United Liberty
Win for Gun Rights in Washington State
Thu, 03/14/2013 - 9:00am | posted by Tom Knighton
Gun control advocates have been pushing hard for new background check regulations. Not only are they doing it at the national level, but also at the state level. Unfortunately for them, they just got their butt handed to him in Washington state.
A contentious proposal to expand background checks on Washington state gun sales failed Tuesday in the state House, where supporters said they were just a handful of votes short.
In a final effort to pick up a few extra votes, Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, had proposed a referendum clause that would have allowed the public to vote on the measure. He initially believed that would draw enough support to corral the 50 votes needed to pass the bill but conceded Tuesday night that others had dropped their backing because of that shift.
“It was too big of a stretch for this year,” Pedersen said.
Pedersen said he was disappointed by the result, and several Democrats departing for the night were emotional about the collapse of a bill they’d spent two days intensely working to finalize. The week had included lobbying from former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the Arizona Democrat who was wounded in a January 2011 mass shooting, and Gov. Jay Inslee.
The bill in question would have required background checks on the private sales of weapons, a provision which is often termed the “gun show loophole”, but doesn’t have any bearing on gun shows.
Gun rights advocates such as myself are concerned that doing this would lead to gun registrations…in part because it would actually be a kind of registration (there is a paper trail for where each and every gun ends up).
The loss in Washington is a significant blow for gun control advocates who saw a real opportunity to pass this law in Washington following the Sandy Hook massacre. The whole “never let a good crisis go to waste” thing was in full effect…but to no avail.
The truth is that only a small minority of guns used in crimes are ever purchased through a legal procedure such as a private sale. In fact, most who want a gun for a crime seek them out through the black market. Why? They don’t want some law abiding citizen being able to associate them with the gun. They’ve all seen CSI, so it plays into their mentality.
Elsewhere in the nation, gun control advocates are continuing their push. Even in Washington, the fight is far from over.
Yes! Democraps lose! Freedom wins!
I wouldn’t say this is a win for gun rights, but a lack of a loss for gun control.
When they reduce waiting periods, costs for permits, or requirements for permits, let us call that a win for rights.
Key Quote… “A contentious proposal to expand background checks on Washington state gun sales failed Tuesday in the state House, where supporters said they were JUST A HANDFUL OF VOTES SHORT.”
The fight is far from over, stat vigilant!
I would say that labeling the “black market” and “gun sales from private citizens” as two different things is fallible. The black market is any market which is not “regulated” by the government. Not to imply that government regulates or should regulate all aspects of the market, but drugs are sold on the black market by private citizens, should we not consider that kind of sale a black market sale anymore either? Furthermore, its not like criminals go to the “black market” to buy guns, there is no area actually called the “black market” it is a metaphor for the system of buying or selling products illegally. I guess I also don’t see why having a system which regulates private sales is bad? You have to register your car and your house, its not limiting you of your freedom or second amendment.
For most of my 70 years, it has been my understanding that black market is used to identify ILLEGAL exchange, NOT extra-legal exchange. In this 21st century, there may not be many examples of commerce in which government is not involved, but that has not always been true. And at no time has such commerce been labeled black.
We object to gun registration for the same reason we object to Federal diamond, gold, platinum, etc., registration: the government’s interest in such things of value is questionable and can only lead to confiscation, either by government or by criminals. Car registration is a very valuable tool for government to confiscate value from the citizenry in the form of taxes, robotic traffic enforcement, parking tickets, etc., not to mention actual confiscation or denial of the “privilege” to use your vehicle. The Bill of Rights is not a granting of privileges by government. It is a statement of existing rights of citizenship that government, i.e. the majority of votes, is not permitted to “abridge”. If you don’t like the fact that your fellow Americans can arm themselves if they so choose, ask your representative to propose an amendment. Like your great-grandparents did when they decided a tax on your income would be a wonderful solution to all the government’s problems in funding itself.
You miss the whole point. When you start having to register guns (like pre WWII Germany) then the government KNOWS who has the guns and who to go to in order to take them away. Registry is one step away from confiscation. So no, we do NOT want gun registration. In fact the Congress has WAY overstepped the constitutional boundaries by denying us access to all kinds of weapons like bazooka’s. Do we NEED a bazooka for hunting, no. But we do need it to deter our government from overstepping their authority and becoming a tyranny. Something that, especially in the last 4 years, they have shown that they have no problem doing. Don’t believe me? check out notpp.us
enough said.
I’m pretty sure you don’t have to register your car or your home. That’s a scam. I guess if you want to blindly pay for something you don’t use or taxes that are not required. Much like income tax. Which only requires corporations to pay it. Yet somehow they’ve manage to condition and dupe the public.
I don’t know where you are from, but car and house registration is required in all 50 states.
The Luby Shooting was on October 16, 1991 and Texas passed the concealed carry law four years later in 1995.
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