Marion Barry- Temporary Halt to Gun Ban
For three decades our nation's capital city has had a ban on owning handguns. Despite this ban, the city suffers from what former Mayor Marion Barry describes as "a gun violence epidemic." His answer; lift the city's ban for 90 days. Both sides of the gun law debate are skeptical of Barry's intent. Unless Barry's true goal is to open dialogue on gun laws I suspect this bill, if passed, will do little to end gun violence in D.C. for much the same reasons gun restrictions have not worked after 30 years.
What would Barry's bill really do? It would allow someone who already owns a handgun to register the weapon with the police. But, as Cam Edwards points out in "Marion Barry's Bright Idea," I suspect there are not a lot of law abiding citizens who illegally own a handgun. Edwards also explains how difficult it would be to legally purchase a handgun in D.C. within the 90 day window. And let's face it, the problem in D.C. is not the average law abiding citizen. The problem is the number of people who break the law, including the gun ban.
Barry's bill might in part be motivated by the fact he was robbed at gun point in 2006. I am certain his attacker was not an average law abiding citizen. And there is the real problem.
Gun restrictions do not work because criminals ignore the law. Barry's temporary hiatus will not work for the same reason and increasing the punishment for owning an illegal handgun, as this bill would do, will not work. Gun violence is a cultural problem and only a change in the culture will solve the problem.
Hat Tip Michelle Malkin "Rethinking gun control in D.C."
What would Barry's bill really do? It would allow someone who already owns a handgun to register the weapon with the police. But, as Cam Edwards points out in "Marion Barry's Bright Idea," I suspect there are not a lot of law abiding citizens who illegally own a handgun. Edwards also explains how difficult it would be to legally purchase a handgun in D.C. within the 90 day window. And let's face it, the problem in D.C. is not the average law abiding citizen. The problem is the number of people who break the law, including the gun ban.
Barry's bill might in part be motivated by the fact he was robbed at gun point in 2006. I am certain his attacker was not an average law abiding citizen. And there is the real problem.
Gun restrictions do not work because criminals ignore the law. Barry's temporary hiatus will not work for the same reason and increasing the punishment for owning an illegal handgun, as this bill would do, will not work. Gun violence is a cultural problem and only a change in the culture will solve the problem.
Hat Tip Michelle Malkin "Rethinking gun control in D.C."
Labels: culture, culture wars, government, politics
posted by Dennis | 11:14 AM
5 Comments:
Barry is probably going for just 90 days now because that's more likely to pass and maybe he'll seek an extension later? Nobody can argue that the man knows how politics works in that city and maybe he's got this planned out as an effort to totally lift the gun ban? After 90 days he can show nothing has changed (or maybe a dip in crime) and more easily get an extension or total lifting of the gun ban. Within a year's time more law abiding citizens could get a gun, defend themselves and maybe then they will see some drop in crime.
I wonder if he can even get 90 days to pass. But you bring up an interesting view I had not thought of. If he can get a total lifting of the ban, it will be a great chance to see how things change. Still, I think it does not address the bigger problems.
Of course it does not address the bigger problems. Do you think the people who are standing idle while the bigger problems take place would have elected him if he spoke about the bigger problems?
He would have never been elected dog catcher for that and would be branded the town sell-out, for airing dirty laundry.
But I think giving people a fair opportunity to defend themselves is a good idea.
"He would have never been elected dog catcher for that and would be branded the town sell-out, for airing dirty laundry."
I wonder where that ranks on the list of big problems.
"But I think giving people a fair opportunity to defend themselves is a good idea."
That is why I doubt he will get even a one day lift of the ban. There are too many who believe self-defense is a bad idea. They phrase it a different way, but it boils down to guns are bad, even if used in self-defense.
For Barry, his "big problem" is remaining relevant and he'll do anything to keep a name for himself and a warm political seat :-) .
I saw this article and wondered about DC. One can only wonder how situations like that might turn out if the homeowner was unarmed. And there are many cases were the homeowner just flashing a gun stops the intruder and police can be called.
More people stop intruders with their guns than police, but that kind of math does not add up in the minds of many DC politicians.
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