U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- While the First Amendment is the first line of defense for our Second Amendment rights, this defense must be effective. One of the ways to ensure the effectiveness is to keep the fight on as favorable terms as possible – and that requires an honest assessment of what Second Amendment supporters have going for us.
One of the first things we have going for us is the historical record. The opinion by the late Antonin Scalia in District of Colombia vs. Heller lays it out very well. It is a lengthy read, though. The NRA also has extensive information on the history behind the Second Amendment as well. This is one area where anti-Second Amendment extremists have very few arguments. Even claims that the damage posed by modern firearms is severe enough to permit their banning will fall short thanks to a 2016 ruling by the Supreme Court.
That 2016 ruling, Caetano v. Massachusetts, is a total of 12 pages, most of which is a concurring opinion from Justices Alito and Thomas. Indeed, walking through that concurrence can lay out a very logical argument that modern multi-purpose semi-automatics like the AR-15 are protected under the Second Amendment, simply because while they are dangerous (like any other firearm, they can take a life), they are not uncommon or unusual.
Anyone familiar with the facts about long guns, particularly the modern multi-purpose semi-automatic rifles will also note that the misuse is rare, especially with the latest data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Add to that the fact that there are some 16 million modern multi-purpose semiautomatic rifles out there, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and the unconstitutionality of these semi-auto bans should be easy to see.
Put it this way – when you have at least 16 million modern multi-purpose semiautomatic long guns out there, and you have a combined total of 532 murders committed in 2018 with long guns – that means that only one out of every 30,075 modern multi-purpose semiautomatic long guns is being misused to take a life in either a crime or an act of madness.
Put it this way, according to some odds listed at Funny2.com, you are roughly three times more likely to earn the Medal of Honor (1 in 11,000), find a four-leaf clover on the first try (1 in 10,000), or bowl a perfect 300 game (1 in 11,500) than you are to be the victim of a homicide involving a modern multi-purpose semiautomatic long gun. In fact, you’re almost 13.5 times more likely to die from slipping in the shower (1 in 2232 chance). The fact is, the misuse of the modern multi-purpose semi-automatics are very rare.
This is the type of argument that Everytown and groups like the Violence Policy Center want to avoid – like the plague. The big reason is that if the historical and legal underpinnings were to be common knowledge, combined with the perspective provided by the data, then their agenda is pretty much dead on arrival.
You have to give Bloomberg some grudging credit, he has managed to market fear and hatred of gun owners in general. How to overcome this will require accepting some hard truths about some tactics and strategy that simply are not working, and which are likely to play into his hands.
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 w
If all you say is true, and I believe it is, then how and why are state gov. getting away with passing bans on semi-auto rifles and handguns and magazines for them? How is it the Supreme Court is not taking these cases and overturning them on constitutional grounds? Please tell me why the SCOTUS is refusing to hear any of these cases?
Harold, JUST STFU & GO AWAY. We WON’T drink your “tactics and strategery” koolaid at all!! Fireams are NOT INHERENTLY DANGEROUS as you AND the anti-gunners say!! Not in the hands of responsible people!! Can they kill when deployed effectively?? Yes, as can any other weapon. I could kill you with a pen-knife with a 2 inch blade just as easily as with a gun. But both blade and gun are perfectly safe as long as they stay in their sheath/holster and you do nothing to threaten my life with sudden death. I give Bloomberg NOTHING, even for HIS machinations.… Read more »
h and by the bye, Harold.. you need to review your statics massaging protocols. You calculate the chances of betting harmed by the misuse of someone’s AR pattern rifle based on the frequency of harm perpetrated with the use of ANY in the class of Long Gun. That, in case you frogot, INCLUDES all rifles and shotguns other than the MSR…… there are no statistics telling the frequency of such incidents involving MSR’s. Some hold that that figure would have MSR’s as the tool of choice in perhams 30% of all long gun “incidents”. So your odds calculations are, well,… Read more »
One of the ways to ensure the effectiveness is to keep the fight on as favorable terms as possible Harold, have you ever witnessed a full on barfight, no rules no holds barred, nothing off limits, just beat the snot out of the other guy? No, didn’t think so. WHen a bad guy makes his decision to attack his selected target, that target CAN NOT dictate the “terms of the conflict”. When the Giffords fraud is blathering, no one can control the diahoerrea oozing from her piehole. SHE observes to “nules of engagement”. Nor does Mikey the BloomingIdiotBurg, or Barfie… Read more »
In all the years that I’ve bowled, somewhere around 35 or so, I’ve only ever bowled just one 300 game. Let that be your 1 in 11,500. I have a fairly decent hook shot, but correct ball type and an ever-changing oil pattern are always working against you. And, I never once shot a ringing ten pin to bring it down.
What we have is a voting bloc of 100+ million members. If you could use that kind of power effectively no gun control legislator would ever get elected.
Interesting approach and data. Best article I have read from you. We have to infiltrate with truth and build relationships to the best extent we can in order to get people to change their minds. Some people are…just hope enough will. Demonizing then, based in reactivity won’t get them to lower their defenses. This is not to compromise the truth behind 2A, merely to get people to assess how they’ve been brainwashed.