As George W. Bush's presidency comes to a close, he has begun issuing pardons. "On the surface, the list of the 14 people pardoned by the president this week shows few common denominators in terms of time served, geographic location or even type of crime, except that the felonies were non-violent, writes Amir Efrati of The Wall Street Journal. "But a closer look at some of the newly pardoned shows many of them are church-going, blue-collar workers from rural areas (and ardent Bush supporters) who had little trouble finding jobs after their convictions. There is another common thread: the important role firearms once played in their lives."
Bush has been a strong advocate of gun ownership during his tenure as president. This support may or may not have played a role in the decision to pardon some of the people on the list. Presidents do not typically discuss their reasons for issuing a pardon. "Coincidentally or not, at least seven of the 14 pardoned on Monday are former hunters or shooting enthusiasts," adds Efrati. "In interviews, five of them said they wrote in their petitions to the government that a desire to win back the right to bear arms was a chief reason for wanting a pardon." (Read more)
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