bearingarms--2020-11-09--Georgia Elections Are The Key To Biden's Gun Ban Plans

How important are the upcoming runoff elections for two U.S. Senate seats ?
Not only will they determine who controls the chamber for the next two years , a Republican victory in at least one of the races would put a stake in the heart of Joe Biden ’ s plan to ban and “ buy back ” tens of millions of so-called assault weapons .
On today ’ s Bearing Arms ’ Cam & Co , we take a closer look at the anti-gun records of the Democratic candidates in the Senate elections , and it ’ s clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the Republicans running for re-election and the anti-gun challengers hoping to defeat them .
We ’ ll start with the special election to fill out the term of retired senator Johnny Isakson .
Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed by Gov .
Brian Kemp back in 2019 , but this election will determine who will occupy the seat until 2022 , when there will be an election for a full six-year term .
Loeffler is facing off against Rev .
Raphael Warnock , the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we detailed back in July when Brady endorsed Warnock in the special election , the pastor has been speaking out in opposition to pro-gun legislation since at least 2014 .
Speaking at Central Presbyterian Church across the street from the state Capitol , The Rev .
Raphael Warnock of Ebenezer Baptist Church said faith groups are united in their opposition to a bill that would expand carry areas to bars , churches and government buildings without security .
He spoke with other religious leaders as part of the coalition Faith Voices Against Violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Presbyterians , and Episcopalians , and Catholics , and Jews and we all agree .
That ’ s a miracle , ” Warnock said .
Warnock didn ’ t get his way on the carry bill , and in the years since we ’ ve tragically seen what can happen when people with evil intent enter gun-free sanctuaries .
We ’ ve also seen how that evil can be stopped by armed parishioners .
Warnock , however , didn ’ t even want church pastors to be able to decide for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their buildings .
Instead , he would have kept it a crime to carry in a church .
That wouldn ’ t stop anyone intent on murder , but it would put a halt to churches using members as part of their security plans .
Warnock ’ s now running away from his past support for gun control to the point that his campaign website doesn ’ t even list it as an issue .
The pastor does talk about “ reimagining policing ” and “ ending mass incarceration , ” but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments that the Democrat would be happy to replace a failed War on Drugs with a War on Guns instead .
In the other Senate runoff in Georgia , incumbent Republican David Perdue will face Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff , who ’ s been lying his , uh , “ oss ” off about his so-called support for the Second Amendment for months , to the point of running campaign ads in parts of the state in which he says he ’ ll defend the right to keep and bear arms .
Ossoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling metro Atlanta one thing while telling the rest of the state the exact opposite , ” Sen. David Perdue told Fox News exclusively .
“ This just proves he ’ ll do or say anything to hide his radical socialist agenda from the people of Georgia.
” An Ossoff spokesperson said the ad is “ airing in the places where Senator Perdue ’ s inflammatory , fear-mongering ad is running to correct the record.
” Perdue ’ s ad said Ossoff would confiscate guns , defund the police and close Georgia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his own ad says he will “ defend ” the Second Amendment , told MSNBC last September that he was unsure if he supported mandatory gun buybacks .
He did , however , back strict licenses for all semi-automatic weapons , universal background checks and argued that the general public shouldn ’ t have access to assault weapons .
Ossoff ’ s own campaign website makes it clear that his “ support ” for the Second Amendment is actually outright hostility towards the right to keep and bear arms .
I support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , red flag laws to protect family members and domestic partners concerned about the mental health of their loved ones , and closing the gun show loophole .
I support a ban on the sale of semi-automatic rifles ( “ assault weapons ” ) and high-capacity magazines to the general public .
Americans who would purchase high-powered weapons derived from modern military technology should be required to demonstrate high qualification and compelling specific needs .
Most gun owners are responsible , qualified , and own weapons in good faith .
However , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to drive up gun sales and enrich shareholders — even at the expense of public safety and common sense .
Do you see anything in there that indicates support for the right to keep and bear arms ?
If so , let me know , because all I see are attacks on lawful gun owners while at the same time ignoring violent criminals .
Joe Biden can ’ t get his gun ban plans through Congress without Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff , and the pair can ’ t win election in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their agenda to target legal gun owners .
Both Democrats are going to try their best to appear as “ moderate ” as possible between now and January 5th , so it ’ s going to be up to Republicans and Second Amendment supporters to ensure that voters know the real truth about where the candidates stand ; squarely behind Joe Biden and the most radical anti-gun agenda of any American president .

How important are the upcoming runoff elections for two U.S. Senate seats? Not only will they determine who controls the chamber for the next two years, a Republican victory in at least one of the races would put a stake in the heart of Joe Biden’s plan to ban and “buy back” tens of millions of so-called assault weapons.
On today’s Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co, we take a closer look at the anti-gun records of the Democratic candidates in the Senate elections, and it’s clear that there’s a stark contrast between the Republicans running for re-election and the anti-gun challengers hoping to defeat them.
We’ll start with the special election to fill out the term of retired senator Johnny Isakson. Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp back in 2019, but this election will determine who will occupy the seat until 2022, when there will be an election for a full six-year term.
Loeffler is facing off against Rev. Raphael Warnock, the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta and a longtime supporter of anti-gun efforts. As we detailed back in July when Brady endorsed Warnock in the special election, the pastor has been speaking out in opposition to pro-gun legislation since at least 2014.
Speaking at Central Presbyterian Church across the street from the state Capitol, The Rev. Raphael Warnock of Ebenezer Baptist Church said faith groups are united in their opposition to a bill that would expand carry areas to bars, churches and government buildings without security. He spoke with other religious leaders as part of the coalition Faith Voices Against Violence. “You’ve got Baptists, and Presbyterians, and Episcopalians, and Catholics, and Jews and we all agree. That’s a miracle,” Warnock said.
Warnock didn’t get his way on the carry bill, and in the years since we’ve tragically seen what can happen when people with evil intent enter gun-free sanctuaries. We’ve also seen how that evil can be stopped by armed parishioners. Warnock, however, didn’t even want church pastors to be able to decide for themselves whether or not to allow firearms in their buildings. Instead, he would have kept it a crime to carry in a church. That wouldn’t stop anyone intent on murder, but it would put a halt to churches using members as part of their security plans.
Warnock’s now running away from his past support for gun control to the point that his campaign website doesn’t even list it as an issue. The pastor does talk about “reimagining policing” and “ending mass incarceration,” but it’s clear from his past comments that the Democrat would be happy to replace a failed War on Drugs with a War on Guns instead.
In the other Senate runoff in Georgia, incumbent Republican David Perdue will face Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff, who’s been lying his, uh, “oss” off about his so-called support for the Second Amendment for months, to the point of running campaign ads in parts of the state in which he says he’ll defend the right to keep and bear arms.
Ossoff “thinks he can get away with telling metro Atlanta one thing while telling the rest of the state the exact opposite,” Sen. David Perdue told Fox News exclusively. “This just proves he’ll do or say anything to hide his radical socialist agenda from the people of Georgia.” An Ossoff spokesperson said the ad is “airing in the places where Senator Perdue’s inflammatory, fear-mongering ad is running to correct the record.” Perdue’s ad said Ossoff would confiscate guns, defund the police and close Georgia’s military bases. Ossoff, who in his own ad says he will “defend” the Second Amendment, told MSNBC last September that he was unsure if he supported mandatory gun buybacks. He did, however, back strict licenses for all semi-automatic weapons, universal background checks and argued that the general public shouldn’t have access to assault weapons.
Ossoff’s own campaign website makes it clear that his “support” for the Second Amendment is actually outright hostility towards the right to keep and bear arms.
I support universal criminal history checks for gun purchases, red flag laws to protect family members and domestic partners concerned about the mental health of their loved ones, and closing the gun show loophole. I support a ban on the sale of semi-automatic rifles (“assault weapons”) and high-capacity magazines to the general public. Americans who would purchase high-powered weapons derived from modern military technology should be required to demonstrate high qualification and compelling specific needs. Most gun owners are responsible, qualified, and own weapons in good faith. However, the only objective of the firearms industry lobbyists is to drive up gun sales and enrich shareholders — even at the expense of public safety and common sense.
Do you see anything in there that indicates support for the right to keep and bear arms? If so, let me know, because all I see are attacks on lawful gun owners while at the same time ignoring violent criminals.
Joe Biden can’t get his gun ban plans through Congress without Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, and the pair can’t win election in Georgia by being open and honest about their agenda to target legal gun owners. Both Democrats are going to try their best to appear as “moderate” as possible between now and January 5th, so it’s going to be up to Republicans and Second Amendment supporters to ensure that voters know the real truth about where the candidates stand; squarely behind Joe Biden and the most radical anti-gun agenda of any American president.


