No clue

Sometimes you just have to shake your head at the lack of a rational thought process. This particular instance is brought to you by Elizabeth Guernsey, 26, a graduate of Trinity College who is pursuing a master’s degree in “urban studies”. “Urban studies” probably explains everything:

In fact, the federal government has passed only three major pieces of gun legislation over the past century. Two of these bills followed the assassination and attempted assassination of public officials. The National Firearms Act of 1934 made it illegal to carry hand grenades and machine guns. The Firearms Act of 1968, passed after the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, regulates the firearm industry and prevents interstate firearm transfers. The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993, named for James Brady, who was shot during the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan, requires background checks for those purchasing firearms.

These pieces of federal law are critical to keeping illegal guns out of our communities. Perhaps we should applaud politicians for using the moment after a president or congresswoman is shot to push for improved gun regulations. But why have public officials been unable to pass laws in light of the 9,484 ordinary people killed each year by gun violence?

First off, these three laws are far from all the Federal laws on the books. Alan Korwin has an entire book on just Federal Gun Laws—all 271 of them.

Next, the laws she describes as “critical to keeping illegal guns out of our communities” actually created “illegal guns”. Machine guns, short barreled shotguns, and suppressors weren’t “illegal” until it was required that an exorbitant tax (at the time) was placed on them with NFA 1934. Without registering the gun and paying the tax the guns were illegal to be privately owned. Again, GCA 1968 prohibiting the private transfers of firearms across state lines created “illegal guns”. And finally the background check mandated by the Brady Act in 1993 has nothing to do with guns. It only has to do with people. Her statement about the criticality of the laws in “keeping illegal guns out of our community” is a total disconnect from reality.

Finally, as pointed out by the CDC and others there is no evidence that any of the gun laws on the books has made communities safer. I find it very telling that neither the issue of effectiveness of laws infringing upon a specific enumerated right, or the issue that such a right even exists was mentioned by Ms. Guernsey. But what do you expect from someone who has crap for brains and the best they can do to establish self-esteem is attempt to acquire a degree in “urban studies”?

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5 thoughts on “No clue

  1. A “college graduate” working on a master’s degree and she’s writing that poorly?

    At some point we’re gonna have to dial back that “everyone needs a college degree” thing. It’s not working.

  2. 50 years from now, liberals will be arguing that the 3rd amendment doesn’t prohibit the quartering of soldiers in homes without consent. Liberals will say the word “house” means the opposite of what it means, and that the clause “in a manner prescribed by law” should be read expansively (despite the clear wording of the amendment).

  3. …And since when did the old NFA “make it illegal to carry a machine gun?” It didn’t even make illegal to own them — merely (ha!) tried to tax full-auto ownership into oblivion for everyone but the wealthy.

  4. I must not understand the law. But I just purchased a gun from a internet dealer. I had to have it transferred in to my name and wait a week (I am in CA). What law in 1968 is she talking about that stops interstate guns.

  5. “I must not understand the law. But I just purchased a gun from a internet dealer. I had to have it transferred in to my name and wait a week (I am in CA). What law in 1968 is she talking about that stops interstate guns.
    Miles Digby”

    The law making it a felony to buy one out of state (which is why you need to pay a transfer fee and pick it up from a local gun shop).

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