[New York Democrat mayoral nominee Eric] Adams was outraged by the [New York SAFE Act’s] seven-round limit, but only because legislators had neglected to include an exception for active-duty and retired law enforcement officers. “You can’t give more ammo to the criminals,” he said, explaining the need for a corrective amendment exempting him from the seven-round limit. Norman Seabrook, president of the New York City Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association, elaborated on Adams’ point:
“As a law enforcement officer for over 20 years, I understand the importance of instituting a new policy on mandating the limits of bullets that a regular citizen can possess, but as a matter of fact the bad guys are not going to follow this law….The way the current legislation is drafted, it actually handcuffs the law enforcement community from having the necessary ammunition needed to save lives. We must not allow this to happen.”
In other words, since it was obvious that criminals would ignore the seven-round limit, it would be reckless to make “the law enforcement community” follow it. But “regular citizens” did not deserve the defensive advantage that Adams demanded for himself. He literally voted to put himself above the law, unashamedly demanding a double standard that sent a clear message to his fellow New Yorkers: My life is worth more than yours.
The same attitude is apparent in Adams’ announcement that he will carry a concealed handgun to protect himself as mayor. He presented that plan as evidence that he is a man of the people who “won’t have a security detail.” But in a state where it is essentially impossible for ordinary residents to legally carry handguns for self-defense, Adams’ heat packing is a mark of privilege.
— Jacob Sullum in New York’s Next Mayor: Gun Rights for Me, but Not for Thee