bearingarms--2020-11-09--Med School Students Taught Guns As Public Health Issue

I ’ m not a doctor , nor have I ever played one on TV .
I am , however , somewhat knowledgeable about firearms and their impact on society .
I mean , it ’ s kind of what I talk about all day long , after all .
I should know a few things about it .
Doctors , however , don ’ t .
While they know more about which symptoms mean which disease at any given time than I do , they ’ re not necessarily more knowledgeable about guns , gun violence , or anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they might treat a gunshot wound doesn ’ t necessarily mean they know more about guns and how society is impacted by them .
There are a lot of doctors who disagree .
Some disagree because they know a lot about the subject outside of their profession .
Others disagree because they ’ re doctors and they think they know everything .
Some disagree for still other reasons , of course , but those are the big two I ’ ve encountered .
That second group likes to argue that guns are a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply as ignorance from the plebian masses .
How dare we disagree with doctors !
Expect it to get worse , too .
After all , some are now being taught just that in medical school .
Public health problems are numerous — plagues , pollution , malnutrition — all of them have demonstrable impacts on the growth and development of children and the overall wellbeing of individuals and our communities .
But guns are tools , not pathogens .
So why are medical schools teaching their students that guns are a public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school at Washington University in Saint Louis “ developed a multidisciplinary curriculum to train surgical residents so that they can best treat victims of firearm violence and feel confident in contributing to the national conversation on firearm violence as a public health problem.
” The curriculum is titled Anatomy of Gun Violence and is , from the authors ’ perspective , “ the first effort to teach surgical residents about firearm violence as a disease process within its social context.
” While one of the curriculum ’ s goals – reducing the likelihood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainly noble , the curriculum ’ s premise conflates cause and effect by supposing that firearms-induced harm is self-generated and not the result of other criminal ends such as drug dealing or other inherently violent crimes .
Blaming the tool used for the harm caused won ’ t resolve the issue of violence in crime-plagued communities , so it makes little sense to focus on firearms when the focus should be on providing social services or reducing the underlying causes of primary criminal activity .
Unfortunately , this isn ’ t surprising .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ always been the misuse of firearms , not guns themselves .
That ’ s not how some people see it and it ’ s no surprise to see this happen at this particular level , either .
I have a friend who recently graduated from medical school .
During his time there , despite his obvious intelligence , he was constantly on the defensive .
Liberal ideology permeated every aspect of his education at that level .
He had to always be on guard for fear that he might say something that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bent .
This is a problem because at least some testing in medical school is notoriously subjective .
It ’ s not just about identifying diseases or mending broken bones , but also subjective things like interacting with patients .
In fact , he failed one test and no one was able to tell him what he did wrong ( he passed the retest ) .
Had they known he wasn ’ t part of the liberal orthodoxy , he may well have failed more tests of that type .
Plus , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he couldn ’ t punch out .
Why ?
Because his student loans were so ridiculously high that the only way he could pay them off was to become a doctor .
It was the only profession available to him that would allow him to make enough to afford to live .
That ’ s bad all on its own , but when you see that medical schools are starting to push an unsubstantiated opinion as medical fact , a fact that will influence generations of doctors to come , we start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The problem is , I don ’ t see that changing anytime soon .

I’m not a doctor, nor have I ever played one on TV.
I am, however, somewhat knowledgeable about firearms and their impact on society. I mean, it’s kind of what I talk about all day long, after all. I should know a few things about it.
Doctors, however, don’t. While they know more about which symptoms mean which disease at any given time than I do, they’re not necessarily more knowledgeable about guns, gun violence, or anything else on the topic. Just because they might treat a gunshot wound doesn’t necessarily mean they know more about guns and how society is impacted by them.
There are a lot of doctors who disagree. Some disagree because they know a lot about the subject outside of their profession. Others disagree because they’re doctors and they think they know everything. Some disagree for still other reasons, of course, but those are the big two I’ve encountered.
That second group likes to argue that guns are a public health issue and dismiss any disagreement simply as ignorance from the plebian masses. How dare we disagree with doctors!
Expect it to get worse, too. After all, some are now being taught just that in medical school.
Public health problems are numerous — plagues, pollution, malnutrition — all of them have demonstrable impacts on the growth and development of children and the overall wellbeing of individuals and our communities. But guns are tools, not pathogens. So why are medical schools teaching their students that guns are a public health problem? Researchers from the medical school at Washington University in Saint Louis “developed a multidisciplinary curriculum to train surgical residents so that they can best treat victims of firearm violence and feel confident in contributing to the national conversation on firearm violence as a public health problem.” The curriculum is titled Anatomy of Gun Violence and is, from the authors’ perspective, “the first effort to teach surgical residents about firearm violence as a disease process within its social context.” While one of the curriculum’s goals – reducing the likelihood of surgeons depersonalizing gunshot victims – is certainly noble, the curriculum’s premise conflates cause and effect by supposing that firearms-induced harm is self-generated and not the result of other criminal ends such as drug dealing or other inherently violent crimes. Blaming the tool used for the harm caused won’t resolve the issue of violence in crime-plagued communities, so it makes little sense to focus on firearms when the focus should be on providing social services or reducing the underlying causes of primary criminal activity.
Unfortunately, this isn’t surprising. Nevermind that the problem is and has always been the misuse of firearms, not guns themselves. That’s not how some people see it and it’s no surprise to see this happen at this particular level, either.
I have a friend who recently graduated from medical school. During his time there, despite his obvious intelligence, he was constantly on the defensive. Liberal ideology permeated every aspect of his education at that level. He had to always be on guard for fear that he might say something that would alert his instructors to his own ideological bent.
This is a problem because at least some testing in medical school is notoriously subjective. It’s not just about identifying diseases or mending broken bones, but also subjective things like interacting with patients. In fact, he failed one test and no one was able to tell him what he did wrong (he passed the retest).
Had they known he wasn’t part of the liberal orthodoxy, he may well have failed more tests of that type. Plus, while medical school was insanely stressful for him, he couldn’t punch out. Why? Because his student loans were so ridiculously high that the only way he could pay them off was to become a doctor. It was the only profession available to him that would allow him to make enough to afford to live.
That’s bad all on its own, but when you see that medical schools are starting to push an unsubstantiated opinion as medical fact, a fact that will influence generations of doctors to come, we start to see a bit of an issue.
The problem is, I don’t see that changing anytime soon.


bearingarms--2020-11-09--How The ATF Manufactures Felons

How The ATF Manufactures Felons

The Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms , and Explosives , usually just called the ATF , isn ’ t a popular agency in gun circles .
Then again , no regulatory body is particularly popular with those it regulates .
However , with the ATF , it ’ s different .
Homebrew groups don ’ t have the animosity toward the ATF that gun owners do despite alcohol also being regulated by the agency , for example .
Of course , the key difference is that the rules on brewing your own beer are relatively fixed .
Making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t something that changes very much at the ATF ’ s discretion .
But with guns , it does .
You see , that ’ s because the ATF can simply create a legion of felons with a stroke of the pen .
What if government agents could , by declaration , make you into a criminal ?
What if , without legislative change , bureaucrats could decide that what was legal yesterday is a felony today ?
What if we were governed not by law , but by arbitrary statements telling us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Unfortunately , those questions are not merely hypothetical—thanks to recent abuses of power by the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms , and Explosives ( ATF ) , millions of American gun owners are facing them head-on .
Even if you hate guns , you should be deeply concerned by the arbitrary power wielded by the ATF against your fellow Americans .
If an unchecked executive agency can run roughshod over any of our rights with impunity , all of our rights are in danger .
Recently , the firearms manufacturer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its customers : the ATF had declared the delightfully-named and popular “ Honey Badger ” pistol to be a “ short-barreled rifle ” ( SBR ) .
This determination subjects the firearm to special restrictions under the National Firearms Act ( NFA ) .
As a consequence of the ATF ’ s decision , customers who had purchased the Honey Badger have suddenly found themselves in felonious possession of a now-illegal firearm that they had legally acquired and legally owned .
The ATF ’ s determination is arbitrary .
It is inconsistent with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Substantially similar firearms continue to be sold legally , as they have been for years .
Instead of explaining what makes the Honey Badger different from those firearms , the ATF vaguely alluded to “ objective design features , ” offering no further explanation as to what those features are or why they lead the ATF to determine that the Honey Badger is an SBR .
This is far from the first time that the ATF has issued a declaration that turns innocent people into criminals — other examples abound .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2015 , the ATF decided that the physical action of holding a pistol equipped with an ATF-approved brace to one ’ s shoulder was equivalent to creating an illegal short-barreled firearm .
That is to say , you could pick up your perfectly legal pistol ( which is not otherwise subject to the NFA ’ s minimum barrel length restrictions ) and unwittingly commit a felony by virtue of the way you held it .
That guidance directly contradicted a 2014 ATF letter that said just the opposite .
In 2017 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanction the shouldering of a braced pistol so long as such use is ‘ incidental , sporadic , or situational ’ — whatever that means .
Just last year , the ATF issued new measurement guidelines that transformed some conventionally legal pistols into presumptively illegal firearms under the NFA ’ s ‘ any other weapon ’ ( AOW ) classification , depending on how those pistols had been configured and accessorized .
This , of course , follows the agency doing as President Trump wanted and reversing their decision on bump stocks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were little-known outside of the gun world .
Most gun owners thought of them as little more than a good way to burn through a lot of ammo pretty quickly .
It replicated full-auto fire , but it wasn ’ t really a machinegun .
Then , suddenly , it was .
With a stroke of the pen , people suddenly had an automatic weapon in their possession .
At least with the bump stocks , there was a grace period for either destroying them or turning them in .
Few were handed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and some are likely sitting in the proverbial case marked “ In case of tyranny , break glass.
” Yet with the Honey Badger AR , it ’ s different .
They simply decreed that these particular pistol braces weren ’ t pistol braces and that owning such a weapon means you had an illegal rifle .
There are ways to deal with it , of course , but none of those should be necessary .
After all , the ATF should not be creating law , especially since that law runs counter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if Biden is , indeed , president-elect , we can expect to see the ATF broaden their authority and possibly reverse many decisions they reached previously .
That possibly includes pistol braces as a whole and who knows what else .
With a stroke of the pen , the ATF can decide you deserve to rot in prison for years and give up your right to own firearms forever because of something that wasn ’ t illegal when you did it .
Tell me , how in the hell is that right @

