Locked and loaded in Philly

Gripping two AK-47s and with a third resting discreetly on his lap, Jordan Rushie maintains a fortress in Fishtown, but gunning in the Poconos is where he’d rather be.

Rushie is a local attorney, firearm enthusiast and big-time 2^nd Amendment backer. He invited Metro into his home Wednesday to take a look at his collection, and to opine on the executive orders issued by the White House this week.

President Barack Obama channeled the oft-emotional John Boehner when he teared up Tuesday to emphasize the need for tougher gun laws.

Obama enacted a new set of executive orders on guns in an effort to make them harder to get into the hands of those who would use them for harm.

In sum, the president called for a new requirement for all gun sellers to conduct background checks on gun buyers or face prosecution; hire new FBI and ATF agents; allocate $500 million for health care to those mentally unstable; and develop what he called “smart gun” technology,” which remains to be seen.

“This is unconstitutional for the executive to usurp the legislature,” Rushie told Metro.

“It really criminalizes citizens like me,” he said.

“I think it’s a very dangerous precedent. The main purpose of the constitution is to protect citizens from the government and make sure citizens have certain liberties.

“Apple [corporation] knows where I am at any given time, they know who I call and who I text. We’re starting to get into an unhealthy relationship where corporations are able to mine vast amounts of data from us.

“I think [if] we’re requiring fingerprint technology to have a gun, I think that’s an extremely dangerous restriction. He mentioned executive action requiring background checks — just because somebody has a clean background doesn’t mean somebody won’t commit a crime. Adam Lanza was an example.”

Shira Goodman is executive director of CeaseFirePA, a grassroots nonprofit organization working to reduce gun violence in Pennsylvania.

Goodman was at the White House Tuesday standing with Obama when he made his speech, and said that Pennsylvania has a lot of loopholes when it comes to people already in the regulatory system.

“It was emotional there. [Obama] was flanked by survivors,” she said.

“We’re really excited about the announcement and we think it’s an important step in putting more steps in place, but we still need actions from Harrisburg and Washington. Clearly the President shares the nation’s frustrations.”

State Sen. Pat Toomey followed up quickly on the President’s actions by issuing (in part) in the following statement:

“I continue to support background checks for all commercial sales of firearms to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the dangerously mentally ill. This approach is similar to existing firearm regulations in Pennsylvania and is a common sense way to protect public safety…the President has abused these actions in the past and exceeded the boundaries of the law. This should not be allowed under our constitutional framework.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The guns in the accompanying photo are AK47s, not AR-15s as intially reported. Metro regrets the error.