Category Archives: Gun Rights

Liberty Tradeoffs

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While some people legitimately do need a gun for self-defense, nobody ever “needs” a drink. Alcohol is a worse liberty tradeoff in that sense, because the only utility is having fun and feeling good. To put it in the gun control terms: “By continuing to oppose banning alcohol, you are OK with over 100,000 people dying so you can enjoy your occasional beer, you evil monster!”

None of this is to say I want us to take another run at prohibition. Of course not. Rather, it is to demonstrate that everyone implicitly understands and accepts liberty tradeoffs. But on guns, they pretend not to. And alcohol isn’t even a constitutional right, yet we have given it de-facto protection anyway. I see alcohol advertising everywhere in a way that would be unthinkable for guns.

Many more people die because we can easily buy a drink than because we can (usually not as easily) buy a rifle.

Kostas Moros @MorosKostas
Tweeted on October 26, 2023

I have two hypotheses for why this occurs:

  • Gun grabbers are interested in control of the general population. They are not interested in saving lives.
  • Gun grabbers drink alcohol and know lots of people that do. A ban on, or strict regulation of, alcohol would adversely affect their recreational use and social life. They don’t own guns and believe most of their friends would not be adversely affected by a gun ban either.

Of course both things could be true.

I suspect that should you try to point out this inconsistency to a gun grabber the response would be similar to what once happened to me. I was confronting a hired gun banner working to pass the Washington State initiative to ban “assault weapons”.

I tried to make an analogy with the banning of recreational drugs. Their response was, “We are talking about guns, not drugs.” I attempted to continue saying the analogy was instructive. Their response was, “We are done talking about this.” They then refused to have any sort of conversation with me. They just repeatedly said, “We are done talking.” I concluded they knew they were on shaky ground and didn’t want more exposure of their weak position to the people around us.

It Isn’t that Simple

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These people are playing with matches… I don’t think they understand the scope and scale of the wildfire they are flirting with. They are fucking around with a civil war that could last a decade and cause millions of deaths… and the sad truth is that 95% of the problems we have in this country could be solved tomorrow, by noon… simply by dragging 100 people out in the street and shooting them in the fucking head.

Mr. Wheeler
June 2012
The Pig Trap

I’m not sure it is quite that simple. There is a huge “swamp” to be drained to reduce the size of our government to that which it is supposedly limited to by the U.S. Constitution.

That said, if it were possible to avoid the civil war as described by the execution of the appropriate 100 people I can see a case being made for that. It is similar to the adage, “A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords at dawn.”

Dissent in Ninth Circuit Magazine Ban

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Some fascinating stuff via Rolf:

Dissent in Ninth Circuit Magazine Ban Shows Rogue Judges Ignore Constitution

On September 28, an en banc panel from the Ninth Circuit grabbed control of the Duncan v. Bonta. The magazine ban case in a stunning departure from the usual order of the court. It may or may not have violated the rules of the court. Several of the judges on the panel were not happy. Four judges of the eleven-judge panel dissented. Of particular interest was the dissent of Judge VanDyke.

The honorable Judge VanDyke revealed a history of internal shenanigans when the en banc panel first took the case. Judge VanDyke aired some of the Ninth Circuit’s dirty laundry. The strong, ideological opposition to the Second Amendment has been clear in the Ninth Circuit from the beginning.

They are openly violating the rules.

While it shows their desperation, they, almost certainly, will get away with it.

The 2nd Amendment Only Applies to Muskets

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I found this on Gab. I’m not sure from who.

CannonsMuskets

2nd Amendment as Interpreted by NYC

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The right of the people with good moral character to keep & bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Yeah, that’s not what it says.

The Cisquatch
October 24, 2023
Comment to Judge strikes down recent NYC rules restricting gun licensing as unconstitutional

Even that modification is not really acceptable to NYC politicians. It is just the weasel words they use to try and sneak it past the courts. In reality almost everyone will be denied their specific enumerated right to keep and bear arms.