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, usually just called the ATF, isn’t a popular agency in gun circles. Then again, no regulatory body is particularly popular with those it regulates. However, with the ATF, it’s different. Homebrew groups don’t have the animosity toward the ATF that gun owners do despite alcohol also being regulated by the agency, for example.
Of course, the key difference is that the rules on brewing your own beer are relatively fixed. Making your own wine or mead isn’t something that changes very much at the ATF’s discretion.
But with guns, it does.
You see, that’s because the ATF can simply create a legion of felons with a stroke of the pen.
What if government agents could, by declaration, make you into a criminal? What if, without legislative change, bureaucrats could decide that what was legal yesterday is a felony today? What if we were governed not by law, but by arbitrary statements telling us what we may or may not do? Unfortunately, those questions are not merely hypothetical—thanks to recent abuses of power by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), millions of American gun owners are facing them head-on. Even if you hate guns, you should be deeply concerned by the arbitrary power wielded by the ATF against your fellow Americans. If an unchecked executive agency can run roughshod over any of our rights with impunity, all of our rights are in danger. Felons by Fiat Recently, the firearms manufacturer Q, LLC shared disturbing news with its customers: the ATF had declared the delightfully-named and popular “Honey Badger” pistol to be a “short-barreled rifle” (SBR). This determination subjects the firearm to special restrictions under the National Firearms Act (NFA). As a consequence of the ATF’s decision, customers who had purchased the Honey Badger have suddenly found themselves in felonious possession of a now-illegal firearm that they had legally acquired and legally owned. The ATF’s determination is arbitrary. It is inconsistent with both federal law and prior ATF statements. Substantially similar firearms continue to be sold legally, as they have been for years. Instead of explaining what makes the Honey Badger different from those firearms, the ATF vaguely alluded to “objective design features,” offering no further explanation as to what those features are or why they lead the ATF to determine that the Honey Badger is an SBR. This is far from the first time that the ATF has issued a declaration that turns innocent people into criminals — other examples abound. As I explained in Felony by Fiat: In 2015, the ATF decided that the physical action of holding a pistol equipped with an ATF-approved brace to one’s shoulder was equivalent to creating an illegal short-barreled firearm. That is to say, you could pick up your perfectly legal pistol (which is not otherwise subject to the NFA’s minimum barrel length restrictions) and unwittingly commit a felony by virtue of the way you held it. That guidance directly contradicted a 2014 ATF letter that said just the opposite. In 2017, new guidance was issued which appears to sanction the shouldering of a braced pistol so long as such use is ‘incidental, sporadic, or situational’ — whatever that means. And: Just last year, the ATF issued new measurement guidelines that transformed some conventionally legal pistols into presumptively illegal firearms under the NFA’s ‘any other weapon’ (AOW) classification, depending on how those pistols had been configured and accessorized.
This, of course, follows the agency doing as President Trump wanted and reversing their decision on bump stocks. Prior to Las Vegas, bump stocks were little-known outside of the gun world. Most gun owners thought of them as little more than a good way to burn through a lot of ammo pretty quickly. It replicated full-auto fire, but it wasn’t really a machinegun.
Then, suddenly, it was.
With a stroke of the pen, people suddenly had an automatic weapon in their possession. At least with the bump stocks, there was a grace period for either destroying them or turning them in. Few were handed over, though. Some were destroyed and some are likely sitting in the proverbial case marked “In case of tyranny, break glass.”
Yet with the Honey Badger AR, it’s different. They simply decreed that these particular pistol braces weren’t pistol braces and that owning such a weapon means you had an illegal rifle.
There are ways to deal with it, of course, but none of those should be necessary. After all, the ATF should not be creating law, especially since that law runs counter to the United States Constitution.
Unfortunately, if Biden is, indeed, president-elect, we can expect to see the ATF broaden their authority and possibly reverse many decisions they reached previously. That possibly includes pistol braces as a whole and who knows what else.
With a stroke of the pen, the ATF can decide you deserve to rot in prison for years and give up your right to own firearms forever because of something that wasn’t illegal when you did it.
Tell me, how in the hell is that right?


bearingarms--2020-11-09--Gun Control Can't Fix Baltimore's Murder Problem

For the sixth straight year , Baltimore is going to end up with more than 300 homicides , though 2020 ’ s total may actually end up being slightly less than the record-setting 348 homicides in the city in 2019 .
As of Monday morning , there ’ ve been 286 murders in the city this year , and hundreds more non-fatal shootings .
One of the most recent incidents involved a couple of teenagers who ended up shooting at one another inside a barber shop over the weekend , leaving both injured .
Residents in the Fells Point neighborhood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unusual to hear about teenagers with guns in their community .
“ Guns just float around in the streets , ” said neighbor Jermaine Hardy .
“ Don ’ t nobody want to talk it out no more , if you walk away you a punk , ” said another woman .
Baltimore police say there have been more than 35 non-fatal shootings involving minors , so far this year , 13 have been killed .
“ I have a lot of pain inside , deep , deep pain , ” Angela Atkins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jaheem , just 16 was killed in a hail of bullets outside of a corner last month .
Daniel Webster with the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research said Federal and State authorities like the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and Maryland State Police , need to get a better handle on trafficking .
“ We should be looking to the agencies , what they ’ re doing to prevent the trafficking of guns in Baltimore city and those guns are killing young people at an unacceptably high rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind that Maryland has some of the most restrictive gun control laws on the East Coast , including a ban on so-called assault weapons and “ large capacity magazines ” , universal background checks , and “ may-issue ” concealed carry laws that make it impossible for the average resident to lawfully carry for self-defense .
Since the passage of the sweeping anti-gun laws known as the Firearms Safety Act in 2013 , however , violent crime and shootings in Baltimore have trended in the wrong direction .
Even ardent gun prohibitionists like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a straight face that Baltimore ’ s problems can be addressed with the passage of a few more gun control laws , and at least one local activist says it ’ s time to look beyond the guns themselves and focus on the people pulling the triggers .
Community leader Munir Bahar works with at-risk kids says the issue is more than just about access to guns , there ’ s a generation of Baltimore ’ s children who ’ ve experienced deep trauma .
“ Why are they so angry that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a negative situation they ’ re ready to take somebody ’ s life ?
” “ There ’ s neglect , abuse and nobody ’ s teaching them how to deal with it , how to process it on a daily basis , ” he said .
Programs like the JROTC do exist in several high schools in the city , but by the time kids get to high school it may be too late to help .
Anti-gang programs need to begin in elementary school alongside character development , critical thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also needs to rebuild a culture of lawful gun ownership after decades of city leaders doing everything in their power to make guns taboo .
Those officials haven ’ t made guns less desirable , but they ’ ve made it almost impossible to safely learn about the rights and responsibilities of gun ownership .
There are no gun ranges in Baltimore , and no gun stores either .
The easiest way to learn about guns in Baltimore is on the street , with someone who ’ s likely illegally possessing a firearm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disaster , and we ’ re seeing the results on a daily basis in Baltimore .

For the sixth straight year, Baltimore is going to end up with more than 300 homicides, though 2020’s total may actually end up being slightly less than the record-setting 348 homicides in the city in 2019. As of Monday morning, there’ve been 286 murders in the city this year, and hundreds more non-fatal shootings. One of the most recent incidents involved a couple of teenagers who ended up shooting at one another inside a barber shop over the weekend, leaving both injured.
Residents in the Fells Point neighborhood say it’s not shocking or unusual to hear about teenagers with guns in their community.
“Guns just float around in the streets,” said neighbor Jermaine Hardy. “Don’t nobody want to talk it out no more, if you walk away you a punk,” said another woman. Baltimore police say there have been more than 35 non-fatal shootings involving minors, so far this year, 13 have been killed. “I have a lot of pain inside, deep, deep pain,” Angela Atkins told Fox 45 News after her son, Jaheem, just 16 was killed in a hail of bullets outside of a corner last month. Daniel Webster with the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research said Federal and State authorities like the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and Maryland State Police, need to get a better handle on trafficking. “We should be looking to the agencies, what they’re doing to prevent the trafficking of guns in Baltimore city and those guns are killing young people at an unacceptably high rate,” he said.
Keep in mind that Maryland has some of the most restrictive gun control laws on the East Coast, including a ban on so-called assault weapons and “large capacity magazines”, universal background checks, and “may-issue” concealed carry laws that make it impossible for the average resident to lawfully carry for self-defense. Since the passage of the sweeping anti-gun laws known as the Firearms Safety Act in 2013, however, violent crime and shootings in Baltimore have trended in the wrong direction.
Even ardent gun prohibitionists like Daniel Webster can’t claim with a straight face that Baltimore’s problems can be addressed with the passage of a few more gun control laws, and at least one local activist says it’s time to look beyond the guns themselves and focus on the people pulling the triggers.
Community leader Munir Bahar works with at-risk kids says the issue is more than just about access to guns, there’s a generation of Baltimore’s children who’ve experienced deep trauma. “Why are they so angry that in a moment, in a few seconds in a negative situation they’re ready to take somebody’s life?” “There’s neglect, abuse and nobody’s teaching them how to deal with it, how to process it on a daily basis,” he said.
Programs like the JROTC do exist in several high schools in the city, but by the time kids get to high school it may be too late to help. Anti-gang programs need to begin in elementary school alongside character development, critical thinking skills, and de-escalation tactics.
Baltimore also needs to rebuild a culture of lawful gun ownership after decades of city leaders doing everything in their power to make guns taboo. Those officials haven’t made guns less desirable, but they’ve made it almost impossible to safely learn about the rights and responsibilities of gun ownership. There are no gun ranges in Baltimore, and no gun stores either. The easiest way to learn about guns in Baltimore is on the street, with someone who’s likely illegally possessing a firearm. That’s a recipe for disaster, and we’re seeing the results on a daily basis in Baltimore.


