Hillary Blames Guns, Not Criminals

Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton
NRA - Institute for Legislative Action
NRA – Institute for Legislative Action

Fairfax, VA -(AmmoLand.com)- Despite a litany of rebukes from news outlets and organizations that normally provide her with a steady stream of fawning coverage, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton refuses to abandon her misleading statements blaming Vermont’s gun laws for New York’s crime problems.

Moreover, her continued defense of the deceptive talking point has provided a disturbing glimpse into the depths of her distorted views on firearms.

During the April 14 Democratic debate in Brooklyn, New York, CNN moderator Wolf Blitzer pressed Clinton about her attacks on Vermont. Blitzer asked Clinton, “why did you put out that statement blaming Vermont and its gun policy for some of the death of — by guns in New York?” In part of her response, Clinton stated, “Well, the facts are that most of the guns that end up committing crimes in New York come from out of state.”

“the guns that end up committing crimes”

First, Clinton’s misleading claim relies on the use of ATF firearms trace data. The fact that a firearm was traced does not mean it was used in a crime. The following disclaimer accompanies publications of ATF trace data to make this fact clear:

Firearm traces are designed to assist law enforcement authorities in conducting investigations by tracking the sale and possession of specific firearms. Law enforcement agencies may request firearms traces for any reason, and those reasons are not necessarily reported to the federal government. Not all firearms used in crime are traced and not all firearms traced are used in crime. Firearms selected for tracing are not chosen for purposes of determining which types, makes or models of firearms are used for illicit purposes. The firearms selected do not constitute a random sample and should not be considered representative of the larger universe of all firearms used by criminals, or any subset of that universe. Firearms are normally traced to the first retail seller, and sources reported for firearms traced do not necessarily represent the sources or methods by which firearms in general are acquired for use in crime.

The more disturbing issue is that Clinton’s statement suggests that she believes firearms are somehow responsible for committing crimes, rather than the individuals who misuse firearms. Gun rights supporters have long noted that gun control activists have misplaced their focus on the tool used by a criminal perpetrator rather than the perpetrator themselves. The simple, yet undeniable, pro-gun response to these gun controllers is the oft-repeated “guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”

However, Clinton’s recent comments stand out as maybe the most vivid illustration of the gun control movement’s perverse logic. While many gun control supporters may casually utter some version of “guns kill people,” few would anthropomorphize firearms to the extent that they would claim guns commit crimes.

In criminal law, in order to be convicted of a crime such as murder or armed robbery, the prosecution must prove that the perpetrator had the necessary guilty mindset, or mens rea, as an element of the offense. When Clinton contends that guns commit crimes, she is imparting a morally blameworthy mindset onto a piece of steel.

Perhaps Clinton would allow prosecutors to charge the individual misusing the firearm as an accomplice.

About the NRA-ILA:

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the “lobbying” arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

For more information, please visit: www.nra.org. Be sure to follow the NRA on Facebook at NRA on Facebook and Twitter @NRA.

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Leo Smith

Kill the Riddick, Kill the Furion.

Mick

Of course she was just in my crappy state of CT. exploiting the Sandy Hook tragedy for her political agenda. What a self serving miserable b*tch she is! I sincerely hope she does not get elected and instead does time in prison! I’ll send my money, but I hope the gun lobby can withstand this b*tch!

James s

When the US Government confiscates all the guns in the hands of criminals I will be standing in the doorway of my home with a pistol on my hip and a rifle in my hands, cheering the useless bastards on. It can never happen and will never happen. Think about it, it takes 20 or thirty armed professional body guards just to keep them alive. We the people of the United States need to stand up and fire these worthless “non representatives”. Put them on the unemployment line where they belong.

Scott

Of course you would expect a criminal to defend another criminal. So Hillary criminal blames the tool instead of the attacker.

5WarVeteran

Yeah it WAS THE GUNS she shipped to Benghazi that got the men their killed to hide the fact that she was shipping those guns illegally to Benghazi and those men had to die to hide that fact.

Any Questions?

Eric

As a victim of drunk driver , sure lets sue every company that enabled a drunk driver. hell we will be left without a business in the U.S. and everyone will be jobless. Wouldn’t that be stupid , firearm laws punish the law abiding , yet Obama lets out drug dealers , allows illegal drug sale , banking of drug money in violation of multiple laws and treaties. Don’t want to follow laws I can name a bunch , Machine Gun Act of 1986 , NFA laws , IRS and payment of taxes. People on welfare should not be living… Read more »

The California Kid

If guns are the problem, then cars, not the drivers, are responsible for people who are intentionally killed by one. If say, Ruger can be sued for criminal use of their product, then Ford, or whoever, can be sued too, right? Unbelievable.

3rdAFCrewChief

My response to such absurd statement is …. No response. The majority of us who belong to the NRA are decent, law bidding, educated gun owners. We have the bleeding heart liberal left wing elitist politicians who want to control the American people and make them dependent on a Marxist type Government. Any attempt in taking our guns/ammo or altering the 2nd Amendment will be met with a force. A force to be reckoned with. Our forefathers gave us the Bill of Rights The Constitution because they knew what a Government is capable of doing to it’s citizens. When I… Read more »

SuperG

I used to think she was worthless, but as she nears the Democratic nomination and the Justice Department looks the other way, I think she’ll have value as a catalyst towards revolution.
Decades from now, documents will surface from the White House, directing the Justice Department to not arrest her, in order to protect the integrity of the party. My argument is that how can you protect something that you don’t have?

Gene Ralno

Hillary’s gone round the bend with this obsession. She’s hammered and howled, pounded and pandered so much that people want her to just shut up for awhile. Most have developed a strong revulsion to this grabby old granny.

gym

She’s a loser, and a killer. 39 of her associates have met mysterious deaths since Willy boy was in office. Hung, Suicide, Overdose, Cat accidents, Heart attacks, etc. Most were on the verge of being deposed or had info on the dynamic duo.

2War Abn Vet

How can government become all-powerful if citizens still have the power to resist?

Randall

Just the other day I saw bunch of guns running down the street shooting people. Oh no, wait there where people attached to those guns! Those evil guns must have been using mind control on those poor souls! LOL, GUN GRABBERS ARE FOOLS!

Jack Russell

And I thought the “Lost in Space” show was canceled years ago ……. ya folks I’m with her,… my ASS !

pieslapper

Of course she does, that’s what all criminals do, blame everything and everyone else.

TEX

Who gives a damn what the bull dyke thinks or says about anything !

Michael Seals

She has a twisted mind