Archive for the 'Gun Control' Category

Rex gives them.

CBS News.

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon on Thursday called for a national debate on whether an assault weapons ban that Congress let expire in 2004 would be effective “in keeping weapons made for war out of the hands of mass murderers.”

“In the national conversation around gun safety, we’re encouraged that broad support is emerging to strengthen background checks and to remove weapons from those who have been determined to pose an imminent danger,” he stated. “The reauthorization of the assault weapons ban should be debated to determine its effectiveness in keeping weapons made for war out of the hands of mass murderers.”

David Codrea also saw this today and linked CNN which has essentially the same report. But here’s a warning to CEO McMillon.  We all answer for our decisions, including you.  Remember Dr. Greg Bahnsen’s warnings on gun control.

The Bible does contain a few direct references to weapons control. There were many times throughout Israel’s history that it rebelled against God (in fact, it happened all the time). To mock His people back into submission to His Law, the Lord would often use wicked neighbors to punish Israel’s rebellion. Most notable were the Philistines and the Babylonians. 1 Samuel 13:19-22 relates the story: “Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!” So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles sharpened…So on the day of battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in this hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.” Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon also removed all of the craftsmen from Israel during the Babylonian captivity (2 Kings 24:14). Both of these administrations were considered exceedingly wicked including their acts of weapons control.

Government interference with free trade – including that of firearms trade – has no place in the Biblical economy.  Your naïve, childish belief in fortune telling and forecasting the future (i.e., guessing who might commit crimes) is called divination, or witchcraft, in the Bible.  God considers it evil.  And a prohibition on the ownership of weapons interferes with the ability to defend hearth and home, which is tantamount to justifying theft and murder.

You’ve apparently “seen the light” on gun control, jumping in with both feet.  But that light you’re seeing might just be the lake of fire.  Be careful for your soul.

Via WiscoDave, William Sullivan writing at American Thinker.

“Machine guns were outlawed because there was no need that justified the risk.  Was that wrong, too?” Cuomo asks.

The short answer is, yes, that was wrong, too — if the Second Amendment is the measure.  And to be clear, the Second Amendment is the only sentence in the Constitution where an individual right to firearms is addressed.

Yet we find several conservatives aligning with Cuomo, in principle, suggesting that automatic weapons, or “machine guns,” have understandably been banned since ancient times (for us), and it was somehow justified as within the government’s right to do so.  For example, Josh Hammer writes at the Daily Wire that, “automatic weapons are already (for all intents and purposes) banned” under the NFA, so new gun control measures on a “cosmetically amorphous” semi-automatic “assault weapons” should not be needed.

That statement not only concedes the left’s position that the federal government had the right to levy such infringements upon the individual right to gun ownership in the first place, but more importantly, it’s not entirely accurate.

I’ll assume that Hammer knows his history, and that by “all intents and purposes,” he means that the NFA made it nearly impossible for the common law-abiding citizen to attain an automatic weapon only because the cost was prohibitive for most common Americans due to the heavy tax laid upon the purchase of one.  It was egregious for the federal government to craft such a law, but perhaps the more important distinction is that there was no federal law suggesting that an American citizen couldn’t legally own a properly registered and purchased “machine gun” for more than 50 years after the NFA was passed, because it was clearly understood that a federal “ban” on such weapons was an infringement upon law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment right.

In truth, automatic weapons were not actually “banned” in this country until 1986.  It wasn’t until the farcical passage of the Hughes Amendment as an addendum to the National Firearm Owners’ Protection Act (FOPA) of 1986 that ownership of any such firearm was truly “banned” by the federal government.

If you ever imagined that our elected betters are actively working toward the preservation of our constitutionally protected rights, watch this video of Charlie Rangel leading the House in a “voice vote” to allow the Hughes Amendment, and allowing only two minutes of raucous “deliberation.”  It is among the lowest and most ridiculous moments in the history of our American Congress — and that’s saying something.

