By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
The Washington Post on Monday published a 2,131-word article examining the Trump administration’s “rapid rollback” of firearms regulations, waiting until deep in the piece to remind readers they have until “around Aug. 6 to comment” on 34 proposed changes which were announced at the end of April.
Noting how during the past 17 months, the administration has “delivered win after win” for Second Amendment organizations, there does not appear to be much attention paid to court rulings—including three landmark Supreme Court decisions—which have significantly altered the playing field and clearly shown some regulations are unconstitutional.
Of particular interest are reader comments, which appear to be rolling in at a brisk pace, with most indicating a dislike for firearms, the people who own them, and the Second Amendment altogether.
One respondent writes, “The only thing I think should be absolutely required nationally is that ALL guns be registered just like we require all cars to be registered and the owners will be held accountable for the proper use of their weapons, just like the registered car owner is responsible for who gets the keys to the car – if you give the keys to someone who is drunk or not licensed to drive (eg a minor) or who plans to use the car for a crime, then you will be held accountable. We should require the same for gun owners – this does not violate their right to own a gun but will hold them responsible for its use….”
This remark reflects the frequent misunderstanding about the difference between owning a gun and owning/driving a car. Having the firearm is a protected right. Having and driving a car is a regulated privilege.
Another reader with an opposite viewpoint writes, “I don’t think there’s a single law-abiding gun owner who wants to see a mentally unstable or criminally-inclined person get their hands on a firearm. But, like it or not, America was founded in large part upon personal liberties and gun rights for individuals. In the 21st century it may be convenient to think this was unwise or is no longer needed, but there’s no changing it. The answer to American’s fears about guns is not to infringe upon law abiding citizens’ constitutional and God-given rights to possess them and use them both for self-defense and fun, but to focus instead on the societal issues that underpin violence in this country. The tools used to commit criminal violence are irrelevant.”
Near the end of the article, there are a couple of paragraphs which appear to take pokes at Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who “has sought to ingratiate himself with the nation’s most influential gun rights activists.” Blanche is definitely not like the former head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives under Joe Biden, who once acknowledged his lack of expertise about firearms.
Among Blanche’s since are appearances on pro-gun podcasts and at the National Rifle Association convention several weeks ago.
Blanche also didn’t score any points with the gun prohibition lobby for appearing, with ATF Director Rob Cekada, at a Justice Department event when the regulations changes were announced. They were flanked by representatives from gun rights groups including the Second Amendment Foundation, NRA, Gun Owners of America, National Shooting Sports Foundation and National Association for Gun Rights.
In the past, nobody seemed to take issue if a president signed some gun control legislation when surrounded by representatives from gun ban organizations.
