Rights have limits | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Could The Trib legally print an article that claimed that National Rifle Association executive Wayne LaPierre has relations with farm animals based only on an anonymous source? No, to avoid being sued for libel, it must verify the information. Does this limit the newspaper's First Amendment right to freedom of the press?

Why can't pornography be broadcast on network TV? Doesn't this prohibition limit our First Amendment right of freedom of speech?

Why is polygamy illegal? Doesn't this limit our First Amendment right of freedom of religious expression?

Have these limitations caused us to totally lose our rights? No, even with limitations we still have the basic rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. We realize some limitations on these rights are needed.

A large majority of citizens support limitations to the Second Amendment. Many politicians try to sell the National Rifle Association's scare tactic that if you impose any limitation to the Second Amendment right to bear arms, it will eventually lead to total loss of the Second Amendment.

What will responsible gun legislation really do? Help create a safer society.

What would really be lost? The millions that politicians get from the NRA.

Gus Wheeler

Salt Lake City