"Each day that House Bill 2 remains enjoined irreparably harms the state of Mississippi by denying the citizens the benefit of policies deemed to be in the best interest of the state by the Legislature."
—Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood in his appeal of Hinds District Court Judge Winston Kidd's decision to block the state from implementing HB 2, which seeks to clarify what constitutes a concealed weapon.
Why it stinks: Few issues bring out the hyperbolic "best" in politicians than guns, regardless of party affiliation. Last week, state Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, opined that Judge Kidd was threatening Mississippian's constitutional rights. Now, Hood is saying he is doing irreparable harm.
Meanwhile, Kidd simply said that the law is vague. The rational solution may be to revisit the language rather than argue in courtrooms.
Let's be clear. First, no one is taking away anyone's right to own or carry a gun. Second, let's get real: If citizens need to strap guns to their hips, we've got bigger problems than a little unclear language. Since the Newtown, Conn., massacre that ended the lives of 20 first-graders Dec. 14, 2012, Centers for Disease Control statistics show that nearly 19,000 Americans have died from gunshots.
The last laugh goes to the National Rifle Association.
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