Texas/United States – -(AmmoLand.com)- When it comes to locking down a politician’s track record on the Second Amendment, sometimes it can be easy, especially when they are members of Congress. Their voting record is public, and they are often presented with the issues on a “yes” or “no” basis. Not much wiggle room there. In conjunction with public statements and introduced, it’s easy to pin down a Joe Biden or Eric Swalwell as threats to the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.
Julian Castro, though, is a little tougher to nail down. You have public statements, but mayors, especially in states with pre-emption, like Texas, often leave little more than those statements and policy proposals. What has been locatable, though, points to a candidate who gives lip service to the Second Amendment.
Lip service, though, is all law-abiding citizens who seek to exercise their Second Amendment rights would get. Here’s the scoop. In 2012, Castro and his brother were interviewed by ABC News in the wake of the Sandy Hook mass shooting.
“There is a feeling that the Second Amendment is there in the Constitution, folks will have the right to bear arms,” the then-mayor of San Antonio and now-presidential candidate said, providing lip service to our rights. “At the same time, like every other freedom, there are reasonable limits, regulations to be placed on it.”
Castro’s true feelings may have been exposed when he touched on Second Amendment issues in a 2016 speech while serving as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (the same post once held by Andrew Cuomo). In that speech, he stated, “We are long past the time for decisive action to protect innocent Americans from the epidemic of gun violence.”
His use of the term “epidemic” shows that he may well see our constitutional right to keep and bear arms as a threat to public health. This has been the same approach pushed by the Violence Policy Center – which seems its own extreme agenda of not just gun bans, but in giving unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats the ability to ban guns on their own.
Thus, it is no surprise that Castro’s idea of reasonable shows he might not understand what the terms means, especially in light of the Heller and McDonald rulings from the Supreme Court, according to a July 11 post from America’s First Freedom. Now, the presidential candidate is saying, “In an ideal world, people would not own handguns.”
Never mind that we do not live in an ideal world, and many Americans, including Kamala Harris, have made the decision to purchase a handgun for personal protection with that reality in mind. But Castro’s target of handguns not existing goes beyond those who seek a viable tool for the personal protection of themselves and their loved ones. Maybe he should talk to the millions of Americans who own handguns for other reasons.
For starters, how about those who hunt with handguns? How about the many competitive shooters, from Olympic events to practical shooting, whether IPSC or IDPA? None of them have committed crimes, much less carried out a mass shooting at a food festival, movie theater, concert, or school. Yet Julian Castro has no problem punishing them for crimes and tragedies they had no part in – adding injustice to the tragedy that already took place. And as we have seen in the Gilroy shooting, those onerous laws completely fail to stop the shootings but create conditions where there are plenty of potential victims for a wicked murderer.
Julian Castro is a bit of a longshot to win the nomination, thankfully. However, his lip service is something Second Amendment supporters should keep in mind as 2020 approaches – you can bet other anti-Second Amendment extremists will be trying that same gambit in the general election.
About Harold Hutchison
Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.
Kamala Harris promised the most extreme gun control if elected as our president. So why did she buy a gun recently? Does that mean she has changed her mind about her promise or does that mean she has multiple personalities and/or mental illness or does that mean she is the biggest hypocrite on earth? I will assume it is all of the above and just in case I am wrong, the only other reason would be, is to make sure no one takes her or anything she says seriously. If you can’t practice what you preach you should stop preaching.… Read more »
Dude stop smiling! You Look Like a gay movie villian.
Kastro for kuba! He can takes his brother with him to be che! Pass the hat
ROFL, what did everyone think his 2nd A stance was going to be with *CASTRO* for his last name ?? LOL
A president of this country named Castro? I don’t think so because that is an oxymoron. Aside from that this wetback seems to think he is smarter and more refined than the rest of us. I agree ,him going to Mexico and being president would be much more fitting.
A racist statement? Did you need to do that to show your displeasure?
Tomcat, you may mean that “wetback” crack just to emphasize your feelings. But I would implore you not to use such language in social media. We have enough problems dealing with being painted as racist, misogynist, homophobes by the left without any of us making it real! If you are being racist, then know this… You are in the extreme minority. I don’t care what you believe or practice but I don’t agree with it and most people don’t either. But as long as you present yourself as a conservative, a Republican, and a TRUMP supporter I would implore, even… Read more »
If you believe in the second amendment the democrats are against your rights to own firearms, so voting for one is shooting yourself in the foot.
Head.
In an ideal world we would not have dumb ass liberals like this Castro or his dead cousin Fidel.
Beto’s brother from another mother.
SHOUTS “pole smoker” !
And daddy! Betos whiter than hospital tp!
All these presidential candidates push gun control. Notice that the Second Amendment is the Only Amendment that is being chipped away, The First, Third, Fourth ,Fifth and others aren’t chipped away. Castro like the others is clueless on and about the Second Amendment. They along with anti gunners blame an inanimate object instead of putting the blame where it should be on the individual or individuals who use a firearm illegally. Kamala Harris may own a handgun, that doesn’t mean she or the other candidates are pro 2A, Harris has publicly stated she is anti gun . Gun Control is… Read more »
Actually, the 1st, 4th and 5th are pretty well damaged as well, albeit not nearly as severely as the 2nd (which is the only one that specifically states that it shall NOT be “touched.”)
@CEM, But it was the courts that damaged the 4th and 5th. The First was damaged by the Secret Service. The Second Amendment is being damaged by globalists, politicians, our ignorant population, illegal alien voters, and an NRA that needs a reason to exist.
This is not politics as usual. Everything going on in our government shows massive departures from the historical and traditional interpretation and application of the laws and the Constitution. Our nation is under assault by coup d’etat! Backed by the super wealthy and foreign Governments that have long been the enemies of freedom and assisted by dissatisfied minority groups. They are chipping away at the Legacy of our Founders and our Constitution. Today we can still win without firing a shot, and restore this nation to it’s foundations. Tomorrow, we may be forced to take up arms to stop this… Read more »
@ArtZ, I agree. War is a lot of hot, sweaty work. A street party or barbecue to support a “not corrupted yet” candidate is logistically “doable” and fun. Fun is the ultimate weapon. Draining the swamp, if done right, could be fun, too!
All these presidential candidates push gun control. Notice that the Second Amendment is the Only Amendment that is being chipped away, The First, Third, Fourth ,Fifth and others aren’t chipped away. Castro like the others is clueless on and about the Second Amendment. They along with anti gunners blame an inanimate object instead of putting the blame where it should be on the individual or individuals who use a firearm illegally. Kamala Harris may own a handgun, that doesn’t mean she or the other candidates are pro 2A, Harris has publicly stated she is anti gun . Gun Control is… Read more »
@Gentlemen, I bet if you asked each of the candidates what a “right” is, they could not define it correctly. If you asked them what a “privilege or an immunity” is they could not define those either.
The man is a Commiecrat, that’s all we need to know he’s an antigun hack and enemy of liberty!!
@ Will Flatt
One can judge a potential candidates outlook on the entire Constitution on their statements for or against the 2 nd, ,it’s that simple.
Will, Mexico, good place for Castro and all gun grabbers.
Kamala Harris promised the most extreme gun control if elected as our president. So why did she buy a gun recently? Does that mean she has changed her mind about her promise or does that mean she has multiple personalities and/or mental illness? If not, then she is the biggest hypocrite on earth! I will assume it is all of the above and just in case I am wrong, the only other reason would be, is to make sure no one takes her or anything she says seriously. If you can’t practice what you preach you should stop preaching. Just… Read more »
Here’s another smooth talker you can’t trust. He has that used car salesman smile.