He might need the luck of the Irish--and I hope he has it

Rooting for someone in New Jersey politics is an unusual experience for me, and Irish-born Paul Duggan seems an unusual politician (which is, come to think of it, probably a good thing). He would definitely seem unusual for New Jersey (which must certainly be a good thing). He is running for the office of Bergen County freeholder. If you don't know what a freeholder is, don't feel bad--I had to look it up, too. Apparently, that's what county board members are called in New Jersey.

Evidently, the Bergen County Democrats--who do seem typical of NJ politicians, in that they're fighting for their political lives against corruption charges--are sufficiently worried about him to have unlimbered their smear machine. One area on which they think they can score points on him is his opposition to banning .50 caliber rifles.

Duggan's protest of a proposed ban of .50-caliber, fixed-ammunition rifles, puts him in the cross hairs of the latest attack.

Actually, one bill pushed by the advocates in New Jersey of forcible citizen disarmament would ban not only fixed-ammunition rifles, but even many muzzleloaders.

Gun-rights groups say these rifles have been linked to very few criminal incidents in U.S history . . .

"Very few criminal incidents" is one way to put it--ZERO deaths (if I'm not mistaken--please correct me if I'm wrong) would be another.

. . . but opponents fear that they serve no legitimate purpose . . .

And these "opponents" are, of course, naturally the final arbiters of what purposes are "legitimate."

. . . and that the large guns could fall into the hands of home-grown terrorists.

"Home-grown terrorists" would, of course, refer to you and me.

The call for a ban gathered steam after the arrests of six men accused of plotting to attack Fort Dix.

Ah, well that makes sense--just because the would-be terrorists neither had .50 caliber rifles, or seemed to have been seeking them, doesn't mean that the planned attack has . . . nothing to do with .50 caliber rifles.

Duggan, who sold his rifle last year, outlined a vigorous defense in a letter to The Record last year, arguing that the rifles have "never been abused by lawful owners in New Jersey," and that purchases must undergo extensive background checks. He called the proposed ban (which stalled in committee) "another attempt to legislate to the lowest common denominator led by those who are totally unqualified to comment on the subject."

You're using logic, Paul--that will never work.

The Democrats offered their own commentary in the form of a toxic campaign flier featuring a long-barreled military assault rifle on the cover and text accusing Duggan of allowing "dangerous guns in our neighborhoods and our schools."

Yeah--that makes sense. Keep in mind, by the way, that since New Jersey has preemption (as upheld in defeating Jersey City's gun rationing law), a county board member (or freeholder, if you prefer) doesn't really have any say in whether or not large rifles are banned, but why should that stop the hysteria-mongers.

Anyway, I hope this feisty Irishman not only wins, but eventually goes on to enter the state legislature, and becomes one of the few voices of reason there.