WPCNR MR. AND MRS. WHITE PLAINS POLL. January 15. 2013:
The Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino published a letter today that he wrote to Janet Hasson of the Journal News demanding she remove the interactive map showing locations of gun license holders in Rockland and Westchester Counties. What in this reporters’ opinion was interesting was his statement in the letter that reads:
“Constitutional Amendments — even those protected by the First Amendment — are not absolute.”
He also chided his own County Clerk for cooperating and obeying the New York State law by releasing the information the Journal News requested.
Now. The question is raised here by Mr. Astorino’s letter. Do authorities have the right to decide what is protected by the First Amendment and what is not. What is really First Amendmenty or not? There are hundreds of shades of gray.
Suppose The Journal News requested all the salaries of the Astorino administration hires. This info could very well be determined to violate the right of privacy of individuals and the ability to do their job due to prejudice against overpaid political hires who are usually political cronies. I would really love to know whether Astorino had this letter to Hasson cleared by county attorneys.
The National Rifle Association has based all its lobbying efforts to defeat gun controls on the “absolute” position.
Now does Astorino mean too that Freedom of Religion (in the First Amendment) is not absolute? Let’s get rid of that sect down the street, shall we, obviously the forefathers did not mean to include them. Let’s stop that strange religion from moving into the neighborhood. My point is once you start interpreting, the amendment — all amendments- lose their meaning. The forefathers realized that. That is why the amendments are pretty straightforward.
Politicians hate that.
The Journal News had every right guaranteed by state law to publish the data in any form they chose.
What do you citizens out there think? Can Government rule a religion, a press report, a book is not within protection of the First Amendment based on its content?
Generally court cases are built on the unconstitutionality of a decision or practice based on a right being violated — not the constitutionality of an action that is exercising a right.
But once you start nuancing what is permitted under any Amendment — you are into a comprehensive plan of conundrums — you cannot think of everything.
Give us your answer at the right.
