June 27, 2008 11:12PM 

# McCain and Our Fundamental Rights 

By [David Boaz](https://www.cato.org/people/david-boaz) 

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Sen. John McCain issued a [ringing endorsement](http://www.johnmccain.com/McCainReport/Read.aspx?guid=d8399bef-4ebe-4840-b04d-af0dbfc7db67) of the Supreme Court’s [*Heller* decision](https://www.cato.org/gunban):

> Today’s ruling recognizes that gun ownership is a fundamental right — sacred, just as the right to free speech and assembly.

You can’t get much stronger than that. Except … wait … what was it McCain said about our sacred right to free speech? Oh, right, two years ago [on the Don Imus show](http://tapscottscopydesk.blogspot.com/2006/04/mccain-says-clean-government-more.html) he said, “I would rather have a clean government than one where quote First Amendment rights are being respected, that has become corrupt.” So when McCain says that our Second Amendment rights are just as fundamental and sacred as our First Amendment rights, maybe he’s pulling a bait-and-switch. Because he’s [thoroughly](http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/analysis.aspx?id=18997) [indifferent](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/10/AR2006051001787.html) to the First Amendment.

In his statement on the *Heller* decision McCain went on to say, “This ruling does not mark the end of our struggle against those who seek to limit the rights of law-abiding citizens. We must always remain vigilant in defense of our freedoms.”

So true.

##### Related Tags 

[General](https://www.cato.org/general), [Government and Politics](https://www.cato.org/government-politics), [Constitutional Law](https://www.cato.org/constitutional-law), [Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies](https://www.cato.org/robert-levy-center-constitutional-studies) 

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