Schumer wants retailers to get potential 'assault weapon' ban off to early start

Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) thinks gun retailers should actively assist in government efforts to keep effective firearms out of American citizens' hands, by refusing to sell so-called "assault weapons" even before any ban is passed. With demand at historically unprecedented levels, and prices predictably rising with that demand, Schumer sent retailers a letter urging them to act against both their own financial interests and against Americans' Constitutionally protected access to useful firepower.

He, in fact, claims that refusal to cooperate with his little arms embargo against the American people is "irresponsible," according to NY 1 News:

Schumer pointed out that the Dick's Sporting Goods chain, which is based in New York, has already stopped the sale of assault-style weapons.

He said that the other companies not following suit are irresponsible.

Schumer is particularly offended by the planned "Gun Appreciation Day" scheduled for Saturday, January 19. From the New York Daily News:

Schumer wants the moratorium on assault weapons and high-capacity clips to last for as many months as it takes to pass legislation — that means it will include “Gun Appreciation Day,” which is scheduled for next Saturday.

The so-called holiday is the brainchild of gun owners who want as many Americans as possible to purchase weapons that day to protest the possibility of new firearms legislation.

“I find this totally off the charts — it’s total lunacy,” said Schumer.

Noting that sales of "assault weapons" are "skyrocketing," he acknowledges that any ban would be "undermined" by the vast number of Americans buying these guns. Perhaps of greater concern to him is the fact that the legal case for such a ban would also be "undermined." That is because in Supreme Court's Heller decision imposed a "common use" test for judging the Constitutionality of gun bans:

. . . gun prohibitionists will be hard pressed to argue that so-called "assault weapons" are not in "common use." A recent article in Slate estimated the national population of AR-15s--just one type of "assault weapon"--to be in the neighborhood of 3,750,000. A New York Post article would seem to indicate that Slate's estimate is quite conservative--estimating that in New York state alone (hardly a hotbed of civilian acquisition of concentrated firepower), there are "at least 1 million" so-called "assault weapons."

Every so-called "assault weapon" sold makes their use more common (and remember that the AR-15 platform has for several years now already been the best-selling centerfire rifle in the U.S.).

There is, of course, still another reason for Schumer to worry about sales of "assault weapons" in advance of any ban: the more of them in the hands of we the people, the more capable we will be in resisting Schumer's forcible citizen disarmament fantasy. In the end, what would be most "undermined" by a well-armed American citizenry is the government's ability to enforce the tyranny of "gun control," and even to survive the effort to do so.

Update: National Gun Rights Examiner David Codrea has more, in "Schumer calls for gun sale halt as wavering gun ‘allies’ float concessions." Also see John Pierce's "Predicting ban on semi-autos, Schumer calls on stores to stop selling now."

See also:

• Feinstein's 'assault weapon' ban would be tantamount to confiscation
• Ex-'regulatory czar' uses slick sleight of hand to justify banning modern guns
• Feinstein's 'assault weapon' ban probably not gun grabbers' main effort
• That depends on the game being hunted, Senator Muñoz
• Gun rights coalition proclaims Jan. 19 as ‘Gun Appreciation Day’
• Americans aren't buying 'assault weapons' just to have something to register
• Chuck the Schmuck offers his helpful advice to retailers.
• Schumer calls for gun sale halt as wavering gun ‘allies’ float concessions
• Predicting ban on semi-autos, Schumer calls on stores to stop selling now