Regular readers of this blog--all both of you--know my position on gun control: The more the better. So you might expect I would favor disarming those gun owners against whom courts have issued orders of protection. Relieving perpetrators of domestic violence of their violent paraphrenalia just makes sense. Still, as I read an article today, about states' efforts to legislate or enforce such disarmament, I found myself wondering....
First, how useful is such legislation? Don't get me wrong, in terms of strategy, I think gun-control advocates should flood state legislators with as many proposals as possible: As I mentioned in an earlier post, making the NRA and like-minded groups battle on as many fronts as possible is a good way to sap their resources and/or their will to fight against more mainstream, acceptable proposals. At the same time, though, when questioning the effectiveness of this particular type of legislation, gun-rights advocates make a reasonable point. By definition, those against whom orders of protection are issued are not exactly model citizens. They have presumably manifested disregard for law and order. Requiring these people to give up their guns is a fine idea, but are these people truly going to feel constrained by such laws? Are they likely to hand over all their weapons--even the ones the cops may not know about? Will they not just go out and buy another gun, assuming that is their weapon of choice. (Arguably, laws against gun purchases by this population would be a sounder idea, from a prevention standpoint.) By all means, pass these laws, but at the same time understand that this is just one of many possible remedies for gun violence.
The other thing this article makes clear, though, is the continuing tone-deafness of the National Rifle Association. Seriously, if MoveOn.org or some other liberal advocacy group does not, within the next 24 hours, create an ad promoting the NRA as the "Wife Abusers Rearmament Society," then someone should be fired for dereliction of duty.
Let's say this once, so we never have to mention the Nitwits Regurgitation Assholia again.
ReplyDeleteThe NRA is a TRADE association.
Its purpose... ITS SOLE PURPOSE... is to promote the sale of weapons.
As many as possible.
As fancy as possible (bigger mark-up
To as many people as possible.
They make the cigarette lobby look both inept and benevolent.