bearingarms--2020-11-09--Celeb 'Jokes' About Destroying A Red State, But We Still Hold Onto Our Guns

Celebrities .
Most are entertainers who forget that their sole claim to fame is that they ’ ve been entertaining to someone .
Many seem to believe that their celebrity status gives them some degree of expertise on things that they often know nothing about .
That said , they do have freedom of speech , same as anyone else .
They have a right to say stupid things just as we have a right to mock their stupidity .
Such is the natural order of things .
Unfortunately , far too many leftist celebrities are also a good chunk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if I ’ m giving up my guns .
Look , I can joke about some pretty dark stuff .
I think most people who served in the military can , even if they didn ’ t see combat .
I can see the funny in stuff a lot of people can ’ t .
Further , imagine if Dennis Miller had joked about nuking California or New York .
Do you think he ’ d have gotten a pass ?
Of course not .
Yet celebrities are what they are .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they ’ re just vocal people with a larger audience than most .
The problem is , the idea of killing people who disagree with them doesn ’ t begin or end with celebs .
It ’ s across a large chunk of the left , really , though we usually don ’ t see it because no one actually listens to those other folks .
This violent idea of literally destroying your opponents is something that more than a few liberals would actually prefer to follow through on .
At a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into camps .
Is it any wonder they see genocide in everything the right does ?
It ’ s called projection , and they have enough to open a chain of IMAX theaters .
The truth is that there ’ s every reason to take these people at their word .
They want us dead .
They also want us disarmed .
That ’ s because it ’ s much harder to resist–and virtually impossible to resist effectively–without weapons , so they seek to take our weapons away .
After all , why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ joking ” about genocide also want gun control ?
I know , it ’ s a mystery to me too .
< /eye roll >

Celebrities. Most are entertainers who forget that their sole claim to fame is that they’ve been entertaining to someone. Many seem to believe that their celebrity status gives them some degree of expertise on things that they often know nothing about.
That said, they do have freedom of speech, same as anyone else. They have a right to say stupid things just as we have a right to mock their stupidity. Such is the natural order of things.
Unfortunately, far too many leftist celebrities are also a good chunk of why I’ll be damned if I’m giving up my guns.
Look, I can joke about some pretty dark stuff. I think most people who served in the military can, even if they didn’t see combat. I can see the funny in stuff a lot of people can’t.
This? It wasn’t.
Further, imagine if Dennis Miller had joked about nuking California or New York. Do you think he’d have gotten a pass? Of course not.
Yet celebrities are what they are. They don’t have any actual power, they’re just vocal people with a larger audience than most. The problem is, the idea of killing people who disagree with them doesn’t begin or end with celebs. It’s across a large chunk of the left, really, though we usually don’t see it because no one actually listens to those other folks.
This violent idea of literally destroying your opponents is something that more than a few liberals would actually prefer to follow through on. At a minimum, many want to herd us into camps.
Is it any wonder they see genocide in everything the right does? It’s called projection, and they have enough to open a chain of IMAX theaters.
The truth is that there’s every reason to take these people at their word. They want us dead. They also want us disarmed. That’s because it’s much harder to resist–and virtually impossible to resist effectively–without weapons, so they seek to take our weapons away. After all, why else do you think the same people “joking” about genocide also want gun control?
I know, it’s a mystery to me too.


bearingarms--2020-11-09--Police Chief Under Fire For Handling Of Open Carry Protest

One of new gun control laws passed in Virginia this year allows for localities to ban the lawful carrying of firearms in government buildings and at ( or near ) permitted events .
Several of the state ’ s biggest cities have already taken advantage of the new law and have imposed their own carry restrictions , which in turn has lead to a few peaceful protests by Second Amendment activists around the state .
In Newport News , police chief Steve Drew is drawing criticism from Black Lives Matter and police-reform activists for allegedly being too friendly with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city ’ s police headquarters .
Among Drew ’ s biggest secular sins is the fact that he exchanged beverages with 20-year old Kenneth “ Mike ” Dunn , the self-described Boogaloo Boy who set up the protest .
There ’ s nothing wrong with de-escalating tension , especially since the protest came off peacefully and without any arrests or unrest .
It ’ s hard to believe that some folks would be angry about the police chief engaging in actual dialogue , but here we are .
Local activist Aubrey “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter 757 group that he leads wasn ’ t treated this way when they protested Donald Trump ’ s campaign appearance in the Newport News area earlier this fall , and a host of other voices on the Left have chimed in to decry what they perceive to be favorable treatment on the part of the chief .
A progressive social media-focused news outlet called NowThis , with 2.7 million Twitter followers , posted footage of the beverage exchange , with the video watched some 427,000 times as of Friday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an alt-right ‘ Boogaloo ’ member even though he was openly defying Virginia ’ s open carry law , ” the post says , referring to the Boogaloo Bois .
The problem is that Dunn and the others who were openly carrying weren ’ t actually breaking the law at all .
As Chief Drew points out , the new ordinance barring lawful carry on government property in Newport News applies to the interior of government buildings , but not the outside spaces , including parking lots .
In other words , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was no cause .
That hasn ’ t been the case at every protest in the city , including the Black Lives Matter protest of Trump ’ s appearance .
“ If you go back and look at the footage … we ’ ve marched with children down the sidewalk and with churches that have come and marched up and down Jefferson Avenue , ” he said .
He and an assistant chief even “ took a knee ” at one protest .
Drew said police have accommodated marchers , including by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traffic moving in others .
But , the chief said , “ actions must be taken if lives are endangered.
” Drew said that was the case after the Trump rally , where he said protesters were “ walking into oncoming traffic , ” requiring police to step in .
Some protesters were detained , he said , but later released without charges .
“ We just can ’ t have that , ” he said .
“ Somebody would have got hurt and the narrative would be that the police department allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t they stop this.
” The real issue here isn ’ t the behavior of Chief Drew or the Second Amendment supporters who protested outside the police station .
Rather , it ’ s the people who are oblivious to the local laws who are raising a stink .
Ironically , many of the folks chastising Drew for not making arrests are the same ones protesting over-policing in the first place .
Rather than come across as principled activists upset about the heavy-hand of law enforcement , they ’ re letting their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when no laws were actually broken and complaining about a lack of arrests for peaceful protests .

One of new gun control laws passed in Virginia this year allows for localities to ban the lawful carrying of firearms in government buildings and at (or near) permitted events. Several of the state’s biggest cities have already taken advantage of the new law and have imposed their own carry restrictions, which in turn has lead to a few peaceful protests by Second Amendment activists around the state.
In Newport News, police chief Steve Drew is drawing criticism from Black Lives Matter and police-reform activists for allegedly being too friendly with the organizers of a recent protest outside of the city’s police headquarters. Among Drew’s biggest secular sins is the fact that he exchanged beverages with 20-year old Kenneth “Mike” Dunn, the self-described Boogaloo Boy who set up the protest.
“Know this, I support your right to free speech,” Drew told Dunn as the men shook hands and clicked their plastic bottles. “I want you to uphold the Constitution,” Dunn replied. “That’s what I want you to do.” “We have to keep people safe,” Drew responded… Dunn, of Halifax County, said he requested the chocolate milk when he was arrested after carrying a handgun openly a week earlier at Huntington Park. Drew said the beverage sharing was a “de-escalation” tactic designed to defuse tensions. “I was teasing Mr. Dunn about chocolate milk and he was teasing me a little bit,” he said after the rally. “I think that’s just a gesture that we’re willing to work and talk.”
There’s nothing wrong with de-escalating tension, especially since the protest came off peacefully and without any arrests or unrest.
“We allowed them this space here on the good faith that I would come out and meet with them, and they would see no show of force from the police department,” Drew said. The chief said he and Dunn “were able to sit down and talk and reason together” the morning of the protest, and they were able to respectfully come to terms on how the event would go. The police building, he said, is the best place in the city for such an event. “They told us they would be here from about 6 to 9, and they were true to their word,” Drew said. “They said there would be no violence, no disruptions, and that’s what occurred … They didn’t have to talk to me. I appreciated that they did. I think that shows good faith, and I just wanted to reciprocate that.”


