"Report: VA guns trigger out-of-state crimes," WTOP.com tells us.
What report?
This one, the latest attempt at infringing on the right of the people to keep and bear arms from New York City mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's Mayors Against Illegal Guns, titled "Trace the Guns: The Link Between Gun Laws and Interstate Trafficking." The report is supported by a companion website, TraceTheGuns.org.
If you're interested, you can wade through statistics on trace data and exports and "time to crime"...what strikes me is, this whole effort seems more an indictment on existing gun control edicts than the lack of laws. The Gun Control Act of 1968 pretty much limits "legal" personal interstate firearm transfers to those utilizing licensed dealers, and the "prohibited persons" committing the vast majority of violent crimes are forbidden by law to even touch a gun, let alone carry and use one. And theft, another major source for "crime guns," is illegal as well.
With those basics established, what point is there in wading through the minutiae? What's clear is that Bloomberg, a chronic control freak with taxpayer-funded armed bodyguards, is intent on dictating what guns we can own, and how we must conduct ourselves with what he allows us to possess. The whole point of this effort is to frighten the public and pressure politicians to pass even more citizen disarmament laws that, like all the edicts that have been enacted before, will only harass the "law-abiding."
It's no accident that the violent crime plague is the worst in cities already under the (illusion of) control of Bloomberg & Co. Their "solution" is to extend their enlightened rule over the rest of us, who have no problem controlling ourselves and who just want them to leave us alone. But that's not to be, as a sampling of opportunistic jockeying in the wake of the Bloomberg report show us:
- "New Study Highlights Need for Lautenberg Bill to Close Gun Show Loophole"
- "Coleman wants cities to be able to enact gun-control laws"
I could go on, but that point is made. Here's one that hasn't been, at least not very loudly: Why in the world is MAIG releasing this report now, right before the November elections, when gun owners are galvanized to vote like I haven't seen since 1994? Is Bloomberg deluded enough to think this is going to do anything but further steel gun owner resolve? Is he that desperate for a voice on the national scene, and is he that egotistical about his influence with the masses that he thinks this is going to get him his way?
Does he not see politicians scrambling practically everywhere except in urban areas to prove which one is the bigger Second Amendment supporter, or to distance themselves, at least for now, from calls for more restrictive anti-gun edicts?
Hey, fine. If he wants to squander resources on a report that practically no one outside of editorial rooms is going to read and even fewer will be emboldened to act upon, I say go for it. Because the bottom line is, no matter what he does, some of us just are done backing up. And we're reclaiming our rights. No matter what this gluteus-clenching martinet and his cabal of useful idiots demand.
As for Bloomberg's flagship gungrabbing group? I have a slogan for them that pretty much exemplifies everything they're about, and everything they hope this new report will help them accomplish:
Mayors Against (Your) Guns: Because Misery Loves Company
The hell with them.
Also see:
Update: Paul Valone weighs in and debunks. Good job!
------------
Help wanted--inquire within
Regular readers: Please help me spread the word by sharing Gun Rights Examiner links with your friends? And get more commentary on the gun rights stories of the day at The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance.
Comments
I'm still waiting for MAIG to tell us why these "crime guns" aren't being used to cause crime in their states of origin. Could it be that the state of origin is often one where the government is more concerned, and correctly so IMHO, about criminal control than control of guns or law abiding citizens' access to same? Sounds like someone needs to find a scapegoat for their failure to protect their citizens from the actions of a professional predatory criminal underclass.
John Locke thought that the first duty of a legitimate government was to protect the lives and property of its citizens, and that any government that failed in that duty should be replaced. I wonder if Mayor Bloomberg has ever read Locke's "Second Treatse on Government"? Knowing "Hiz Honnah Da Mayah" he probably thinks he's smarter than Locke and his student Thomas Jefferson combined.
Oops! Forgot to put my name on my post
DDS -- NRA Life Member
"Loves" company? "Demands" is more like it.
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."
--Winston Churchill
Hey David and DDS,
Sadly, I'm of the firm opinion (based on the blogosphere and what I'm hearing in town and reading in papers) that November will be a sad disappointment for those of us who hold the Constitution in highest regard.
Reid will win in Nevada (hey, McCain won in Arizona. How could any sane person vote for McCain?), Murray will win in WA, Boxer will win in CA (along with Brown), and Feingold and Frank will in in their states.
The election will be lost both by votes and by the criminal behaviour of Dem Party officials in vote counting: the ACORN model is alive and well across the country and people in power (Secretaries of State and County Elections Boards) are literally willing to throw our Electoral Process (and the Constitution) under the bus to keep their ideological brothers and sisters in power.
We're toast I believe.
I'm so hoping I'm wrong, so very wrong in this matter.
Seeing ethical behaviour in elected officials would be such a nice change of pace, but it would seem that all America has become 'little Chicagos' and 'Community Organizers' have assumed power everywhere.
Cheers.
I realize this is off topic, but JR started it :-)
Anyway, I just got a large (8.5x11) postcard yesterday, addressed to me by name (Or current resident :-) from Governor Ted Strickland and Attorney General Richard Corday indicating that they were going to be A+ & A Rated respectively, by the NRA for governor & attorney general in this election. It also said that John Kasich for Governor and Mike DeWine would both get F Ratings.
I didn't even know that GD little weasel was running again :-)
I think Strickland and Cordray have been pretty good guys in the gun rights arena, so far, although I voted for Ken Blackwell. Personally I'll happy if we can get Rob Portman elected for US Senate and put the final nail in the coffin of Lee I (never met a gun-control law I didn't like) Fisher :-)
JR:
They only do what the voters let them do. Sadly, of late that seems to be quite a lot. Republics work for the good of the people when the electorate is engaged and informed. Ours electorate is neither. Only half of all Americans eligible to vote bother to register. Of those registered, at best half show up on election day. A large percentage of those, the "undecideds" that the press like to blather about the week before the election, play "multiple guess" with their ballot. There are something like 350 million people in this country. Sure, some of them are kids too young to vote, some are non-citizens who are not supposed to vote. (Any bets on that one?). Yet in one of the most hard fought attention gathering elections in recent history, something like 100 million bothered to show up and vote.
Until or unless the American people wake up and take control of their destiny, our country will remain a colossal play toy for our professional ruling class. Don't expect them to do anything nice for you. Ain't happening!
DDS -- NRA Life Member
DDS -- NRA Life Member
I'm just wondering how they got this trace data, considering it is only to be used for law enforcement purposes. One other thing what percentage of traced guns where actually used in a crime? Mayor Bloomingidiot and company just don't understand, if they truely believe in their police departments then loose the bodyguards and rely on 911 like everyone else. Also no special treatment for rich people, conceal carry for all but criminals or no one !
Paul Valone explains trace data sourcing in his column linked at the bottom of this one.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!