It has been reported that President Reagan considered vetoing the FOPA due to the inclusion of the Hughes Amendment, but was convinced by the NRA to not do so, believing that the “Supreme Court would throw that measure out as unconstitutional,” thereby “correcting the defect in new law.”  That challenge to the unlawful “machine gun ban” never came.  And now, thirty-three years later, nothing could be more natural than Americans assuming that the federal government somehow has the right to ban whatever weapons it can successfully ban, even if it does so via legislative subterfuge.

If the “slippery slope” idiom ever has a meaningful application, this might be a good example of it.

In the end, it took 146 years of American history for the government to even make a sweeping effort toward a federal gun law restricting firearms among the law-abiding populace.  It took sly maneuvering to enact the first federal gun control, achieved only under the auspices of the government’s “right to tax” firearms, and an ensuing fifty years of the government purposely avoiding the notion of that government could “ban” any firearm (for fear of running afoul of the Second Amendment), before a Congressional circus in 1986 finally presumed that the government could actually “ban” automatic weapons.

Slippery slope indeed.  And this is why so many gun owners won’t budge any more.  Budging and compromising is what got us where we are today, with the expectation that Congress will only make more laws infringing on God-given rights, that they have a right and warrant to do that, and that the only recourse is to compromise and hold on to what little we can.

No more.

Fox News.

 WSJ: “Amid the increased discussion about gun control, some Trump advisers have urged the president not to throw his support behind any of the gun-control measures being discussed in Congress, including so-called red-flag legislation introduced by top Trump ally Sen. Lindsay Graham (R., S.C.), which aims at temporarily blocking dangerous people from accessing firearms. Some advisers have expressed concern that such legislation could violate the Second Amendment and alienate conservative voters. Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son who often speaks with his father about his views on gun laws, has raised concerns about both red-flag legislation and about tightening background checks, according to people familiar with the matter.”

Prediction: Orange Man won’t listen to him.

Via David Codrea, Nedd Scott.

This ended the NRA as it was originally envisioned as evidenced by the massive overhaul of Article I of the NRA Bylaws. This was also the year that a young lobbyist, Wayne LaPierre was hired on by the organization. Now the firearms community would go on the offensive. Carter, now EVP, created the Institute for Legislative Action or (ILA) to lobby on Capital Hill. The NRA was focused solely at the national level with its activism at this time. Carter and Knox’s efforts bore fruit with the passing of the Firearms Ownership Protection Act (FOPA) in 1986. Although it was a major win for the organization its still had its failings. Although the NRA championed its reforms of the GCAs abuses the NRA allowed for the Hughes Amendment to be attached. (The Hughes Amendment banned future machine-gun production for civilians after May 19, 1986 and set the precident for banning firearms by type.) This, and other failures like the permanent Bush import “assault weapon” ban in 1989 can be attributed to Carter leaving the organization in 1985 while the NRA’s political focus was still in its infancy. Future leadership fell back into previous levels of minimal action and this lead up to the passing of the domestic Assault Weapons Ban (AWB) in 1994. Yes, the NRA did voice opposition but in reality it exerted very little influence as the amount of money the NRA used for lobbying and election campaign contributions were a fraction of what they provide today.

Carter’s departure left a void in the organization’s leadership at a crucial time. Wayne Lapierre saw an opportunity and began his rise to power. By 1991, he had earned the position of EVP and saw a need to brand himself and rebrand the NRA. He then created the NRA Foundation, giving a third entity as a means of fund raising. An investigation of the financial dealing of the NRA will also come in a later article. By 1999, he was voice of the NRA even though it didn’t have a decisive direction. Although Lapierre called the ATF “jack-booted government thugs” after the Ruby Ridge and Wako incidents, in May of 1995 he testified before Congress supporting background checks for all firearms sales at gun shows including between private individuals. He has been economically involved with members of the established opposition including Karen F. Thomas who has ties to Hilary Clinton and the Democratic Leadership Council.

It’s good to know your history.

Via David Codrea, this report on his daughter.

