Another Gun-Free Zone, Another Group of Victims

What exactly are these laws and policies protecting?

No Guns AllowedIt is difficult to watch the news without becoming outraged – both at the stories of senseless violence carried out by crazed madmen as well as at the spin applied to those stories by certain groups in order to further their agenda.  How many times are we going to hear about (or not) defenseless citizens, disarmed by “well intentioned,” “common sense” firearm policies, being turned into victims at the hands of criminals who, by their very nature, will disregard any and all laws or policies that get in their way?

Everyone has, no doubt, seen the news stories about our servicemen murdered by a radical Islamist, unable to protect themselves due to no-guns-allowed policies.  This cold blooded murder came just days before another lunatic murdered two innocent moviegoers and wounded nine others at a Louisiana theater.  The theater policy explicitly states that “possession of firearms or weapons of any kind regardless of whether openly or concealed, with or without a permit” is strictly prohibited.  Sadly, although that policy may have stopped licensed concealed carry or legal open carry practitioners from bringing a means of self defense into the theater that night, it did not prevent the armed madman from bringing his weapon.  That attack came nearly three years to the day after another madman murdered 12 and injured dozens more in another “gun free” theater in Colorado.   

Safe-Six-590-LIMore recently, and closer to GunLink HQ, there was another gun-free-zone attack.  Six people were injured in a nightclub, including a pregnant woman whose injuries caused her to go into labor, after an attacker opened fire inside.  Not only does state law prohibit carrying firearms into such establishments, but so does the club’s policy; a policy which is enforced by an eight foot fence surrounding the area, walk-through metal detectors and wands at the doors, and security staff that includes off-duty police officers.  A stark reminder that criminals bent on doing harm will find a way to do so.

The list goes on.  Columbine. Virginia Tech.  Clackamas Mall.  Westroads Mall.  Garland.  And before the anti-gun zealots get their panties in a twist and start shouting with their “rabble, rabble, rabble, too many guns” nonsense, firearms aren’t the only weapons of choice for these lunatics bent on ending lives.  What about knife attacks, like the 2013 attack at a Houston college campus that left 14 wounded or the  2014 attack at a Pennsylvania high school that left 21 students and a security guard injured.  Of course those don’t get as much press as attacks with firearms, since that doesn’t fit the agenda.

The Common Theme

Grand16PolicySometimes the elements of the stories change:  the type of scumbag perpetrating the attack, the weapon(s) they use, their targets, their motives, etc.  However, they do all have a common element.  Each attack occurred in a gun-free zone.

There is also another common theme present in the vast majority of these types of attacks:  how it ends.  Or, rather, what ends it.  So, what is it that draws these sick actions to a close in most instances?  What convinces these armed bad guys to stop killing and maiming innocent people?  Is it a stern talking to or more hugs?  Is it spotting the “No Guns Allowed” sign on the door that they may have missed on the way in?  Did they finally remember that the law prevents them from carrying a firearm onto the premises?

No.  It’s opposition.  Specifically, armed opposition.  When these cowardly maggots realize that the rules of the game have changed and that they are not just picking off disarmed sitting ducks but, rather, are facing someone with the means and desire to stop them, they either commit suicide or surrender.  More often than not, thanks to the various gun control measures in place, that opposition can come only in the form of the police and within whatever time frame the local law enforcement is capable of responding.

Charleston-600-LIUnfortunately, there is a third commonality with many of these events:  the blood-dancing in which certain depraved ghouls participate like clockwork after such an attack.  But only, mind you, when it fits their agenda.  If a firearm is used, then you can count on some tired rhetoric about how more gun control laws are needed to curb this type of violence.  Carefully omitted from the coverage is the fact an attacker broke every gun law on the books or ignored every firearm policy in place to carry out their twisted plan.  Left out of the nightly news are stories about rampant violence plaguing gun control utopias like Chicago, DC, Baltimore, and so on.

