United States – -(AmmoLand.com)- One very salient fact that many anti-Second Amendment extremists will not concede is the tragic reality that many of their proposed solutions do not work. Washington, D.C. and Chicago had handgun bans in effect for 25 years – or more – and still saw high murder rates, with the primary weapon of choice being the handgun. Thankfully, thanks to the Heller and McDonald cases, those handgun bans (and all those across America) are no longer in force.
Just recently, the mayor of Chicago attacked Senator Ted Cruz for having the temerity to point out some of the violence that the onerous laws in the Windy City do nothing to prevent. Now, we’ve seen with Project Exile that actually enforcing laws like the prohibition on felons possessing firearms (18 USC 922(g)) can make a huge difference – and it won’t impact the law-abiding gun owners. Just look at the ones cited in this NRA release.
The mayor, determined to deflect attention from a casualty count not too far removed from the Midland-Odessa mass shooting, glosses over that. While in the past, I have counseled against letting anger take over, this is one place where showing a little anger can not only be benign, it may actually help the cause a little.
Imagine being a suburban soccer mom who hears you say, “You bet I’m angry. The mayor of Chicago is demanding that I be punished for crimes I did not commit. What we could do to fix that situation is to enforce existing laws against gun trafficking. Did you know there is a federal law, 18 USC 924(g), that calls for a 10-year sentence if someone crosses state lines to get a gun for the purpose of committing crimes? There is another law, 18 USC 924(b), that calls for a 10-year sentence for those who transport a gun across state lines with the intent to commit a felony. Those two alone would certainly address what she is complaining about, but she doesn’t insist they be used, and we see the tragic results every weekend in the Windy City.”
What that does is first, establish that anti-Second Amendment extremists are trying to perpetrate an injustice. Second, it points out laws that are already on the books. Third, it brings up that the anti-Second Amendment extremist is not demanding that those laws be enforced. Finally, it connects the actions of the anti-Second Amendment extremist in political office to the tragic results of that lack of enforcement.
All of that can be said in less than 45 seconds – which makes it a very good soundbite for the local news. If you really want to shock a local reporter, show them this old column by Wayne LaPierre when Chuck Schumer was trying to push for gun rationing a long time ago. Just a small, five-gun operation can land someone a long jail sentence. The soccer moms who see that soundbite may still be worried, but at least some of them will start to blame anti-Second Amendment politicians like the mayor of Chicago and not Second Amendment supporters for their worries. This is called a good start.
Similarly, for shootings like the ones in Midland, Sutherland Springs, and Charleston, where NICS either did not have the information, or where it denied a purchase but authorities failed to act, the response is just as automatic: “We have politicians calling for background checks, but all too often, we see that either information about convictions or commitment is not entered into the database or when there is a denial, nothing is done. Both of these problems need to be fixed. If a NICS check is denied, it indicates that a prohibited person committed at least one federal felony under 18 USC 922, and there should be an investigation and rapid action, since they tried to acquire a gun. Why should law-abiding citizens be punished when government fails to do its job? If you and I don’t do our job, we get fired.”
Again, in less than 30 seconds, a near-perfect soundbite for local media that takes apart an anti-Second Amendment argument. It again informs people background checks already exist, that the database is flawed, that nothing is done even when the system, works and flags a prohibited person, and asks why law-abiding citizens should pay the price for government incompetence or inaction. Again, worry and anger shifts from the Second Amendment supporter to the anti-Second Amendment extremist.
Now, this won’t convince a Joe Biden or Pete Buttigieg to leave our Second Amendment rights out of their schemes. Based on recent statements, their attitude is clearly comparable to the one displayed by a wolf from one of Aesop’s fables, seeking to rob us of our rights under any pretext they can come up with.
They are not who we need to reach, they just need to be defeated soundly. Our fellow Americans who may have concerns about Second Amendment issues, but who are willing to hear us out, are those we need to reach with our arguments. At best, these newly-enlightened Americans become full-fledged Second Amendment supporters. But just getting them to not vote for an anti-Second Amendment extremist and to consider other issues that could tilt their support to a pro-Second Amendment candidate is good enough for one election cycle – and we can move them our way with further education efforts.
By pointing out the failures of gun control laws, and tying them in to the efforts of Biden, Buttigieg, and others to scapegoat and punish law-abiding citizens, we can secure our Second Amendment rights. If President Trump can win re-election in 2020, and if Mitch McConnel is still Senate Majority Leader, then we could very well see the Supreme Court tilt in a decisively pro-Second Amendment direction.
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.
Why is it that Democratic Congresspersons just voted to not notify law enforcement when an Illegal Alien attempts to purchase a firearm?
Harold, not going to lie. You finally wrote an article that wasn’t complete garbage. You stuck mostly to the facts (Aside from a half attempted NRA/Lapierre pitch. Lapierre is one of the last people we can trust right now), and you actually put some thought into crafting an argument which does not attempt to demand that anyone give up our rights. What you are still missing is the fact that most of us make these arguments on almost a daily basis with those “Soccer Moms.” I always have two books in my wrangler with me in my wrangler whenever I… Read more »
Before 1968 a felon was someone who was convicted of a heinous act and confined to a cage. And of course felons couldn’t have weapons while in the cage. If the person had robbed a bank and was caught and had their firearm on them, it was put with their belongings and returned to them AFTER they were released at which time they were considered “rehabilitated” and EX felons. Today, according to some researchers…see Three Felonies a Day on Amazon, many of which are victimless acts. In another words for doing NOTHING that there is a victim involved, you can… Read more »
I don’t know where you live but in South Central L.A. when a person is convicted of a Felony there are usually one or more victims. It is not victimless crimes in many cases!
