“Statewide organization asks legislators to pass gun safety laws in Tennessee,” Nashville’s WKTN-TV “reported” Jan. 8. “Voices for a Safer Tennessee… held a panel discussion on its 2025 goals.”
Note “reported” is in quotes. It’s not the first time a “real reporter” has filed a one-sided PR piece masked as news. This “journalist” ought to go far—until the publisher figures out AI can parrot talking points a lot cheaper.
So, let’s do the job the DSM didn’t do, and analyze what’s really happening here.
What are this group’s goals? And will achieving them result in a safer Tennessee?
“We must find common ground and come together to take action for a safer Tennessee,” the group says on its website. “Our mission is to build safer, healthier communities by reducing preventable firearm tragedies across Tennessee.”
OK, nothing too controversial so far… but how? “Safer TN believes our state can support the Second Amendment and pragmatic firearm safety laws that prevent tragedy,” they assert.
Is anybody else getting an “I believe in the Second Amendment BUT” vibe yet? Got specifics?
Including up to 18-year-olds as “children” in its “firearms/leading cause of death” graph only strengthens that vibe. Still, so far we’re unclear on what it is they want, and how that will comport with “shall not be infringed.”
A public opinion poll they present by a supposed “conservative” pollster (which is a false authority logical fallacy) shows that, among the other “reasonable gun safety measures” reportedly enjoying “overwhelming [support] among all likely voters and with key demographics” (which doesn’t tell us what they actually know about the subject) are:
- Mandates to report lost/stolen guns, something no criminal can be required to do because, just like with mandatory registration, it would violate their Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination.
- Requirements to lock up your safety.
- Life-endangering and ineffectual waiting period prior restraints on claiming your right.
- Mandating registration-enabling “universal background checks” and ending private transfers.
- Due process-denying “Extreme Risk Protection Orders.”
How does any of this “support the Second Amendment”? How is it even remotely “pragmatic”?
What all this masks, of course, is that citizen disarmament has been a game of increments, with the ultimate goal being just that. And to add to the efforts of Voices for Safer Tennessee (a “gun control group run by wealthy Republican, Democrat political insiders”), we see the more overtly prohibitionists Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund has registered lobbyists with the state to advance its decidedly unsupportive of the Second Amendment agenda.
All you have to do is look at nature to see how that turns out. You don’t throw a scrap of flesh to a circling pack of jackals. Give up anything and that’s one less obstacle to overcome as they become emboldened to move in closer.
Of course they’re talking about taking your guns. Their founders have said so from the beginning, until the groups figured out hiding their motives and throwing out terms like “common sense” and “gun safety” played better with the marks they were swindling.
“I personally know and am married to a hunter,” Voices spokesflack Katherine Merrill assures us, again resorting to false authority and the oft-used deception that the Second Amendment is about hunting. “He and all of his hunting friends agree that if someone is wanting to purchase a weapon, he’s willing, his friends are willing to go through a short background process.”
Great. Well heeled Vichycons and Fudds are on board with throwing the rest of us under the bus. So, what’s new?
“Several members stressed that they are not against guns,” the ridiculous excuse for a report ends. “They only want people who should not have them to lose access.”
Like the 48 gangs operating in Memphis? Yeah, go tell them about locking up their guns, observing waiting periods, submitting to background checks, and keeping them out of the hands of those who smack their drugged out money-making sex slaves around. Do it in person and let us know how the talk went.
Idiots.
About David Codrea:
David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating/defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament. He blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” is a regularly featured contributor to Firearms News, and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.
Guess I’m a fudd because I am a shooter and I do believe in common sense gun safety.
Primarily safety from rust, safety from politicians, and safety from police seizures.
I also believe in preventing people who shouldn’t have them from having firearms – only me and people I have directly authorized should have any access to any of my firearms. If I don’t know you – buy your own!
” Gun safety” unless it’s a course that teaches proper gun handling or proper use of a firearm then if not it’s nothing more than a way to restrict law biding citizens of their rights . Read between the lines and their mother vrs are clear .
The theory seems to be “If we violate the Constitution just a little bit at a time, maybe we can get them to go along with it.” The NRA has operated on this theory for as long as I can remember–and I’m old but with a good memory. GOA and SAF and some others, along with serious locals (like GRNC) should get more support.
They did this in Jersey. It works so well now, that EVERYONE that buys ammo must take a background check every time they want ammo.
The laws get worse and worse.
I think all of us here believe in and know common sense gun safety. And it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3… 4.
1. Treat all firearms as loaded…
You know the rest.
Motives damn spell correct
If we hand in our guns to the government either piecemeal or all at once what will protect us from the government?
These gun banning groups ( don’t know why they are labeled as ” gun safety groups), are run and funded by George Soros, Micheal Bloomberg, the Chinese government and the Russian government. These gun banning groups never mention who pays for everything. In giving shooting reports, the gun banning groups say anyone under 25 is a ” child”. There are married couples who are 25 and have children. The CDC said that number one cause of death in children up to age of 12 is drownings. So should water be banned? The gun banning groups never report on gang members… Read more »
David, what we really need is a story on Ohio’s Lt. Governor but soon to be Senator. Interested minds really want to know.
If you do not support firearm safety and training you are a fool. Every aspect of our daily life is a learning experience. Would you give child a brand new chain saw some fuel or a floor jack asking him to go change the oil without training.
Fear mongering by the anti gun folks catches fire when people learn how to handle and store firearms correctly. Not all firearms are the same each one is different all have a learning curve & all have different safety features.
If you claim to know everything you know nothing