In Chicago alone – just one US city – 216 people were murdered in the first half of this year despite their “model” gun control scheme.  Two people murdered in a theater and out come the vultures calling for gun control.  Almost two per day every single day are killed in this gun control mecca.  Does that receive weeks-long coverage?  Is that on the national nightly news?

Enough is Enough

ChattanoogaCNNIt is both tragic and revolting that it took the recent attack on US military facilities to bring to light for many the fact that our servicemen and women were (or are) so vulnerable.  Despite being highly trained and disciplined in the use of arms, the laws and policies in place left them unarmed and at the mercy of a madman carrying out a terror attack.  As many Americans were outraged that our Marines, soldiers, and sailors were left in such a position and, as news of the attack spread, some of them took up arms themselves and went to stand guard outside recruiting centers across the country – protecting the service members who were disallowed from protecting themselves.

The efficacy of Joe Citizen guarding military facilities aside, this has pulled the issue into the mainstream.  News outlets are doing what thinking firearms enthusiasts and RKBA supporters have been doing for decades:  questioning the sensibility of “gun free zones.”  2016 presidential hopefuls are calling for an end to such so-called “criminal protection zones.”  State governors and legislators are tripping over themselves in the rush to enable military personnel to carry firearms to protect themselves.

Sign-in-Boston-590-CDNBut if it is good enough for the goose, is it not good enough for the gander?  The obvious solution for protecting our troops?  Arm them.  The oft-implemented solution to protect celebrities and politicians (even – or especially – those of the anti-gun variety)?  Surround them with people who are armed.  One of the suggested solutions to protect students?  Put armed guards in place.  The solution to protect the average American?  Forbid them from being armed.

All of this is not to say that any of these horrible events would necessarily have been prevented if the victims or a bystander had been armed.  However, it is not difficult in the least to find hundreds of stories about how an armed citizen used legally owned firearms to prevent violence from being visited upon themselves, their families, or others in their immediate area.  The NRA compiles a selection of these news items in their printed publications and online.  Beyond that, such stories are relegated to page 3 of the community section of local newspapers.  Is it any surprise that, with this type of biased reporting, many buy into the anti-gun rhetoric that the only solution to criminal violence is a disarmed populace governed by draconian gun control laws and guarded by a police force that will, eventually, show up once someone figures out what is going on and calls them.

Another-Gun-Law-590-LADespite how well the old adage sounds, no dictionary I can find actually mentions doing the same thing over and over with the expectation of different results in reference to “insanity.”  However, anyone with a functioning brain ought to be able to figure out that it is a foolhardy endeavor.  Yet, time and time again, this is what gun control advocates have been doing for ages.  Gun control repeatedly fails?  Criminals disobey and find ways around laws?  The obvious answer in the mind of anti-gun zealots is, of course, more gun control laws.

Shall we work toward the model implemented in the UK, which has “some of the toughest gun control laws in the world?”  Then we could deal with the 1,000 knife crime victims per month that London alone sees.  Of course, those are old numbers – knife crime is on the rise across the pond.  Surprise!  Criminals commit crime.  Violent criminals commit violent crime.

It is time to wake up.  It is time to stop sitting idly by as Americans are made into sitting ducks – victims who are made helpless by political agendas that claim to protect them.  Gun control advocates try to force the issue into the spotlight whenever they have the opportunity for an emotional, knee-jerk reaction but then try to sweep the issue under the rug the rest of the time.

The truth is, facts and common sense are on the side of responsible, armed Americans.  Why not keep the issue in the spotlight.  There is an election coming up and candidates are actually discussing things like putting an end to gun free zones.  Should we not be contacting our local, state, and federal representatives and pointing out the absurdity of “criminal protection zones”, and other gun control measures?  An armed citizenry does not result in the blood bath in the streets that MDA, CSGV, MAIG, and other millionaire-backed, agenda-driven “grassroots” anti-gun groups wring their hands over.

Start the conversation.  Join the NRA.  Write your reps.  Let’s push for actual common sense instead of the faux “common sense” that has failed America for so long.

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