“Washington, D.C. and Chicago had handgun bans in effect for 25 years – or more – and still saw high murder rates, with the primary weapon of choice being the handgun. Thankfully, thanks to the Heller and McDonald cases, those handgun bans (and all those across America) are no longer in force.” Actually, that’s only half of the argument. Now what needs to be measured is whether or not there is a statistically different murder rate in D.C, and Chicago post-Heller and McDonald. It’s possible that the murder rate will go up. It may go down. It may go up… Read more »
Author says “Read more: https://www.ammoland.com/2019/09/outlining-the-failures-of-gun-control/#ixzz5yfndYooU Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Follow us: @Ammoland on Twitter | Ammoland on Facebook Just recently, the mayor of Chicago attacked Senator Ted Cruz for having the temerity to point out some of the violence that the onerous laws in the Windy City do nothing to prevent.” You intentionally fail to mention that she pointed out that more than half of the guns used in Chicago shootings get trafficked in from nearby lax gu safety law regions. The fact that you intentionally fail to mention this is indicative of a biased and deceitful writer. Whatever… Read more »
Really, and she had proof of that trafficking? The fact that she made up such a stat is indicative of a biased and deceitful politician. Then again, the fact that you tried to equate 26K Suicides, Police involved shootings, justified self defense cases, and accidental discharge deaths with a much lower number of Murders was also indicative of a biased and deceitful liar named OCH Will. Funny, coming from you since you are a confirmed Liar, and no one here is ever going to listen to you, or do what you want. Go screw yourself. We are never going to… Read more »
Irony is lost on ochwill, whose blatantly biased, misleading, and downright dishonest comments are allowed to be published here any time he wishes to open his deceitful mouth on the internet. 🙂 Thats the way of the liar though, as he says, not as he does.
Whoa!..dont be blaming other city’s, I guarantee what other city you think the criminals are getting their guns from has only a fraction of the crime, its called crime control, we’re not going to cater to you, you said if guns we’re banned your streets would be safer, we said if you outlaw guns only outlaws will have them, your law didnt work, ours does!
What you also don’t say is why the “gun violence” is so much lower in the “easy to get a gun state” of Indiana. Plus the fact that there are NO gun stores IN Chicago, means that we have to get our guns elsewhere. I go to Lombard usually.
If Criminals are getting there guns in Indiana, why is the crime rate so much lower?..could it be somebody else can stop them so they’ll go back to where its safer to commit their crimes?
Thankfully, thanks to the Heller and McDonald cases, those handgun bans (and all those across America) are no longer in force. Yuo forgot New York all of New Jersey and Maryland, and Wasington DC… and many counties in California. In NONE of these places can an ordinary Joe actually manage to get his Mother May I Carry a Gun card… DESPITE Heller and MacDonald. So, wanna try again? I’ve personal friends in two of these places who have tried and cannot get their Mother May I Card. One is a private detective licehsed in the State of California, and HE… Read more »
In Maryland the “MAY-not-ISSUE” State, there are three criteria to be able to obtain a VERY LIMITED carry card: 1). YOU must have a business. Because then you can claim to carry money for the company. 2). YOU must pass an IN DEPTH Maryland State Police INVESTIGATION and have NO juvenile or adult criminal records. 3). YOU MUST prove there is a CURRENT court proven DIRECT THREAT against your life. The Second Amendment does not apply. 4). YOU MUST KNOW a high ranking POLITICIAN that will say, “you are ok”. 5). YOU are still restricted by the ARBITRARY minded MPS… Read more »
And we seen the results during the riots, the police didnt even try to stop it the first night!
By Ammoland’s article by Alan Korwin (12/21/2017) an overwhelming number of NICS denials are false positives.
https://www.ammoland.com/2017/12/class-action-wrongful-nics-denials/
If Felons are a threat to society, theres other ways to kill, why are they let back on the streets endangering people?
I know Harold takes a lot of flack here, much of it seemingly deserved. However, some of the commenters appear not to have actually read the article. This wasn’t about changing the minds of Communist policitians, but those few in the middle who could change their minds. And, yes, there are still those folks out there. I know quite a few.
From Harold: “Our fellow Americans who may have concerns about Second Amendment issues, but who are willing to hear us out, are those we need to reach with our arguments.”
Einstein
What outline? IT DOESN’T work!
Harold? Have you ever heard of DUE PROCESS? We already know that MANY of the people that operate the NICS and the CJIS background check systems are a bunch of idiots that can’t get a job at Walmart! Yet, YOU state: “If a NICS check is denied, it indicates that a prohibited person committed at least one federal felony under 18 USC 922, and there should be an investigation and rapid action, since they tried to acquire a gun. Why should law-abiding citizens be punished when government fails to do its job? ” This statement and suggestion makes David Hogg’s… Read more »
USA…Albert Einstein
This reminds me about a kid I went to high school with, he had multiple felonies on his record, was a known gang member and still applied for a permit to carry pistols and revolvers. Well the department of public safety screwed up and gave it to him!
When he tried to buy a pistol he was denied and I think they told the store owner to confiscate the permit and mail it to them.
When a “system” is being run half-assed, WE need to be extremely cautious as to which HALF is being run!
@wjd, you are totally right. I think we need to upgrade, Harold to… DUMBASS!
I think it’s time we all sit back and let Harold pound on himself.
Exactly. Public officials from the President down to the local cop who violate their oaths to the Supreme Law of the Land have forfeited their authority. We owe them no obedience, allegiance, or felicity. We are absolved from being bound to non-laws that war against the Constitution & Bill of Rights!!
Harold, we already know this. The domestic enemies of liberty cannot be negotiated with, and everyone who is neither one of those or a gun-owning liberty activist are the people we know we have to win over. We can do that by inviting people to come with us to the range and teach them how to safely shoot.