bearingarms--2020-11-09--GOP Furthers Control Of State Houses, Which Is Good News For Gun Owners

Right now , if you listen to the media , there ’ s not a lot of good news , really .
Sure , Democrats lost ground in the House , but it ’ s possible that we ’ ll see a 50-50 split in the Senate and unless the president ’ s legal challenges pan out , we ’ re going to see Joe Biden in the Oval Office .
It ’ s not exactly a great time to be alive , even without the pandemic , the lockdowns , and all that other stuff .
Yet there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the election .
You see , the GOP managed to gain more control over state legislatures , and that has Democrats worried .
Why ?
Redistricting .
Republicans were able to fend off challenges from Democrats trying to flip control of state legislatures in key states .
That means that in 2021 , Republicans will control a majority of redistricting efforts across the country .
Democrats have been unable to flip even a single state legislative chamber as of Friday afternoon , but they remain hopeful that one or both of Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vote counts are still underway in the Grand Canyon state .
Meanwhile , Republicans gained two new state trifectas in New Hampshire and Montana , after the GOP ran up majorities in the New Hampshire House and Senate and flipped the Montana governorship .
A state trifecta is when a single party controls both chambers of the legislature and the governorship .
“ Democrats wasted more than a half of a billion dollars on a pathetic attempt to flip even a single state legislative chamber , ” said RSLC deputy executive director David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We had better candidates , better messages , and better data – and saved the country from a decade of socialist majorities in Congress .
We feel pretty good about that.
” Democrats targeted 13 states and Republicans targeted 12 states , including Florida , Texas and North Carolina .
A lot of money was involved in those races .
State legislative candidates raised over $ 900 million dollars in 2020 alone .
While Democrats are going to spend a lot of time decrying gerrymandering , the truth of the matter is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t get to spearhead the efforts .
It ’ s not that they think gerrymandering is bad .
They simply think it ’ s bad when Republicans do it .
What was it President Obama said ?
Something about how elections have consequences ?
Well , if you want to play that game , then it ’ s important to remember that such a thing applies to all elections , even at the state and local level .
Redistricting is going to be a thing because 2020 is a census year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ redrawing of legislative maps .
That happens at the state level , and it also means that those lines are likely to be redrawn in a way that will favor Republicans .
Whether or not this is right is a debate that we can certainly have , of course , but it ’ s important to remember that this kind of thing has gone on for decades .
It ’ s nothing new and really , the only real issue Democrats have with gerrymandering is when someone else gets to do it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ owners because redistricting may well push out some anti-gun lawmakers and limit the threat we face to our Second Amendment rights .
It ’ s not as good as there being no threat at all , but we take what we can get .

Right now, if you listen to the media, there’s not a lot of good news, really. Sure, Democrats lost ground in the House, but it’s possible that we’ll see a 50-50 split in the Senate and unless the president’s legal challenges pan out, we’re going to see Joe Biden in the Oval Office. It’s not exactly a great time to be alive, even without the pandemic, the lockdowns, and all that other stuff.
Yet there is some long-term good news that came out of the election.
You see, the GOP managed to gain more control over state legislatures, and that has Democrats worried. Why? Redistricting.
Republicans were able to fend off challenges from Democrats trying to flip control of state legislatures in key states. That means that in 2021, Republicans will control a majority of redistricting efforts across the country. Democrats have been unable to flip even a single state legislative chamber as of Friday afternoon, but they remain hopeful that one or both of Arizona’s legislative chambers will flip. Vote counts are still underway in the Grand Canyon state. Meanwhile, Republicans gained two new state trifectas in New Hampshire and Montana, after the GOP ran up majorities in the New Hampshire House and Senate and flipped the Montana governorship. A state trifecta is when a single party controls both chambers of the legislature and the governorship. “Democrats wasted more than a half of a billion dollars on a pathetic attempt to flip even a single state legislative chamber,” said RSLC deputy executive director David Abrams to CNBC in an email. “We had better candidates, better messages, and better data – and saved the country from a decade of socialist majorities in Congress. We feel pretty good about that.” Democrats targeted 13 states and Republicans targeted 12 states, including Florida, Texas and North Carolina. A lot of money was involved in those races. State legislative candidates raised over $900 million dollars in 2020 alone.
While Democrats are going to spend a lot of time decrying gerrymandering, the truth of the matter is that they’re only upset they won’t get to spearhead the efforts.
It’s not that they think gerrymandering is bad. They simply think it’s bad when Republicans do it.
What was it President Obama said? Something about how elections have consequences? Well, if you want to play that game, then it’s important to remember that such a thing applies to all elections, even at the state and local level. Redistricting is going to be a thing because 2020 is a census year. What follows the census is a redrawing of legislative maps.
That happens at the state level, and it also means that those lines are likely to be redrawn in a way that will favor Republicans.
Whether or not this is right is a debate that we can certainly have, of course, but it’s important to remember that this kind of thing has gone on for decades. It’s nothing new and really, the only real issue Democrats have with gerrymandering is when someone else gets to do it.
That’s good news for gun owners because redistricting may well push out some anti-gun lawmakers and limit the threat we face to our Second Amendment rights.
It’s not as good as there being no threat at all, but we take what we can get.


bearingarms--2020-11-09--The Post-Election Gun-Buying Surge Is Underway

Another wave of customers , both new and old , is flooding gun stores across the country in the wake of the 2020 election .
While Joe Biden and his anti-gun co-horts were denied the solid Congressional majority that they were expecting , which is going to make his gun and magazine ban an iffy proposition in the near future , Biden ’ s already making plans to use executive and administrative actions to target legal gun owners .
As a result , gun stores are just as busy now as they were in the weeks before the election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been crazy and every week its getting worse , ” said Chris Harding , owner of H & H Tactical in Exeter .
For a Sunday afternoon , business was steady at H & H Tactical .
Harding tells us nearly 60 percent of his customer base are first time gun buyers , as ammo continues to remain a hot commodity , especially given the heated political climate .
“ They ’ re buying anything they can get their hands on .
High capacity magazines , guns , ammo anything that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year ago , before all this started we would roughly sell 2,000 rounds a month .
Now we ’ re selling between 50 to 70 thousand rounds a week , ” said Harding .
H & H Tactical is located in northeastern PA , but the continued boom in gun and ammo sales isn ’ t limited to one region of the country .
From southern California to Nebraska ’ s panhandle , folks are lining up to try to get at least a little of whatever ’ s in stock .
John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bridgeport is thriving beyond seasonal buys , like waterfowl guns .
“ Oh , my goodness , this year ’ s been tremendous , it ’ s hard to keep things resupplied , ” he said .
He offers gun-smithing and cleaning services , concealed carry classes and other hunting and fishing gear to offset the down periods in gun and ammo sales , but 2020 is the exception , where gun sales ticked up during March , and haven ’ t slackened .
Erickson , who ’ s run the shop since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed up for concealed carry classes and purchased guns at the shop .
“ Just last month , I had four people sign up for the class , never owned firearms , never owned ammunition before , brand new , ” he said .
“ I was able to get 240 rounds of 9mm for them , but I had to pay street price , more than twice as expensive.
” I don ’ t expect that to change for at least the next three or four months .
November and December are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyway , but this year there ’ s not only the added pressure of Joe Biden ’ s election .
COVID cases are rising across the country and new lockdowns being threatened .
The first round of lockdowns back in March is what prompted 2020 ’ s initial surge in gun sales , and Lockdown 2.0 will likely have a similar effect .
As for the political situation , if at least one of the two Georgia runoff elections for U.S. Senate ends with a Republican win next month , we might start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit in early 2021 as the congressional threat to our Second Amendment rights recedes for the time being .
Still , given the additional factors of COVID and the threat of continued unrest , I ’ m not convinced that sales will drop substantially , even if Republicans maintain control of the Senate next year .
The Great Gun Run of 2020 is most likely going to continue into 2021 , which is bad news for those of us who are hoping to find 9mm or .223 ammo for sale in our local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s good news for the Second Amendment , as the millions of new gun owners around the country serve to underscore the fact that our right to keep and bear arms is just as fundamentally important as it ’ s ever been , and we ’ re not going to let it be taken from us .

