Monday, February 19, 2018
Gun Grabbing - A Modest Proposal
Over at Powerline Blog, John Hinderaker, borrowing heavily from earlier writings of Charles C.W. Cooke, focuses sharply on the desire of the left to end the 2nd Amendment. "Talk is cheap" he tells us -- let them actually act. The article then goes to show why such is nearly impossible. Neither American law nor the American people would likely tolerate such a thing.
I think that both Hinderaker and Cooke are right about that. But still, as in good medicine, might not a trial be allowed to test the hypothesis? A "test case" as it were. One that in a small way, avoiding many of the larger problems outlined in the two articles, allows us -- politicians, their media voices, and most importantly the American people -- to see how much "cure" there is in the gun grabbing idea -- and what issues, expected and otherwise, might need to be balanced against any demonstrated efficacy. In that spirit I here put forth a modest proposal: That guns already illegal -- many of which are even now doing observable harm -- be "grabbed." Legally under present law, or such small modifications of which might pass at least local muster.
Let the police -- no, charge them! -- to remove all the illegal guns in the city of Chicago. Now. Starting today. Or as soon as the needed organization and momentum for it it can be built.
"If just one child's life can be saved it will be worth it." -So we are often told when it comes to a nation-wide gun grab. Well certainly such will prove to be the case in Chicago. Indeed it'd likely be far more than one each and every weekend. And many more over some holidays.
Now we are not suggesting that all guns be "grabbed." Such would be unconstitutional. Just the ones that are currently possessed illegally under laws that have already seen at least local "testing" in the courts.
Let the authorities request such all be turned in. Then, as would be needed if the experiment should proceed to a larger field (be it the entire nation or a given "test" state), the police would take whatever action is legal to gather any that might remain.
The beauty of this test case is that its efficacy would quickly be apparent. And make great headlines to boot. "Seventh Weekend In a Row Without a Single Shooting in the City!" Who wouldn't like to see such a thing? What politician wouldn't like to run taking claim for it?
Oh yes, there might be some problems. Perhaps a few illegal gun owners might not willingly comply. Perhaps searches would be neccasary -- legal ones of course, authorized by courts based on evidence that an illegal gun is owned. Some might even resist. (And they'd somehow need to be dealt with. Without shedding any blood of course.)
Well what is that in comparison with what would be needed to grab all of the guns nation wide? And where are we more likely to see the will to get guns off the street than in perpetually violent, left-leaning, Chicago?
If it works. -If all those unlawful weapons are no longer possessed by wrong doers -- If the streets have in truth been made safe -- then our leaders can bring that fact to the American people and let us, having seen the good, decide.
The argument could be well made about how safe we'd then be -- our children in school for instance -- if only the local police are alerted to a home where violence had taken place. (Such would stop for sure!), or, failing that, if the FBI was alerted to a possible danger. ("'So-and so' has a gun and plans to do harm." -With the FBI alerted certainly we would feel and actually be "safe." Or local school and community authorities could be made aware and local social services, now involved, could assure us that 'so and so' has been interviewed and is assuredly "of no danger to themselves or others."
Yes, then We the People" -- the true rulers of our land -- could decide about the relative safety afforded my each and all of these methods. And having decided, based on tested facts, we could either keep our constitution as written, or legally modify it.
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