Candidate's Name : Varrin Swearingen
Political Party: Libertarian
Office you are running for: U.S. Representative
State: California
County: Fresno, Kings and Kern
District: 20
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?
Yes. Though the amendment starts with a statement of purpose (security via militia), the phrase "shall not be infringed" is not explicitly qualified.
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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?
I support eliminating restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms by people who are not convicted criminals. There are a myriad of gun laws on the books restricting the rights of non-criminal people. All of those laws should be repealed. I would write, sponsor, co-sponsor and vote for legislation to accomplish those goals.
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3) What do you consider are "legitimate" reasons to own a firearm?
Check as many as apply:
[ ] Personal Defense
[ ] Home Defense
[ ] Defense of your country (Unorganized Militia)
[ ] Hunting
[ ] Farm Use
[ ] Competitive Shooting
[ ] Informal Sport Shooting
[ ] Informal Target Practice and/or Plinking
[ ] Collecting
[ ] Constitutional Rights
[ ] Other __________________________________
[X] All of the above
[ ] None of the above
There is no "reason" clause in the 2nd Amendment. Therefore, any reason is acceptable. Militia, for the purpose of security, however, is clearly encouraged.
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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?
No, any firearm or ammunition should be legal. The 2nd Amendment does not provide for any restrictions on the type of *arms* we may keep and bear. There is, however, a practical limitation on the keeping and bearing of arms which is not specifically related to gun control per se. Any weapon whose presence (potentially influenced by its owner) poses a legitimate threat to others by its mere presence, is a legitimate threat. A nuclear weapon in my neighbor's garage is a threat by virtue of its instability. An automatic weapon (provided my neighbor is a peaceful individual) is not.
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5) Do you believe that firearms and/or firearm owners should be registered? Which ones and why?
Convicted violent criminals should be registered and not allowed to keep or bear arms.
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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?
Yes.
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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.
[X] None of the
above. Government has no role in defining a marriage. Leave it to
the church.
[ ] Other _______________________________________
Marriage law should be replaced by contract law. Since marriages today commonly include some sort of vow and a marriage 'license', this would be an easy task to accomplish. Then marriages would be recognized on a case by case and/or precident basis, without legal prejudice.
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8) Do you support the right for people to act as they wish in a private setting, with other consenting adults?
Yes.
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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?
No. They entered without a warrant. That is a violation of the U.S. Constitution, amendment 4.
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10) Do you support equal immigration rights for partners of US residents, regardless of their sexuality / orientation and / or gender identity/expression?
I support free immigration for all peaceful people.
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Do you have an additional statement to make that is not covered by this questionnaire? Use as much space as you wish.
I am a happily married, heterosexual, Christian father of two children and husband of one wife. None of that is anyone else's business unless I make it so. I do not wish discrimination to be forced upon me because of any of those traits. Likewise, I have no desire to force discrimination on others based on their sexual, religious, or arms positions.
As a representative in Congress, I will write, sponsor, co-sponsor, and vote in favor of legislation that will restore full and equal rights to non-violent people. These rights include the right to free speech (1st Amendment), the right to bear arms (2nd Amendment), and the right to marry and/or behave sexually in any way that is completely consensual (10th Amendment - Congress has no authority to legislate sexuality or marriage).
Thank you for your time.
Varrin Swearingen
Libertarian for Congress
20th District, California