Another wave of customers, both new and old, is flooding gun stores across the country in the wake of the 2020 election. While Joe Biden and his anti-gun co-horts were denied the solid Congressional majority that they were expecting, which is going to make his gun and magazine ban an iffy proposition in the near future, Biden’s already making plans to use executive and administrative actions to target legal gun owners. As a result, gun stores are just as busy now as they were in the weeks before the election.
“It’s just, it’s been crazy and every week its getting worse,” said Chris Harding, owner of H&H Tactical in Exeter. For a Sunday afternoon, business was steady at H&H Tactical. Harding tells us nearly 60 percent of his customer base are first time gun buyers, as ammo continues to remain a hot commodity, especially given the heated political climate. “They’re buying anything they can get their hands on. High capacity magazines, guns, ammo anything that they’re calling assault weapons A year ago, before all this started we would roughly sell 2,000 rounds a month. Now we’re selling between 50 to 70 thousand rounds a week,” said Harding.
H&H Tactical is located in northeastern PA, but the continued boom in gun and ammo sales isn’t limited to one region of the country. From southern California to Nebraska’s panhandle, folks are lining up to try to get at least a little of whatever’s in stock.
John Erickson at Flatwater Arms said business in Bridgeport is thriving beyond seasonal buys, like waterfowl guns. “Oh, my goodness, this year’s been tremendous, it’s hard to keep things resupplied,” he said. He offers gun-smithing and cleaning services,concealed carry classes and other hunting and fishing gear to offset the down periods in gun and ammo sales, but 2020 is the exception, where gun sales ticked up during March, and haven’t slackened. Erickson, who’s run the shop since 2014 said a lot of first-timers have signed up for concealed carry classes and purchased guns at the shop. “Just last month, I had four people sign up for the class, never owned firearms, never owned ammunition before, brand new,” he said. “I was able to get 240 rounds of 9mm for them, but I had to pay street price, more than twice as expensive.”
I don’t expect that to change for at least the next three or four months. November and December are typically the strongest months for gun sales anyway, but this year there’s not only the added pressure of Joe Biden’s election. COVID cases are rising across the country and new lockdowns being threatened. The first round of lockdowns back in March is what prompted 2020’s initial surge in gun sales, and Lockdown 2.0 will likely have a similar effect.
As for the political situation, if at least one of the two Georgia runoff elections for U.S. Senate ends with a Republican win next month, we might start to see the market settle down a bit in early 2021 as the congressional threat to our Second Amendment rights recedes for the time being. Still, given the additional factors of COVID and the threat of continued unrest, I’m not convinced that sales will drop substantially, even if Republicans maintain control of the Senate next year.
The Great Gun Run of 2020 is most likely going to continue into 2021, which is bad news for those of us who are hoping to find 9mm or .223 ammo for sale in our local gun stores. Ultimately, however, it’s good news for the Second Amendment, as the millions of new gun owners around the country serve to underscore the fact that our right to keep and bear arms is just as fundamentally important as it’s ever been, and we’re not going to let it be taken from us.


bearingarms--2020-11-09--Biden Vows Swift Action On Gun Control

Biden Vows Swift Action On Gun Control

According to the media , Joe Biden is the president-elect of the United States .
Who knows , maybe when all is said and done , he actually will be .
Regardless , there are legal challenges to the election outcome in enough states that you just don ’ t know how things will shake out in the end .
Regardless , Biden is acting like the president-elect .
It ’ s not like the media will call him on it , to be sure .
So what precisely does Biden have in mind for his first days in office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden has a lot of plans for his first day as president , and some of it can actually happen in a single day — a fair amount of which he can set in motion right away even though Democrats have so far fallen short of capturing the Senate .
Biden has promised to rejoin the Paris climate agreement , reverse President Donald Trump ’ s rollbacks of public health and environmental rules and call allies worldwide to reassure them , all on his first day in the White House .
Before that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will put in place a national strategy for containing the coronavirus pandemic , rejoin the World Health Organization , end the ban on immigration from several predominantly Muslim nations and expand rights for Latin American asylum seekers .
Biden has also promised swift action on housing , labor , gun control , LGBTQ rights and government reform .
Yep .
Old Sleepy Joe has his sights set on our guns , the same as always .
Let ’ s also remember that the media–the people who provide moderators for debates–intentionally ignored the gun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans were buying guns .
They colluded in an attempt to avoid bringing up an issue that might well hurt Biden in the general election .
Unfortunately , there ’ s little that can be done about all that right now .
Instead , we need to remember that Biden isn ’ t looking at his narrow election victory nor the fact that his party lost ground in the House as any kind of indictment on his policies .
Hell , Nancy Pelosi said he has a “ mandate ” to enact the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they ’ re coming for your guns .
Oh , I know , the fact-checkers will claim they ’ re doing no such thing , but Biden has been open about his desire to enact an assault weapon ban that basically recategorizes modern sporting rifles as Class III firearms .
In order to keep your weapons , you ’ ll have to pay a $ 200 tax stamp .
That ’ s going to be more than some people are in a position to pay .
Their choice is to either become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Further , they know that a lot of people have more than one AR- or AK-pattern rifle .
They know a lot of people have five or six or even more .
There ’ s a good chance that $ 200 per firearm is going to end up being thousands of dollars for many .
Again , the attempt is to force people to turn over their property .
If that ’ s not coming for our guns , I don ’ t know what is .
Yet there is an upside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House and a split in the Senate at best for the Democrats , there may not be enough political will to pass anything like that .
Vulnerable Democrats may not be willing to alienate pro-gun moderates , and if the Senate remains in GOP hands , an assault weapon ban is something of a non-starter .
Of course , that all assumes that there are Democrats not willing to go along with the leadership , that there aren ’ t any spineless Republicans in the House , and that the Senate Republicans will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mighty tall order , but it ’ s all we may have depending on how the legal challenges shake out .

According to the media, Joe Biden is the president-elect of the United States. Who knows, maybe when all is said and done, he actually will be. Regardless, there are legal challenges to the election outcome in enough states that you just don’t know how things will shake out in the end.
Regardless, Biden is acting like the president-elect. It’s not like the media will call him on it, to be sure.
So what precisely does Biden have in mind for his first days in office? Oh, nothing much.
Joe Biden has a lot of plans for his first day as president, and some of it can actually happen in a single day — a fair amount of which he can set in motion right away even though Democrats have so far fallen short of capturing the Senate. Biden has promised to rejoin the Paris climate agreement, reverse President Donald Trump’s rollbacks of public health and environmental rules and call allies worldwide to reassure them, all on his first day in the White House. Before that day is done, he says he will put in place a national strategy for containing the coronavirus pandemic, rejoin the World Health Organization, end the ban on immigration from several predominantly Muslim nations and expand rights for Latin American asylum seekers. Biden has also promised swift action on housing, labor, gun control, LGBTQ rights and government reform.
Yep. Old Sleepy Joe has his sights set on our guns, the same as always.
Let’s also remember that the media–the people who provide moderators for debates–intentionally ignored the gun issue at a time when millions of Americans were buying guns. They colluded in an attempt to avoid bringing up an issue that might well hurt Biden in the general election.
Unfortunately, there’s little that can be done about all that right now.
Instead, we need to remember that Biden isn’t looking at his narrow election victory nor the fact that his party lost ground in the House as any kind of indictment on his policies. Hell, Nancy Pelosi said he has a “mandate” to enact the Democrats’ policies.
In other words, they’re coming for your guns.
Oh, I know, the fact-checkers will claim they’re doing no such thing, but Biden has been open about his desire to enact an assault weapon ban that basically recategorizes modern sporting rifles as Class III firearms. In order to keep your weapons, you’ll have to pay a $200 tax stamp. That’s going to be more than some people are in a position to pay. Their choice is to either become a criminal or give up their guns.
That’s by design.
Further, they know that a lot of people have more than one AR- or AK-pattern rifle. They know a lot of people have five or six or even more. There’s a good chance that $200 per firearm is going to end up being thousands of dollars for many. Again, the attempt is to force people to turn over their property.
If that’s not coming for our guns, I don’t know what is.
Yet there is an upside. With only narrow control of the House and a split in the Senate at best for the Democrats, there may not be enough political will to pass anything like that. Vulnerable Democrats may not be willing to alienate pro-gun moderates, and if the Senate remains in GOP hands, an assault weapon ban is something of a non-starter.
Of course, that all assumes that there are Democrats not willing to go along with the leadership, that there aren’t any spineless Republicans in the House, and that the Senate Republicans will hold the line.
It’s a mighty tall order, but it’s all we may have depending on how the legal challenges shake out.


bearingarms--2020-11-10--Omaha Man Shoots Himself In The Leg In Gun Safety Fail

There are some basic rules to firearm safety every gun owner should endeavor to understand .
One of those is that you don ’ t point the gun at anything you don ’ t want to shoot .
Another is to assume every firearm is loaded .
If you do those two things , most accidents are avoided right then and there .
Those that say to ignore those rules are typically idiots who are just asking for a negligent discharge .
I ’ m not sure which school this gentleman subscribed to , but either way , it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Omaha , Nebraska .
A local police officer noted that most firearms will still fire if a round is in the chamber , regardless of whether the magazine has been removed or not .
This is a feature , not a bug .
It ’ s also why you check to see if the chamber is empty .
Honestly , the whole pulling the trigger thing makes no sense in this context .
It doesn ’ t make the weapon safer , not as described .
Maybe it was single-action and lacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than carefully lower the hammer , he figured he ’ d just dry-fire it , only it wasn ’ t really dry .
If so , that was stupid .
If not , well , then just what the hell really happened ?
My guess is that he was playing around with the damn thing and shot himself , then concocted the story about trying to make it safe so he wouldn ’ t look like a total moron .
Maybe stupid , but not a complete idiot .
Of course , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part .
The first officer on the scene applied a tourniquet–yet another reason you should probably have on as part of your everyday carry .
Even if you ’ re not stupid enough to do something like this , there may be someone else who is–and the man was transported to the hospital for treatment .
The report doesn ’ t mention anything about his prognosis for recovery .
Personally , while I hope he suffers no lasting harm , I do hope he becomes an object lesson in the importance of basic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important to train with your weapon and become comfortable with it , that can all be done without shooting yourself in the leg because you were likely playing with the damn thing in your car apparently before carrying it into a bar so you could drink while carrying .
Yeah , nothing about this sounds like a good idea in the making .
The upside is that he only hurt himself .
That ’ s not always a guarantee when talking about negligent discharges .

