EDITORIAL

Pointless petition

12/31/2012

The murders of 20 children and six adults at a Connecticut elementary school this month have put gun-rights advocates on the defensive. After CNN talk-show host Piers Morgan conducted a contentious interview with Gun Owners of America executive director Larry Pratt, tens of thousands of incensed Second Amendment absolutists signed a petition to the White House urging that the British national be deported.

The petition accuses Mr. Morgan of engaging “in a hostile attack against the U.S. Constitution by targeting the Second Amendment” and “for his effort to undermine the Bill of Rights.” As is its policy, the Obama Administration has promised to respond to all petitions received by the White House that get at least 25,000 signatures, including the effort to expel Mr. Morgan for exercising his rights under the First Amendment.

It isn’t likely the TV interviewer has to worry about immigration officials knocking on his door soon. The call to have Mr. Morgan deported is, at best, an exercise in silliness and cynicism.

It also exposes as naive the White House promise to respond to every petition that carries a hefty number of signatures. The best reply this time would be dignified silence.