I think the politicians need to spend some time in prison to understand how far off base they are.

Aiding Our Enemies By Disarming Us

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Israel once encouraged citizens to own and carry. Gradual infringement cut this natural right to self-defense and property ownership (arms). Danger is what you get when government denies civil rights. Israel’s slightly relaxed gun laws are a good step, but a small one. America needs to remove any restrictions on peaceful possession of arms—infringements—banned by the Constitution. Officials who act to maintain infringements need to face charges for aggravated infringement—putting innocent lives in danger. Denial of civil rights is a crime, 18 USC §242. Aiding our enemies by disarming us must stop.

Alan Korwin
October 14, 2023
“Standing with Israel” Is Not Enough Mr. President!

Another reference to 18 USC 242. Anti-gun politicians, Enjoy Your Trial!

It is About Control

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In theory, if criminals leave registered guns at a crime scene, the serial numbers can be used to trace the weapons back to the perpetrators.

But, in real life, guns are only left at the scene of a crime when gunmen have been seriously injured or killed. With both the criminal and the weapon present at a scene, police can solve these crimes without registration. In the exceedingly unusual instances where registered guns are left at the scene, they aren’t registered to the person who committed the crime.

Police in Hawaii, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New York have had registration systems in place for decades but can’t point to any crimes that this has helped them to solve. Even entire countries such as Canada haven’t had success.

New York and Maryland spent tens of millions of dollars compiling a computer database that contained the unique ballistic “fingerprints” of each new gun sold over a 15-year period. Even these states, which strongly favor gun control, eventually abolished their systems because they never solved a single crime.

Despite Biden’s claims, his new ghost gun regulations are no more useful. Combined with Biden’s zero-tolerance policy for any paperwork mistakes by gun dealers, which has put thousands of licensed dealers out of business, this new rule is quite nefarious. Biden wants to put gun dealers out of business if they make any paperwork mistake, no matter how trivial or inconsequential. With each part of a gun having a different serial number, just transferring a barrel from one gun to another requires redoing all the paperwork on both guns. Biden is adding significant costs to gun dealers and manufacturers and increasing the likelihood of mistakes that would put them out of business.

There is a possible argument for using serial numbers for tax purposes, to allow for easier proof of whether a gun has been taxed. The 1934 National Firearms Act imposed taxes on certain weapons, such as machine guns. But licensed dealers can still make sure that guns are properly taxed when sold, just as sales taxes are imposed on items at any other store.

The Supreme Court’s decision on Monday isn’t the final word. But the real question is this: Why do Democrats keep pushing a policy that costs so much and has no crime-reducing benefits? Someday, knowing who owns guns will help them to target their confiscation efforts. Mass registration will set the stage for future gun bans.

John R. Lott Jr.
October 21, 2023
SCOTUS Rules on ‘Ghost Gun’ Regulation

It is not about public safety. It is about control. Total dictatorial, genocide enabled, control.

Desires and Childish Insults

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Who are you to question my desire to have weapons of war decreased on our streets. Common sense gun laws are what is needed. 

You must be a horrible shot if you require an AR15 to protect yourself.(Or have micro penis issues.)

Joy Ann @JoyAnn941552
Tweeted on October 16, 2023

It’s not only another Markley’s Law Monday, it is another science denier!

We have facts and SCOTUS decisions. They have “desires” and childish insults.

Lack of Arrests Due to Lack Of Gun Control

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Late Thursday, a gunfight broke out in a parking garage by Philadelphia International Airport when, according to police, a pair of officers saw a group of people trying to break into a car. One officer was killed — a 50-year-old father — and another was injured.

No one has been arrested in connection with the killing, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department told Insider.

In a statement, Krasner, a progressive Democrat, blamed the lack of arrests on state and federal gun laws.

