Candidate's Name : Guy McLendon
Political Party: Libertarian
Office you are running for: US Congress
State: Texas
County: Harris
District: TX US Congressional District #25
1) Do you believe that the Second Amendment confirms
the individual right of every American citizen to possess and use (update
of keep and bear) militia/military weapons for individual
self-defense, as well as for the defense of the
State / National defense?
GM 5/19/2002: Yes, the second amendment confirms a citizen's right to weapons that are suitable for an individual's self defense, and the events of Sept 11, 2001 made it clear that citizens do have a role in defending the country as in the case of terrorist attacks. An exception to second amendment rights must include weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, biological and chemical weapons; these weapons should not be owned by individual citizens.
10 Points
2) If elected would you support legislation for the removal of firearm laws and regulations? If your answer is yes, and if you are elected, what specific legislation would you propose/support to ensure that this individual right is protected? Which current laws which infringe upon this individual right would you seek to repeal?
GM 5/19/2002: Yes, the second amendment should not be thwarted via usage of excessive constraints. If elected, I would oppose the Gun Ballistics Safety Act of 2001, HR 408; and would oppose Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2001, HR 2377. My review of the Brady Bill is pending, so I can't be specific; but, my speculation is that I'd support removal of, at least, portions of that law.
10 Points
3) What do you consider are "legitimate" reasons
to own a firearm?
Check as many as apply:
[x]
Personal Defense
[x]
Home Defense
[x]
Defense of your country (Unorganized Militia)
[x]
Hunting
[x]
Farm Use
[x]
Competitive Shooting
[x]
Informal Sport Shooting
[x]
Informal Target Practice and/or Plinking
[x]
Collecting
[x]
Constitutional Rights
[ ] Other __________________________________
[x]
All of the above
[ ] None of the above
10 Points
4) Would you support the banning of some firearms or ammunition? (IE: Saturday night specials, "assault weapons", Hollow points, and "Safety Slugs") Why and to what extent?
GM 5/19/2002: I would oppose any ban on type of ammunition for any type of gun that is typically used for sport or self defense. I would oppose a ban on ownership of assault weapons, such as automatic machine guns, but would not oppose requirements for permits on such weapons. My assumption is that infantry weapons such as grenade launchers, surface to air missiles and weapons of mass destruction are outside the scope of this question.
10 Points
5) Do you believe that firearms and/or firearm owners should be registered? Which ones and why?
GM 9/15/2001: See comment on item #4 above.
10 Points
6) Do you support equal rights for all citizens of the United States regardless of the person's sexuality / orientation and / or gender identity/expression?
GM 9/15/2001: Yes.
10 Points
10 Points
7) Which of the following would you be willing
to support in regards to same-gender and/or polyamorous marriages and/or
civil unions?
Check as many as apply:
[ ] Domestic partnerships
for same-sex couples
[ ] Domestic partnerships
for opposite-sex couples
[ ] Domestic partnerships
for polyamorous (more than two consenting adults)
[ ] Same-sex marriages
[ ] Opposite sex marriages
(What we have now)
[ ] Polyamarous marriages
(between more than two consenting adults)
[ ] All of the above. Everyone
should have equal rights under the law.
[ ] None of the above. Government
has no role in defining a marriage. Leave it to the church.
[x]
Other: GM 9/15/2001: Rather than have default
contractual obligations that are not specifically reviewed when any couple
is married, my opinion is that every marriage should be formed via a written
contract that is reviewed & signed prior to commitment to the contract.
Consistent application of such contracts would negate the distinction between
"partnerships" and "marriages", and would not have gender related distinctions.
On this item, the overall context of all applicable laws would require
review. In all areas, the rights of children must be protected; details
in this area would require special review. Inclusion of "polyamarous" contracts
within this framework has not been considered, and would require justification
and additional review.
7 Points
8) Do you support the right for people to act as they wish in a private setting, with other consenting adults?
GM 9/15/2001: Yes
10 Points
9) In July 2000 the Police Dept. of Attleboro
Massachusetts entered a private party without a search warrant. The party
was not open to the public or in the business to make a profit. Any donations
given were used to pay rent. When the police entered, they arrested two
people. The first person who was arrested organized the event. The second
person arrested was
arrested because she spanked her consenting adult
partner with a wooden spoon. Do you support the actions of the Attleboro
police as given in this example? Why?
GM 9/15/2001: The actions of the police seem inappropriate because it appears they violated the constitutional right against unreasonable search & seizure. Since the adult partner being "spanked" was "consenting", I assume that he'd not already filed charges for assault & battery.
10 Points
10) Do you support equal immigration rights for partners of US residents, regardless of their sexuality / orientation and / or gender identity/expression?
GM 9/15/2001: Yes. This question presents only one example per item #6 above.
10 Points
Do you have an additional statement to make that is not covered by this questionnaire? Use as much space as you wish.
GM 9/15/2001: People should have the liberty to
do as they wish so long as they do not interfere with the equal rights
of others. Some "border clash" is normal within a free, democratic society
because what one group perceives to be their right conflicts with what
another group perceives to be their right.