Axios reports that Ivanka “has quietly been calling lawmakers since the El Paso and Dayton massacres to gauge their openness to movement on gun legislation when Congress returns.”

These calls reportedly included a conversation with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who is preparing to reintroduce the universal background check bill he and Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) pushed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School attack.

One of Manchin’s aides told Axios, “[Ivanka] was trying to get a sense of what bills are out there. She had him explain how they drafted the bill, where it stands and what changes needed to be made in order for it to pass.”

The Washington Post reported Manchin saying Trump called him August 5 and “the two spoke again on [August 6], when Trump said he wanted legislation before September, when the Senate is scheduled to return.”

So you can prepare for universal background checks.  It’s not surprising that his daughter had no earthly idea what these two sponsors wanted, what was in their bill, or why it had no legs before.  Next up, Trump is contacting all the wrong people for counsel.

Amid a renewed push for all kinds of gun control following mass shooting incidents in three states over two consecutive weekends, the Trump administration has reached out to leaders in the Second Amendment community seeking their input, a marked change from the previous administration.

Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the grassroots Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and founder and CEO of the Second Amendment Foundation confirmed to Liberty Park Press that he had spoken with a “top White House staffer” on a wide range of gun-rights-related topics. He anticipates further discussions.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that President Donald Trump had spoken to Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association. LaPierre, currently embroiled in the NRA’s internal turmoil, issued a statement that he is “not inclined to discuss private conversations with President Trump or other key leaders on this issue.” That statement can be found on the NRA website.

The same story noted, “A White House official said Trump had asked some advisers and lawmakers this week about whether the NRA had enduring clout amid an internal leadership battle and allegations of improper spending, as well as what his supporters would think of the bill.”

LaPierre and Gottlieb will only lead him down a path to more gun control laws and regulations.  Once again, it’s not surprising that Trump thinks this will bring on board gun owners.  Just talk to their “leaders” and they will “follow.”

He is a Northeastern collectivist at heart, steeped in unions, big government and big programs.  But gun owners aren’t a union, LaPierre is only unpopular because of his refusal to use the power of the NRA to stop new gun control, and Gottlieb loves him some “smart guns.”

Some folks are still in denial, but there are cold winds, and by the turn of the year, we may even see sensible decisions reversed again by the ATF at the whim of a president who thinks we behave like hive insects, following “leaders.”

Townhall.

Donald Trump is a lot of things, but stupid is not one of them. Like all of us, he is understandably horrified by the murder sprees of that progressive environmental eugenics weirdo and that member of Big Chief Warren’s tribe.* But Trump is also keenly aware that any betrayal of his supporters on a literally life or death issue like guns – if you’ve been listening to the left you have a good idea what miserable fate awaits you if you get disarmed and they take power – will result in his wholesale abandonment by his supporters. No, his base probably won’t go vote for the furry, or Doxxy Castro’s brother, or Gaffe-y McOldenheimer. His base will just stay home. Trump will lose, the GOP will lose the Senate, and the left will take over. And bad things will happen to the liberal elite’s enemies, not least of all to Trump and his family.

Trump understands this. And he understands that the media is trying to get him to alienate his own supporters. But so far, he has never stuck us in the back even after the garbage media eagerly reports on his conciliatory talk on subjects near and dear to us in the hopes that it means a betrayal is incoming. It never has been in the past. There’s no reason to believe he would sell us out now.

I hate to break it to you Kurt, but it’s already happened.  It’s a done deal.  It’s past tense.  From the gun rights blogs (like this one), to the folks at reddit/firearms, to one diehard Trump supporter I dined with a few days ago, every single gun owner I know now considers Trump an enemy of gun owners.  Every … single … one.  I don’t know any more Trump defenders among gun owners.  He has succeeded in alienating his base.

And it’s because he already did undercut his base.  Consider: bump stock ban, where he singlehandedly created felons out of 550,000 bump stock owners, support for red flag confiscatory laws, statement opposing the sensible use of suppressors for hearing conservation, and appointment of the former head of the Fraternal Order of Police to head the ATF (who by the way, supported the AWB).  And if reports are accurate, he’s not finished yet.  Give him time.

