U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Big city mayors must have a standard checklist in the back of their press briefing binders. That page would have one entry that would read:
“When your failed policies create chaos, blame guns.”
It would sound ridiculous, but that is what is happening. Crime is skyrocketing in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta and Seattle. Those aren’t the only cities, but a crime storm is brewing. City leaders are engaging in a blame game rather than accountability when the consequences of failed policies wreak havoc in their communities. Their bogeyman is a gun. Laying the blame at the feet of the criminals committing the crimes would be problematic because it would call into question a series of poor decisions that left citizens vulnerable and forfeited their streets to criminals.
Blame Guns
Blaming guns has become almost a knee-jerk reaction. The accusation is lobbed at the inanimate object enough that it would seem to be losing luster if it were not for an adoring and unquestioning media. Chicago’s Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot was asked about the meteoric rise in homicides and attempted murders in the Windy City. Her answer minimized the issue and anyone who dared question her answer all at the same time.
“That’s a complicated question,” Mayor Lightfoot said, according to the Washington Examiner. “We have way too many guns on the streets.”
Her trite response came after the news that murders in Chicago were up by 78 percent in June, criminal shootings were up by 75 percent, over 2019’s figures. That accounts for 424 people shot, and 89 people murdered. For comparison, in June 2019, those figures were 242 shootings and 50 murders. It’s also on the horrific revelation a 3-year-old was murdered on Father’s Day and a 14-year-old boy and 7-year-old girl were murdered over July 4th weekend.
Same Story, Different City
Seattle showed the absurdity of elected officials refusing to address criminal activity too. Protestors set up their “Capitol Hill Occupied Zone” (CHOP) or “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” (CHAZ) and it quickly became a den of criminal activity. NSSF pointed out organizers were illegally distributing firearms in contravention of recently-passed state laws. Seattle’s Democratic Mayor Jennie Durkan called it a “summer of love” and a “block party atmosphere.” That was until protestors showed up on her doorstep and tragically, two were killed in the protest zone and another four were injured from criminal shootings. One teen was killed when his vehicle approached barriers at the protest zone and criminals opened fire.
New York City’s Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio blamed the spike in criminal activity on the coronavirus and quarantine orders. The Big Apple witnessed more than 64 people shot and 10 killed over July 4th weekend. One was a father holding his 6-year-old daughter’s hand as they crossed the street. Criminals pulled up in a car in broad daylight and murdered the man in front of his child. Shootings in NYC totaled 528 at the end of June, making it the worst year from criminal misuse of guns since 1996.
Atlanta’s Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms decried the murder that claimed the life of 8-year-old Secoriea Turner. “You shot and killed a baby,” the mayor said to the criminals who claimed control of the area surrounding a fast-food restaurant. Armed men told news media just weeks ago that “police aren’t allowed here,” after taking over the area. Citizens told media they were threatened and intimidated. No action was taken until Secoria was murdered.
Get to the Root
These problems are not an issue of lawful gun ownership. These are crimes. People lawfully buying firearms today are overwhelmingly saying they are concerned for their personal safety. Those concerns began when mayors and governors began releasing criminals back into the community at the onset of the coronavirus. Mayor de Blasio released nearly a thousand prisoners in the first month alone. New York’s Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a law last year eliminating bail holds for those accused of crimes and turns criminals back on the street within hours. Illinois’ Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker released 4,000 prisoners, including 64 convicted murderers. Washington’s Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee released 1,000 convicts from prison.
On top of that, these same elected officials are backing calls to defund police. Mayor de Blasio slashed $1 billion in police funding and disbanded plain-clothes anti-crime police units that were highly effective at taking illegally possessed firearms out of the hands of criminals. Seattle’s Mayor Durkan proposed cutting $409 million from city police budgets. Atlanta’s Mayor Bottoms said her city is “ahead of the curve” on “reallocating funds” from police.
These cities don’t have a gun problem. They have a crime problem. They also have a leadership problem that will scapegoat the issue and expose their citizens to criminals who will prey on the most vulnerable in our communities.
by Larry Keane
About The National Shooting Sports Foundation
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 10,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. www.nssf.org
Let the citizens of these cities live in what they’ve voted for, for decades, democratic-socialist rule. It’s up to them to take their city back, or not.
I agree! It’s long overdue for consequences because of actions be felt. However, that being said, it’s puzzling as to why people, who move from these cesspools, nearly always continue to vote themselves back into the same environment that they moved from. It compares to the “battered wife syndrome” in which women often return to the men that beat and abuse them therefore making it a mental disorder. This lawlessness is coming rapidly and will be a trainwreck. But until it finally gets too close to the elite that openly, and silently, support it the misery will continually increase. Then,… Read more »
It’s long been said that you get the kind of government you deserve, so they can suck it !
I’m their worst nightmare; Nam vet, outdoorsman, former Park Ranger, retired LEO, long range shooter and concealed carrier 24/7/365.
Come and take it .
Talking about Black on Black crime numbers is racist. Right?
Those mayors and governors will change their tune when the criminals turn on them. But then maybe not since they have their own private security to protect them which is being paid for by the citizens. Defund private security.
Hay Mayor”s don’t blame my guns. None have been fired been fired in Vain!
YET! Maybe Soon!
How can these buffoons say the guns are the problem? Maybe they’re hoping we won’t guess they’re clueless too.
Politicians from both sides will never accept responsibility for anything.
It’s all too clear that the problem with some of these cities is not the guns the people have, the problem is there are too many criminals on the street. If a criminal us caught with a gun put that thug on the ground fast. All these states that released those thugs and convicts are now paying the price for that blunder, I posted on other sites what will happen and what do you know the very thing that myself and others said would happen did in a monster of a way. Yeah the country does not have a gun… Read more »
While the big city mayors may blame guns they are not the only one who have failed their citizens, the city councils are the one’s who set the standards for each city and they can override the mayor with policies and ordinance’s directing for more police action by controlling the budget of the city.
Yup. The mayor is the executive branch person. The city council/aldermen, whatever, are the legislative branch. Far too often of late we allow the executive branch to MAKE LAW, not in their bailiwick. Clowns like the Gabbling Nuisance, Jayzee Insleaze, Kate Brown, Pritzker, Blackface Northam, Cuomo, etc. are running their states like dictators, and their subjects allow them to do that. What would have happened had a few hundred Seattleites, equipped, trained,”well regulated” had gathered and gone up to that sleazeball snotnozed “rule” of the Coup Zone in town, and confronted that felon in possession who appointed his sorry self… Read more »
100% on the Mayors… DEMOCRAT MAYORS !
You vote Dem in 2020, the next victim could, no WILL, be you or a loved one. The lawlessness, rapes and murder are just a PREVIEW of what will come…
MAD MAX anyone ?
Shame on any Gun Owner who votes Democrat.
You’re to dumb to own one.