by DC and its amici).
Comments
For readers who have not yet seen it, here is the Wikipedia page on the Joyce Foundation.
For a long time, the Joyce Foundation has flown under the radar of the mainstream press and it is interesting to see it react to the light of day.
Posted by: Kevin P. at April 22, 2008 02:49 PM
deliberate plant? democratic "underground?"
projection is still such an amazing cognitive bias to me.
Posted by: jon at April 22, 2008 02:59 PM
Is everyone at the DU in the habit of referring to people who disagree with them as "thugs"?
Posted by: Jim at April 22, 2008 04:11 PM
I Think you may have caught them lying. In the politico article they say:
Alberding said, “We’re not promoting a particular solution. We’re promoting really smart people to think about problems and come up with ideas on how to solve them.”
However in your second link there is this:
But the interesting part is that the International apparently let Joyce staffers write the report:
Posted by: Mad Saint Jack at April 22, 2008 04:12 PM
"THIS IS WHAT IS COSTING US ELECTIONS! Saying that "well, most pro-gun people are Rethug anyway" is EXACTLY why we lose elections! Giving the issue to them means that the Thug leadership has a stick to beat their base with. And as HALF of the DU membership owns guns and as 39% of the gun owners in this country are Dems (source: Gallup), we CANNOT afford to give in to the toxic thinking that "well, guns are a Thug issue." Anyone who promotes this view is at best incompetent and at worst a deliberate plant."
Ayup, that's me. Banned. :) Sigh.
I was making fun of their propensity to call Republicans Rethuglicans. Hence, "Thug".
Posted by: jlbraun at April 22, 2008 04:42 PM
Upwardly mobile Dems who aren't in thrall to urban Lefty elites are learning this lesson. Look at Kathleen Sebilius (sp?) of Kansas for that example. She just signed a law allowing (finally) regular Kansas citizens to own and possess "transferable" machine guns. This is an interesting week for her given that David's favorite film maker (Michael Moore) just said that America's first female President will not be Hillary Clinton, but Governor Sebilius.
Posted by: Letalis Maximus, Esq. at April 22, 2008 04:43 PM
I think it is spelled "Sebellius".
Whatever... she's no Kathleen Mavourneen.
Posted by: Dave D at April 22, 2008 05:57 PM
I am very, very pleased to see these issues and dynamics coming to light. I trust given everyone's interest in everything Obama, that this might hit the mainstream media and TV talk.
The truth is that Joyce Foundation generously supports efforts to undermine the second amendment and the protections it affords. Despite disingenuous claims that they are "not promoting a particular solution" [to violence], they absolutely are. The solution they are promoting is gun control. The truth also is that Barack Obama has consistenly supported gun control. His backpedaling on this issue, now, is not indicative of a change in position, but indicative of a change in the political game he's playing. Regarding 2A rights, it is crystal clear that Barack is simply "telling them what they want to hear." In effect, he's lying to us.
This is the year of Heller...the year when the "gun vote" will matter in a US general election like it's never mattered before. I am pleased to see this discussion.
As an aside, the Governor of Kansas' name is spelled "Kathleen Sebelius."
Posted by: Carl in Chicago at April 23, 2008 07:24 AM
As a Jewess in the US, I would like to remind everyone that criminals are stopped by FIREARMS, not by talk. And that America wasn't won with a registered gun! That is why all REAL Americans put our 2nd Amendment FIRST!
Posted by: Wendy weinbaum at April 24, 2008 11:41 AM