Charles R. Davis
October 13, 2023
A Philadelphia police officer is dead and thanks to ‘gun-crazy’ politicians his killer is on the loose, DA says

Larry Krasner is the District Attorney of Philadelphia. He blamed the 2nd Amendment for the lack of an arrest. Does he also blame the 5th Amendment for the lack of convictions? It would be a lot easier to get confessions if people could be interrogated without an attorney present. And just imagine how many convictions they could get if the entire Bill of Rights were disposed of and torture was allowed and it was illegal to complain about it.

Gun control isn’t about safety. It is about control.

Luxury Beliefs

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Their worldview includes fixed positions on race, gender, decolonisation, sexuality, slavery and the Palestinians. Although much of this causes real harm, particularly to teenagers and Jews, these ideological positions are signifiers of social status rather than authentic moral positions. They are luxury beliefs.

It is striking how closely this group adheres to these orthodoxies. Because it is a question of identity, it is almost unthinkable for devotees to hold some of those views but not others, and very hard for them to change their minds. Last week, Jeremy Corbyn appeared unable to revise his vision of Hamas as “friends” even in the aftermath of the massacre.

Jake Wallis Simons
October 15, 2023
Why liberals have ended up cheerleading for jihadism

I like the label, “Luxury beliefs.” That describes the beliefs of gun control advocates as well. The people advocating for gun control will not be materially affected by the banning of guns and they like pleasure of feeling morally superior in ridding the world of the yucky guns.

Typical Response

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Via TxJarhead @BeardedTexan69:

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Quote of the Day

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This is why we need to ban assault weapons Too many insecure males use assault weapons as substitute phallic symbols and there masculinity Is tied in to how big they’re assault weapon is This is a dangerous combination

Jon Westergren @WestergrenJon
Tweeted on March 4, 2023

It’s not only another Markley’s Law Monday, it is another science denier!

Their grammar is as atrocious as their thinking abilities.

Analysis? We Don’t Need No Stinking Analysis!

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There are good arguments to be made, but the court didn’t offer them.

Adam Winkler
UCLA law professor
October 11, 2023
9th Circuit stays ruling against California ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines

The 9th Circuit put a stay on striking down of the “high-capacity” magazine ban. I found it interesting they didn’t analyze the law as per Bruen. As pointed out by Winkler, no friend of gun owners, they didn’t even put effort into making the best arguments for the anti-gun side. They seems to have said, “This law is good. Therefore it shall remain in effect.”

I suspect they knew, at least as some level, if they tried to arrive at their desired result via an articulated Bruen analysis they knew they would look even more stupid, ignorant, and/or evil than they do without doing the analysis. By saying,

“public interest tips in the favor of a stay,” as “mass shootings nearly always involve large-capacity magazines.”

They are engaged in interest balancing. But as pointed out by SCOTUS in two different rulings, the Second Amendment is the result of balancing the potential harms versus the good. No further balancing is allowed.

Artificial Limits Lead to Disarmament

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As this Court explained in its prior decision, “[a]rtificial limits will eventually lead to disarmament. It is an insidious plan to disarm the populace and it depends on for its success a subjective standard of ‘necessary’ lethality. It does not take the imagination of Jules Verne to predict that if all magazines over 10 rounds are somehow eliminated from California, the next mass shooting will be accomplished with guns holding only 10 rounds. To reduce gun violence, the state will close the newly christened 10-round ‘loophole’ and use it as a justification to outlaw magazines holding more than 7 rounds. The legislature will determine that no more than 7 rounds are ‘necessary.’ Then the next mass shooting will be accomplished with guns holding 7 rounds. To reduce the new gun violence, the state will close the 7-round ‘loophole’ and outlaw magazines holding more than 5 rounds determining that no more than 5 rounds are ‘suitable.’ And so it goes, until the only lawful firearm law-abiding responsible citizens will be permitted to possess is a single-shot handgun. Or perhaps, one gun, but no ammunition. Or ammunition issued only to persons deemed trustworthy.”