There are some basic rules to firearm safety every gun owner should endeavor to understand. One of those is that you don’t point the gun at anything you don’t want to shoot. Another is to assume every firearm is loaded.
If you do those two things, most accidents are avoided right then and there. Those that say to ignore those rules are typically idiots who are just asking for a negligent discharge.
I’m not sure which school this gentleman subscribed to, but either way, it was a gun safety fail.
The incident occurred about 10:30 p.m. Saturday while the man was sitting in a car in a parking lot near 90th and Maple Streets. The 26-year-old called 911 after he shot himself just above his left ankle. The man said he was sitting in his 2011 Chevrolet Malibu, preparing to meet friends for drinks, when he decided to make sure his gun was safe. He said he removed the magazine from the gun and pointed it “in a safe direction” toward his feet before pulling the trigger.
This happened in Omaha, Nebraska. A local police officer noted that most firearms will still fire if a round is in the chamber, regardless of whether the magazine has been removed or not.
This is a feature, not a bug.
It’s also why you check to see if the chamber is empty.
Honestly, the whole pulling the trigger thing makes no sense in this context. It doesn’t make the weapon safer, not as described. Maybe it was single-action and lacked a decocking function. Then, rather than carefully lower the hammer, he figured he’d just dry-fire it, only it wasn’t really dry.
If so, that was stupid.
If not, well, then just what the hell really happened? My guess is that he was playing around with the damn thing and shot himself, then concocted the story about trying to make it safe so he wouldn’t look like a total moron. Maybe stupid, but not a complete idiot.
Of course, that’s just idle speculation on my part.
The first officer on the scene applied a tourniquet–yet another reason you should probably have on as part of your everyday carry. Even if you’re not stupid enough to do something like this, there may be someone else who is–and the man was transported to the hospital for treatment. The report doesn’t mention anything about his prognosis for recovery.
Personally, while I hope he suffers no lasting harm, I do hope he becomes an object lesson in the importance of basic firearm safety. While it’s important to train with your weapon and become comfortable with it, that can all be done without shooting yourself in the leg because you were likely playing with the damn thing in your car apparently before carrying it into a bar so you could drink while carrying.
Yeah, nothing about this sounds like a good idea in the making. The upside is that he only hurt himself. That’s not always a guarantee when talking about negligent discharges.


bearingarms--2020-11-10--Uh Oh: NC County Suspends CCW Applications Over COVID

No , unfortunately this is not a repeat of a headline from March .
On Tuesday , the sheriff ’ s office in Harnett County , North Carolina announced a complete shutdown of the processing of concealed carry applications for the next two weeks because of COVID-19 concerns .
In the spring , as the coronavirus pandemic ’ s first wave was sweeping across the country , many cities and counties suspended processing license applications .
That , along with a surge in demand , has led to months-long delays in many places , and the problem is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shutting down their licensing departments again .
Sheriff Wayne Coats said the move comes under the advice of the Harnett County Health Director Josh Rouse .
All fingerprinting services , including concealed carry applications and employment fingerprints , are suspended until Nov. 23 , Coats said .
Citizens will once again be assisted at the sheriff ’ s office door and not allowed inside .
“ We are making every attempt to contact those who have appointments until November 23rd to advise them of the cancellations , ” Coats said .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bear with us as we attempt to provide services to the citizens of Harnett County while maintaining a safe and healthy work environment.
” This is the first report of a sheriff ’ s office completely curtailing applications that I ’ ve seen in recent months , but it could be a preview of things to come .
We ’ re already seeing several European nations reenter lockdown , and governors like California ’ s Gavin Newsom are talking about re-imposing restrictions on businesses and individuals in counties where COVID cases are rising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we see more sheriffs and local police chiefs follow Harnett County ’ s lead in the coming weeks .
Thankfully , there are already several lawsuits underway in multiple states challenging the lengthy delays in concealed carry or gun licensing applications that we ’ ve seen in places like Philadelphia ; Wake County , North Carolina ; and Cambridge , Massachusetts .
Those lawsuits give us a head start in the case of more coronavirus closures this fall , but there ’ s also room for state legislatures to act .
As we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Michigan has introduced legislation that would keep licensing departments open as essential workers , even during COVID shutdowns , and there ’ s no reason why similar bills couldn ’ t be introduced in statehouses from coast to coast .
The right to bear arms is a fundamental right , and one that becomes even more acute during times of emergencies .
If the state is going to require a license in order to lawfully carry , then the government of that state must ensure that those licenses can be approved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s failed in its responsibility to the citizens it purports to represent .
This is also obviously an argument in favor of constitutional or permitless carry .
New gun owners in states like Arizona , West Virginia , Kansas , and Kentucky aren ’ t running into any issues when it comes to bearing arms in self-defense , because they don ’ t need a license to carry in the first place .
As long as they ’ re legally allowed to own the gun , they can legally carry it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Massachusetts or Illinois scrapping their gun licensing laws any time soon , at least not through the legislative process .
Still , if I were a pro-2A lawmaker in a state that is having problems processing carry applications in the mandated time frame , I ’ d introduce a permitless carry bill on the first day of the 2021 session .
It might not pass , but it might help to shine a light on the injustice that occurs when a citizen is left in limbo for months on end , unable to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arms because of delays in the government bureaucracy .

No, unfortunately this is not a repeat of a headline from March. On Tuesday, the sheriff’s office in Harnett County, North Carolina announced a complete shutdown of the processing of concealed carry applications for the next two weeks because of COVID-19 concerns.
In the spring, as the coronavirus pandemic’s first wave was sweeping across the country, many cities and counties suspended processing license applications. That, along with a surge in demand, has led to months-long delays in many places, and the problem is going to get exponentially worse if other agencies begin shutting down their licensing departments again.
Sheriff Wayne Coats said the move comes under the advice of the Harnett County Health Director Josh Rouse. All fingerprinting services, including concealed carry applications and employment fingerprints, are suspended until Nov. 23, Coats said. Citizens will once again be assisted at the sheriff’s office door and not allowed inside. “We are making every attempt to contact those who have appointments until November 23rd to advise them of the cancellations,” Coats said. “This is an unfortunate situation, but please bear with us as we attempt to provide services to the citizens of Harnett County while maintaining a safe and healthy work environment.”
This is the first report of a sheriff’s office completely curtailing applications that I’ve seen in recent months, but it could be a preview of things to come. We’re already seeing several European nations reenter lockdown, and governors like California’s Gavin Newsom are talking about re-imposing restrictions on businesses and individuals in counties where COVID cases are rising.
Don’t be surprised if we see more sheriffs and local police chiefs follow Harnett County’s lead in the coming weeks. Thankfully, there are already several lawsuits underway in multiple states challenging the lengthy delays in concealed carry or gun licensing applications that we’ve seen in places like Philadelphia; Wake County, North Carolina; and Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Those lawsuits give us a head start in the case of more coronavirus closures this fall, but there’s also room for state legislatures to act. As we reported earlier today, a state senator in Michigan has introduced legislation that would keep licensing departments open as essential workers, even during COVID shutdowns, and there’s no reason why similar bills couldn’t be introduced in statehouses from coast to coast.
The right to bear arms is a fundamental right, and one that becomes even more acute during times of emergencies. If the state is going to require a license in order to lawfully carry, then the government of that state must ensure that those licenses can be approved in a timely fashion. Otherwise, it’s failed in its responsibility to the citizens it purports to represent.
This is also obviously an argument in favor of constitutional or permitless carry. New gun owners in states like Arizona, West Virginia, Kansas, and Kentucky aren’t running into any issues when it comes to bearing arms in self-defense, because they don’t need a license to carry in the first place. As long as they’re legally allowed to own the gun, they can legally carry it.
Unfortunately, I don’t see Massachusetts or Illinois scrapping their gun licensing laws any time soon, at least not through the legislative process. Still, if I were a pro-2A lawmaker in a state that is having problems processing carry applications in the mandated time frame, I’d introduce a permitless carry bill on the first day of the 2021 session. It might not pass, but it might help to shine a light on the injustice that occurs when a citizen is left in limbo for months on end, unable to exercise their constitutionally protected right to bear arms because of delays in the government bureaucracy.


bearingarms--2020-11-10--Increased Gun Sales And How Firearms Are Equalizers

Between Cam and I , we ’ ve probably slaughtered an unknowable number of electrons writing about how gun sales have skyrocketed this year .
It seems like every month , one of us is obligated to write about how we ’ ve just set yet another record on firearm sales .
It happens so much , people are getting bored with it .
However , a recent story on the trend had a bit that made me smile .
It also brings up a broader point about firearm ownership .
Now , the information about gun sales is interesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quote I bolded above .
I honestly couldn ’ t help but smile when I read that one .
I don ’ t think Grandma is interested in being easy prey .
And that ’ s kind of the thing about these increased gun sales that make me most happy .
See , these background checks represent good , law-abiding people buying guns .
There ’ s no way to track black-market sales , but white-market ?
We have the NICS checks as a proxy .
We can see that a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to those little old ladies , and that ’ s a win .
Does anyone really think that an old lady with a walker is going to take up martial arts and learn how to defeat a home invader like she ’ s Bruce Lee ?
Of course not .
It ’ s simply not going to happen .
It can ’ t happen .
It ’ s not physically possible .
But you know what is possible ?
She can muster the few pounds of pressure necessary to pull a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not even need to .
After all , if a bad guy sees a gun , more times than not , they haul tail .
Yet if they don ’ t , she ’ s still able to resist .
The Second Amendment gives these little old ladies and anyone else who needs it a way to resist the tyranny of the thug .
They can fight back , protecting themselves from all manner of depravity at the hands of the vile scum of the Earth .
All they need is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s currently in jeopardy right now , and it ’ s why our fight is more important than ever .

