While the masses across the United States were out ringing in the New Year – some of whom were undoubtedly engaging in illegal activity such as drunk driving and illicit drug use – gun owners in multiple cities and states simply stayed home, watched the ball drop on their TV, and went to bed without incident. Yet this morning, they are the ones who woke up as criminals.
2018 was a year that put the anti-gun community and gun rights advocates toe to toe. There is something both sides agree on though – they agree that tragedies like we saw in Parkland, FL are devastating and we don’t want them to happen. What we disagree on are the solutions.
The gun grabbers have chosen to ignore research that highlights two things: 1.) gun control doesn’t work and 2.) current laws are being ignored. In nearly every instance of a tragic shooting, a little research into the perpetrators background shows failure and incompetence on the part of government. So what do the gun grabbers do with this information? They demand more laws be created that do nothing to curb crime, but instead create a false sense of security and criminalize the law abiding.
Many of those laws went into effect at 12:00am today, January 1st, 2019. Here are a few of them:
Boulder, CO: If you own a so-called “assault weapon” that you didn’t register with the police department between June 15th and December 31st, 2018, today you are a criminal. Never mind Boulder has never seen a murder committed with one of the banned firearms, but it has with a baseball bat.
Washington: If you’re under 21 and are in possession of a long gun outside your home, the government has deemed you a criminal before you’re even old enough to drink. Welcome to a life of crime.
Illinois: If you purchase a rifle but you don’t wait 72 hours after the purchase to take possession of it, you are breaking the law. But who abides by a waiting period? That’s right, the law abiding.
California: Similarly to Washington, it is also now illegal to be under the age of 21 and own a shotgun or rifle. That will certainly deter a violent, evil person from obtaining one. <insert heavy sarcasm>
In addition, several states enacted draconian “Red Flag Laws“, which allow someone’s firearms to be confiscated by law enforcement with little evidence and no due process. Other states have adopted “Mental Health Laws” which will prevent those who have had certain types of mental health treatment from possessing firearms (with the unintended consequence of making those who own firearms not seek mental health treatment).
Undoubtedly, with anti-gun candidates winning elections across the nation this past November, we’re in a for a doozy of year. Make sure you’re paying attention.
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