Get into the game, Kurt.  You’re two years behind the times.

Statehouse Report.

When state lawmakers return in January, senators will consider final reading of a bill that would make it legal to carry a concealed handgun in the state without a permit (S. 139). The bill has already received second reading in the Senate. If passed, it will need to get approval in the House.

Other bills calling for expansion of gun rights include:

• Allowing clerks of court to carry concealed weapons on duty (H. 3073);
• Allowing concealed weapon permit holders to carry on church property, and make it so the church is not held liable in the event of an incident (H. 3774); and,
• Reciprocating all out-of-state concealed weapons permits (H. 4314).

Bills calling for gun control so far in 2019 session include:

• A “school safety fund” (H. 3109) that would charge a 7 percent fee on the sale of handguns to provide for school resource officers;
• Lizzy’s aw (H. 3683), which is a proposal that would mandate the reported loss or theft of a firearm;
• Several bills (S. 154, H. 3248) that would require a 10-day mandatory reporting of criminal cases to state law enforcement (also known as closing the “Charleston loophole”);
• A ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines (H. 3206); and,
• A mandatory national background check for any sale, exchange or transfer of a firearm (H. 3059).

You know what’s not there?  That’s right.  Open carry.  Nary a word.

Politico:

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Sunday differences between Republicans are “all reconcilable” on gun control legislation.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said last week that strengthening background checks and so-called red flag laws “will be front and center” when addressing gun violence in the Senate after mass shootings in Texas and Ohio left at least 32 people dead.

But John Barrasso of Wyoming the No. 3 GOP senator, told reporters Friday he has “a lot of concerns about the due process component of“ red flag laws, adding he doesn’t “want to punish law-abiding citizens.”

Asked about the conflicting responses, Conway said on “Fox News Sunday” it’s “all reconcilable.”

[ … ]

“We can protect people’s civil liberties, privacy, constitutional rights and public safety all at the right time,” Conway said.

“A” can be “not-A” at the same time it’s “A.”  I guess she believes in the tooth fairy too.

So either Trump (or his communications people) sent her out to parrot those words, or she believes them and is counseling the White House (and thus, Trump).

Either way, it doesn’t portend good things and it once again demonstrates that Trump is out to alienate the base that put him in office.

Via reader Mack, let’s play a game.  “We need a mental health database.”  Who said this?  Let’s name names.

Andrew Cuomo:

Democrats should come together with one clear message on gun safety.

The federal gov’t must:

1) Outlaw assault weapons and high-capacity magazines
2) Create a mental health database
3) Pass universal background checks
4) Pass a Red Flag Law

Wayne LaPierre:

None other than Wayne LaPierre has suggested the same idea. Jeryl Bier pointed me to this speech delivered by LaPierre in 2012 after the Sandy Hook massacre. So frantic was the NRA to steer the conversation away from gun regulations that it proposed having the feds keep tabs on America’s mental illnesses instead.

“How many more copycats are waiting in the wings for their moment of fame – from a national media machine that rewards them with wall-to-wall attention and sense of identity that they crave – while provoking others to make their mark?

A dozen more killers? A hundred? More? How can we possibly even guess how many, given our nation’s refusal to create an active national database of the mentally ill?”

Always remember what reader Menckenlite said.

Control freaks love psychiatry, a means of social control with no Due Process protections. It is a system of personal opinion masquerading as science. See, e.g., Boston University Psychology Professor Margaret Hagan’s book, Whores of the Court, to see how arbitrary psychiatric illnesses are. Peter Breggin, Fred Baughman and Thomas Szasz wrote extensively about abuses of psychiatry. Liberals blame guns for violence. Conservatives blame mental illness. Neither have any causal connection to violence. The issue is criminal conduct, crime. Suggesting that persons with legal disabilities are criminals shows the nonsensical argument of this politician and his fellow control freaks. Shame on them.

Wayne is as much of a “control freak” as Cuomo.