Roger T. Benitez
United States District Judge
September 22, 2023
Virginia Ducan v. Rob Bonta

This could have been written by someone deemed to be a paranoid gun nut by the people on anti-gun side. This is now official federal policy in regards to gun law.

Protect

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I used to think gun owners loved their guns more than their own kids.

…

For some politicians it seems easier to push for gun control than focus on firearms education. However, any good parent knows this is not an effective long-term strategy. The DC Project believes we need to utilize educational, anti-bullying, and mental health programs, to reduce accidents and curb violence.

DC Project, Women for Gun Rights
June 7, 2022
Protect Like A Mother

If you are convinced of the absurd, such as gun owners love their guns more than their own kids, Then it is time to reconnect with reality. You probably arrived at your conclusion through faulty data and/or logic.

Lessons Learned

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So far we’ve had two countries come to the stark realization that they simply cannot arm an otherwise largely disarmed populace fast enough to effectively deal with invaders.

Yet “gun control” cultists here still want to repeat those same mistakes. They’re incapable of learning.

In Chains @InChainsInJail
Tweeted on October 9, 2023

The primary point is probably valid. But I believe the gun control cultists want invaders and anything else which will bring down our country. Gun control is just a symptom of a much bigger agenda.

The lesson they will/have learned from the Ukraine and Israel is that disarmament of U.S. private citizens is a good first step.

The lesson the general population needs to learn is that private citizens need unincumbered access to military arms.

With Gun Owners Like This

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I think we might be on the precipice of things getting much worse. I think this Bruen decision, the Supreme Court ruling, quite possibly will unleash so many lawsuits against so many counted-upon regulations that citizens may wake up to the equivalent of, like, no stop signs in their town anymore, except for it’ll be on gun regulation.

Ryan Busse
Former executive at Kimber America
A senior adviser for Giffords,
Currently attempting to become the Democrat candidate for the governor of Montana.
Former Gun Company Executive Explains Roots of America’s Gun Violence Epidemic

With gun owners like this, who needs enemies?

Which Will Remain More Effective?

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once again, while you’re at the range taking tactical carbine for the 7th time,

leftists are getting civil disobedience and resistance training

and they’re going to use those tools a lot more effectively over the next 18 months than you’ll get to use your training over the next 18 years.

you have to be armed and dangerous to remain safe and credible, but let’s not delude ourselves into thinking that it’s the best solution to our political and social problems.

the left views violence as a dial that can be turned up or down, while the right views it as an on/off switch.

which view has been more effective over the past 10 years? which will remain more effective over the next 10?

Mike Shelby | Do Your Area Study @grayzoneintel
Tweeted on October 4, 2023

This is an interesting assertion..I can see it being true in certain timelines and not in others. But which timeline is most probable? And would it be appropriate to push events in the direction of certain timelines? And how do you know your actions will have the desired effect? It is such a complex system…

The Great Awakening Has Begun

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If you’re lucky, the ATF will only be abolished, but there are a growing number of law-abiding Americans – including many in law enforcement – who believe criminal charges should be filed against you, your leadership and their co-conspirators in the Biden-Harris administration. This is what happens when you knowingly follow illegal orders, like warrantless search and seizures, multiple civil rights violations, theft of personal property and a host of other unforgiveable crimes.

The Great Awakening has begun. Judges are pushing back against ATF’s unconstitutional regulations and bogus FFL revocations. Lawmakers are demanding investigations after ATF agents violated their constituents’ civil rights. Even the legacy media now realizes that they have been hoodwinked, and that many of ATF’s enforcement actions are illegal.

Lee Williams
September 28, 2023
A warning to ATF: We will never forget your crimes

I hope they enjoy their trials.

Citizens Would Win

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And to the politicians who would so cavalierly violate the rights of their citizens, and who would threaten war so casually, I have a cliched phrase for you:

Molon Labe.

Conor
November 28, 2018
Citizens would win against the U.S. Military, here’s how

See also Boots on the ground and Too bad they don’t understand numbers.