Between Cam and I, we’ve probably slaughtered an unknowable number of electrons writing about how gun sales have skyrocketed this year. It seems like every month, one of us is obligated to write about how we’ve just set yet another record on firearm sales. It happens so much, people are getting bored with it.
However, a recent story on the trend had a bit that made me smile. It also brings up a broader point about firearm ownership.
“People are hoarding ammo like they were hoarding toilet paper,” said Steve West, who works at Palmer Firearms in Beavercreek. “It’s pretty weird. It’s something I haven’t seen before.” Palmer Firearms has seen their sales triple from last year, West said. Sales picked up when the pandemic started and picked up even more after civil unrest started around the death of George Floyd on Memorial Day weekend. “I had an old lady that wanted me to strap a holster to her walker,” West said. Firearm purchases have climbed every month since March. Nationally more than 1.7 million background checks were conducted in October alone, a roughly 60% jump over the same period in 2019, according to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). In Ohio, there were 85,170 background checks done in October. Last October in Ohio there were about 50,000 background checks. The total number of background checks conducted from 2019 to now has increased by 25%, according to the data from the FBI.
Now, the information about gun sales is interesting, but far more interesting is the quote I bolded above. I honestly couldn’t help but smile when I read that one.
I don’t think Grandma is interested in being easy prey.
And that’s kind of the thing about these increased gun sales that make me most happy. See, these background checks represent good, law-abiding people buying guns. There’s no way to track black-market sales, but white-market? We have the NICS checks as a proxy. We can see that a lot of guns are sold.
Many of those are going to those little old ladies, and that’s a win.
Does anyone really think that an old lady with a walker is going to take up martial arts and learn how to defeat a home invader like she’s Bruce Lee? Of course not. It’s simply not going to happen. It can’t happen. It’s not physically possible.
But you know what is possible? She can muster the few pounds of pressure necessary to pull a trigger if needed. Hell, she may not even need to. After all, if a bad guy sees a gun, more times than not, they haul tail. Yet if they don’t, she’s still able to resist.
The Second Amendment gives these little old ladies and anyone else who needs it a way to resist the tyranny of the thug. They can fight back, protecting themselves from all manner of depravity at the hands of the vile scum of the Earth. All they need is a firearm.
That’s what’s currently in jeopardy right now, and it’s why our fight is more important than ever.


bearingarms--2020-11-10--New Study Offers More Lies From The Gun Control Side

For several months now we ’ ve been talking about a hidden fault line in the gun control movement ; the embrace of the defund police movement while at the same time demanding new gun control laws that would be enforced by the heavy-hand of cops .
For the most part , gun control activists have tried to ignore the inherent contradiction , but a new report by John Jay College of Criminal Justice shows just how deeply they ’ ve buried their heads in the sand .
On today ’ s Bearing Arms ’ Cam & Co. we take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Reducing Violence Without Police : A Review of Research Evidence , ” and find that , contrary to the title , the gun control movement is still committed to putting new laws on the books that will be enforced by armed agents of the state .
To be fair , most of the 40-page report offers up strategies that don ’ t involve traditional gun control measures that are designed to target legal gun owners .
The research on violence interrupters and programs that seek to “ prevent violence by improving participants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision-making ” is actually really intriguing , and there ’ s a lot in the report that Second Amendment supporters could agree with .
The report ’ s recommendation to “ confront the gun problem ” has more than a few issues , however .
Remember , this is a report all about reducing violence without the police , but here are the recommendations by the study ’ s authors .
• Prohibit people with previous convictions for domestic violence charges from possessing or purchasing firearms • Reduce firearm availability for individuals with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ No Issue ” or “ May Issue ” laws rather than “ Shall Issue ” laws Notice how many of those require enforcement by police ?
In fact , the licensing proposals would put more power in the hands of law enforcement by allowing them to determine the “ suitability ” of someone applying for permission to exercise their Second Amendment rights .
The recommendation of “ no issue ” or “ may issue ” concealed carry policies is particularly silly , given the report ’ s focus on non-law enforcement ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t legally carrying a firearm , and 99 % of concealed carry holders will never have their license revoked because of a violent crime .
Restrictive carry laws do far more , in my opinion , to increase illegal carrying of firearms than they do to stop the practice .
Fully 70 % of the people charged with illegally carrying a gun in Brooklyn are young men without serious criminal histories , but who face years in prison for possessing a gun without a license that they could never hope to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s draconian gun control laws .
The new study suggests legalizing marijuana as a way to reduce incarceration , but not once do any of the academics involved in the report reach the conclusion that offering people the opportunity to legally carry a firearm could do the same .
Instead , they want to decriminalize cannabis while criminalizing the right to carry .
Gun control activists can ’ t have it both ways .
If “ police violence is gun violence , ” then each and every gun control law that turns the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bear arms into a criminal offense actually fuels the violence the activists claim they ’ re trying to prevent .
It certainly wasn ’ t going to happen before the election , but now it ’ s time for the gun control movement to reckon with the fact that it is fundamentally at odds with the defund police movement .
If police are part of the problem , and if the criminal justice system is inherently biased , then so too are the gun control laws that they ’ re enforcing .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about addressing violent crime without using law-enforcement , they should scrap the section of the report dealing with firearms or admit that there ’ s no way that the gun control policies they demand can be implemented without the use of armed cops and the threat of prison time for non-violent offenses .

For several months now we’ve been talking about a hidden fault line in the gun control movement; the embrace of the defund police movement while at the same time demanding new gun control laws that would be enforced by the heavy-hand of cops. For the most part, gun control activists have tried to ignore the inherent contradiction, but a new report by John Jay College of Criminal Justice shows just how deeply they’ve buried their heads in the sand.
On today’s Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co. we take a deep dive into the new report “Reducing Violence Without Police: A Review of Research Evidence,” and find that, contrary to the title, the gun control movement is still committed to putting new laws on the books that will be enforced by armed agents of the state.
To be fair, most of the 40-page report offers up strategies that don’t involve traditional gun control measures that are designed to target legal gun owners. The research on violence interrupters and programs that seek to “prevent violence by improving participants’ self-control, social skills, and decision-making” is actually really intriguing, and there’s a lot in the report that Second Amendment supporters could agree with.
The report’s recommendation to “confront the gun problem” has more than a few issues, however. Remember, this is a report all about reducing violence without the police, but here are the recommendations by the study’s authors.
Prohibit people with previous convictions for domestic violence charges from possessing or purchasing firearms
Enact child-access-prevention (CAP) laws
Reduce firearm availability for individuals with documented histories of interpersonal violence
Implement comprehensive background check laws coupled with purchasing liscenses
Implement handgun purchaser licensing laws
Remove “Stand Your Ground” (SYG) laws
Add waiting periods for purchasing firearms
Implement mandated reporting of lost or stolen firearms
Extend background check requirements to private transfers
Utilize strong regulation and oversight of licensed gun sellers
Maintain “No Issue” or “May Issue” laws rather than “Shall Issue” laws
Notice how many of those require enforcement by police? In fact, the licensing proposals would put more power in the hands of law enforcement by allowing them to determine the “suitability” of someone applying for permission to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
The recommendation of “no issue” or “may issue” concealed carry policies is particularly silly, given the report’s focus on non-law enforcement ways of addressing violent crime. Most criminals aren’t legally carrying a firearm, and 99% of concealed carry holders will never have their license revoked because of a violent crime.
Restrictive carry laws do far more, in my opinion, to increase illegal carrying of firearms than they do to stop the practice. Fully 70% of the people charged with illegally carrying a gun in Brooklyn are young men without serious criminal histories, but who face years in prison for possessing a gun without a license that they could never hope to get thanks to New York City’s draconian gun control laws.
The new study suggests legalizing marijuana as a way to reduce incarceration, but not once do any of the academics involved in the report reach the conclusion that offering people the opportunity to legally carry a firearm could do the same. Instead, they want to decriminalize cannabis while criminalizing the right to carry.
Gun control activists can’t have it both ways. If “police violence is gun violence,” then each and every gun control law that turns the exercise of our right to keep and bear arms into a criminal offense actually fuels the violence the activists claim they’re trying to prevent.
It certainly wasn’t going to happen before the election, but now it’s time for the gun control movement to reckon with the fact that it is fundamentally at odds with the defund police movement. If police are part of the problem, and if the criminal justice system is inherently biased, then so too are the gun control laws that they’re enforcing.
If the authors of this study are serious about addressing violent crime without using law-enforcement, they should scrap the section of the report dealing with firearms or admit that there’s no way that the gun control policies they demand can be implemented without the use of armed cops and the threat of prison time for non-violent offenses.