By Peggy Tartaro,
Executive Editor

Who makes the rules?

Why, the rule makers, of course.

And, who breaks the rules?

Sadly, it's often those same rule makers.

Most of us, of course, have probably bent a rule or two-made that left turn before 10 AM to save five minutes on the daily commute, or gotten into the 7-items-or-less check-out line with 8 (okay it was 10, but no one else was around!) items.

But when the rules really matter, we follow them. That, by the way, makes us law-abiding.

There's no shortage of examples of folks-rich, famous, powerful-and sometimes all three-who break rules and then shrug off criticism in the court of public opinion. Sometimes, they do the shrugging in a court of law as well. And, unfortunately, power, fame and fortune, do make a difference.

The list of famous gun hypocrites is pretty long-actresses and actors, columnists, musicians, sports figures and politicians. Some of each have preached "Do as I say," and then fallen back on "but not as I do," when it's revealed they either are gunowners or rely on others with guns to protect themselves and their families.

Law-abiding gunowners are left to shake their heads (and just maybe poke a little fun) at the celebrities.

John Snyder, chief lobbyist for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, occasionally hands out the CLIP (Civil Liberties Infringement Prize) award to such famous folks.

In one memorable episode, John approached the home of columnist Carl Rowan, who had long held civilian ownership of guns anathema but had shot at a youthful pool intruder in his gun-free Washington, DC, yard, to bestow the CLIP.

But John, being the dean of the gun lobbyists, was prepared-he came forearmed with a white flag, lest the gun-hating Rowan decide to take a shot.

The celebrity hypocrites are exactly that and there's not much more we can do except point out their hypocrisy and perhaps have a little fun at their expense.

But the hypocritical politicians are another matter.

In the case of these politicians, it's almost always just a plain old command: "Do as I say!", without even the sheepish qualifier, "Not as I do."

In any given year you can read a story (usually pretty small, but available if you look), about some solon or other who runs into the kind of gun laws he or she is always voting for.

Sometimes it's not the pol him (or her) self, but a convenient bodyguard or other staffer who has to tote the gun, or rough up the nightclub patrons.

Recently in Chicago, home of nearly 30 years of civilian disarmament, Alderwoman Arenda Troutman, bent the rules even more-all in pursuit of what ordinary Chicagoans can't have-personal safety.

Troutman asked for, and received, around-the-clock police protection after two burglaries at her South Side home.

A patrol car was stationed out front of Chez Troutman, night and day on a Saturday and Sunday, and officers were given instruction to "physically check" the perimeter of her home on each shift, according to the Chicago Sun Times. The paper estimated the cost to taxpayers at $366 per day (which, frankly, sounds low to me).

Within the last decade, my own home was broken into twice. Nothing too valuable was taken, no one injured, and, I freely admit, in one instant, I'm sure I got extra attention from the police because my brother was then on the force.

But it never occurred to me to demand a police cruiser in front of the house, or a perimeter check by officers. I was under the impression that everyone-even politicians-was aware that that isn't quite how it works.

But Alderwoman Troutman would beg to differ. The Sun-Times quoted her:

"Deserve it? Damn right. I should receive the protection I am receiving. I am an elected official. You're darn right."
I wonder what the reaction would have been if I had uttered the above explanation, substituting "taxpayer" or "voter" for "elected official"-I mean after the laughter died down?

Celebrities are allowed, I suppose, to be just plain stupid, to explain their specialness in detail, and to jet off to Cap Antibes in a huff if they like. And we are just as free to snicker at them, and even to stop going to their movies and buying their records if we so chose.

But the specialness of elected officials should work just the other way around. Those are the folks most in need of a lesson of what it's like when the lights go out, or when the predators think nothing of visiting your home twice in one month.
Better laws, and better politicians would come of it.

Peggy Tartaro

Photo © Copyright 1998 Nancy Floyd, used with permission.