The mass media has greeted Mayor Bloomberg’s $50m commitment to civilian disarmament with barely-restrained glee. Or, in the case of nj.com, glee. First, the set-up: “When guns result in bloodshed, Americans predictably look for ways to keep tragedy from striking again. Post-Newtown, the suggested remedies were simple and reasonable: arm teachers, administrators and other school officials. Restore legal residents’ right to carry a concealed firearm; abandoning New Jersey’s unconstitutional “justifiable need” standard in favor of so-called Constitutional carry.’ Extend that right beyond the school gates.” IN YOUR DREAMS! They actually said . . .
background checks and mental health screenings, to help keep firearms out of the wrong hands. The tragedy was overwhelming. Public support for such sensible restrictions on gun-buying was there. And yet – nothing. In many states, lawmakers took the opportunity to weaken restrictions on who can buy guns. Such is the futility of the gun debate in America. Thanks to the wealth and power of the gun lobby and its mouthpiece, the National Rifle Association, the modern gun control discussion is effectively one-sided.
Now just hold on a minute there, pilgrim. Even if we spot nj.com the adjective “weaken” when referring to gun rights restoration, what’s this “debate” they speak of?
As the unnamed editors know well enough, there is no gun control debate in New Jersey or, for that matter, the rest of the United States. There are people who wish to curtail and then eliminate Americans’ natural, civil and Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms and people who seek to exercise their natural, civil and Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms without government interference. You know: infringement.
As for the kvetch that the NRA has rendered the “modern” gun control “discussion” “effectively one-sided” nj.com doth protest too much. In the media, the exact opposite is true. Other than Fox, which major media outlet – the arena for “discussions” in our modern age – favors the NRA’s position on firearms-related legislation? Answer: none.
In this case, nj.com was inspired by their own call for “balanced discussion” that they deigned to throw in a quote from NRA political fixer Chris Cox.
Bloomberg “can buy a lot of things, but he can’t buy the hearts and minds of the American people who love this freedom and who love the Second Amendment and want to be able to exercise their freedom and not be lectured by a billionaire nanny on how to live their lives,” said Chris Cox, head of the NRA’s lobbying division.
Nevertheless (i.e. ignoring that) . . .
Nevertheless, Bloomberg throws some financial muscle behind the point of view that already has the majority’s support: that some measure of gun control – including background checks, mental health screenings, mandatory safety training and limits on guns’ power and capacity – makes sense.
If nothing else, $50 million will restore some long overdue balance to the gun control debate.
If nothing else, Mayor Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety will provide an ideal foil for the NRA in their attempts to defend and extend firearms freedom. No more Mom-bashing. From now on it’s a gloves off battle between America’s oldest civil rights organization and an egomaniacal fascist who seeks to destroy the system that gave him his wealth and power. Discuss that.