By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
The Indianapolis City-County Council will vote on an ambitious gun control ordinance July 10 which gun rights advocates say, if enacted, may not be enforceable, according to WISH News.
Major tenets of the proposed ordinance, which is drawing criticism from Second Amendment activists and some members of the council, include a ban on some semiautomatic rifles, shotguns and pistols, raising the minimum age for buying guns in Marion County to 21, prohibiting permitless carry in the county, banning “all AK-type and AR-type rifles and pistols, and more.
The measure was discussed by the council’s Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee earlier this week. It goes before the full council next month.
As noted by WXIN News, “The vote was along party lines with Democrats voting yes and Republicans voting no,” a pattern that seems to have become routine across the map.
The vote could end up being only symbolic, due to the Indiana state preemption law. WXIN noted that legal professor Jody Madeira “said the state’s pre-emption law being struck down or rescinded is unlikely.” WISH added the Indiana General Assembly adopted preemption in 2011, and would have to repeal the law for Indianapolis to actually enforce any of these provisions.
Indianapolis and Marion County Corporation Counsel Matt Giffin explained, “The only thing preventing Indianapolis from enforcing these gun safety policies is the Indiana General Assembly,” according to WRTV News.
Symbolic or otherwise, the proposal is raising hackles in Indianapolis, site of this year’s National Rifle Association convention.
At least one city council member, Brian Mowery, offered a matter-of-fact observation: “Instead of trying to blame firearms, let’s look at the people who are doing the wrongdoing and put them behind bars.”
On the other side of the argument, council Democrats and Police Chief Randal Taylor contend guns are the problem. As reported by WISH, Taylor “blames the flow of high-powered guns into the community on the city’s rising homicide rate.”
So far this year, more than 100 homicides have been logged in the city, according to WFYI News.
WXIN reported on the philosophical chasm between the two sides in this debate.
“Restrictions on assault weapons will certainly help prevent mass shootings,” asserted Liz Mozer with Mom’s Demand Action., according to WXIN.
“This is all about politics and not keeping anyone safer,” gun rights advocate Guy Relford countered.
