Opinion
By Larry Keane
The U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, under the leadership of Chairman Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), held a committee hearing focused on the right of law-abiding Americans to protect themselves.
It’s a critical moment for Second Amendment rights as President Donald Trump campaigned on restoring community safety and vowing to protect the Constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans. That priority resonated with voters, including more than 26.2 million law-abiding Americans persuaded by crime and threats of violence in their communities to purchase a firearm for the first time over the past five years.
This priority also aligns with the House Republicans as they are committed to standing up for those Second Amendment rights and ensuring American communities are safe from criminal violence after historic surges in crime during the Biden-Harris administration.
‘No One Wants This to Happen’
Subcommittee Chairman Biggs set the table succinctly during his opening remarks about why the hearing was so critical.
“At a time when violent crime continues to plague our communities and rogue prosecutors allow criminals back out on the streets, it is important to preserve our right to defend ourselves and our loved ones,” Chairman Biggs stated. “It’s disgraceful to think that someone defending their family from a deadly attack would be punished.”
House Democrats on the committee, including Ranking Member Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) and Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), repeatedly stated the need for strict gun control was rooted in the belief that more laws mean less crime. One hearing witness, however, had firsthand experience about why that is the wrong belief paradigm.
David McDermott, a self-defense attorney in Chicago explained why self-defense is so important to him.
“At the age of seventeen, I was walking with my now-wife Dana and some friends when a large group of gang members ran over to us,” McDermott described. “I was sure we were going to be attacked and before I knew it, I was hit in the head with a blunt object. I immediately went down to my knees as I was beaten repeatedly with a lead pipe and baseball bat. Dana and my sister were held at gun point as these gang members continued to beat me bloody.”
McDermott continued, “Nobody wakes up and says, ‘I hope today is the day that I get attacked. With so much violence on the news each day, it is no surprise that more and more people have decided to purchase firearms.”
McDermott relayed that Chicago already has some of strictest gun control laws in the country, yet continues to be plagued by violent criminals who don’t follow the laws. In fact, the city once implemented a blanket ban on handguns in 1982. Only criminals ended up with guns and even The Chicago Tribune editorial board excoriated the policy.
“In the decade after it outlawed handguns, murders jumped by 41 percent, compared with an 18 percent rise in the entire United States,” wrote the Tribune’s editorial board. “One problem is that the bans didn’t actually have any discernible effect on the availability of guns to people with felonious intent.”
‘Fish in a Barrel’
Dianna Muller is a Second Amendment advocate who previously spent 22 years in law enforcement in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is a renowned competitive shooter. She is especially vocal about women exercising their rights to keep and bear arms and noted that point once again.
“Women are the fast-growing group of gun owners in our nation. And for good reason,” Muller said. “We are smaller and less equipped to face down violence. Firearms level the playing field in an attack from a larger and stronger assailant. Women are choosing to own and carry firearms to protect a life – not to take a life.”
One policy promoted by Democrats from major metropolitan areas and public places is the prevalence of “gun-free zones.” Supporters of Second Amendment rights generally describe “gun-free zones” as ineffective as, again, criminals ignore the signs and subsequently believe innocent civilians will be unarmed. Congressman Tom Tiffany (R-Wisc.) questioned Muller about the efficacy of “gun-free zones” and whether they work.
“No sir, they do not,” Muller said bluntly. “They are actually the opposite of what they are intended to do. When you see a gun-free zone, ninety-four percent of mass public shootings happen in gun-free zones. They are killers and allow… criminals to shoot fish in a barrel. They are killers.”
Front Line Defense
Rep. Barry Moore (R-Ala.) referenced a significant priority among the firearm industry when he asked Muller about the Biden-Harris administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy and how the consequences of it have impacted the ability of law-abiding Americans to exercise their Second Amendment rights. NSSF has been working with the new Trump administration and Attorney General Pam Bondi during the past few weeks on reversing the overreaches of the Biden administration and repealing the flawed and disastrous policies. The is especially true of the Biden administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy by with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) cause the revocation and surrender of hundreds of small-business federal firearms licensees (FFLs).
“What I understand and hear from numerous people who are FFLs is that the Biden administration, the way they… the process, it wasn’t a partnership anymore. It was more of an adversarial relationship between ATF and FFLs and therefore I think it was mistake and not really going after the right target,” Muller stated.
“You’re right,” Rep. Moore answered. “They’re [FFLs] really our front lines of defense so I would think working with the ATF would be beneficial, but often it looked like it was adversarial and many FFLs were targeted, in many ways. It has been counterproductive.”
Privileged Perspective
Muller encapsulated the position from where gun control proponents are coming which is common from activists like billionaire and former New York City Mayor Micheal Bloomberg.
“I believe that the people that advocate for gun control are… doing it from a place of privilege. If you don’t think you need the Second Amendment or if you don’t think you need to carry a firearm or have self-defense, then you are coming from a place of privilege and you’re not coming from a community that is plagued with violence,” Muller explained. “You’re not living in a community that needs to have that kind of security. I would check your privilege and say that the Second Amendment is what gives everyone the right to be safe.”
NSSF is engaged with several allies on Capitol Hill on legislation that is critical to safe-guarding the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans and the industry that supports that right. Watch the full committee hearing discussion here.
Based on Loose Reasoning, a Federal Judge Upholds the Gun-Free School Zones Act
About The National Shooting Sports Foundation
NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations, and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org
The Right to Self Defense is a universal right, a right inherent. It doesn’t require permission or a piece of paper or a number of people agreeing that it is a right. The Right to Self Defense is the number one inherent universal right which goes hand-in-hand with the Right to Life.
commies want control, they dont want to lead, they want slaves to command
I’d still like to know how NSSF comes up with the number 26.2 million new gun owners since 2020. There’s no question on the 4473 asking if you have ever purchased a gun before. It would be alarming for FBI (they do the NICS check, right?) to have a list of those who have bought guns and they then provide the number of new names added to the list per annum.
The Second Amendment isn’t about defending yourself from muggers… At it’s core it’s about defending Americans from tyrants, both foreign and domestic.
Let’s not forget the key word, and it’s late 18th century definition, “militia”.
Stealing my “Gun Free Zones” = “Fish In a Barrel Kjlling Zones”. OK, go ahead.
COMMON SENSE CONTINUES TO PREVAIL! just the beginning of the benefits of Lenity over Chevron doctrine! BTW, WE know that arms for hunting & self-defense were God-given givens – not the purpose of 2A. As long as the citizenry HAS guns, we’ll never have to USE them for the reason 2A was put there – to deter & defend against government overreach & petty-to-monstrous tyrants. Hunting & personal defense were inalienable givens – ‘above’ government – God-given – not even a question. The ISSUE – the REASON they built 2A into the cake – was to protect 1A from government… Read more »