Pushing back on Gun Control Lies
Command the facts and become strong ambassadors
Washington’s lawful gun owners and licensed firearms dealers are struggling to understand how our Second Amendment right to bear arms continues to be eroded at both the state and federal level. In 2021, we saw legislation aimed at limiting the magazine size. This year’s legislation included bills which attacked the right to purchase or transfer common, modern rifles and other firearms.
Governor Inslee and many other Democratic leaders boldly proclaim that “gun control” laws will “save lives.” This is straight up misinformation, but these people know that many people will often believe a lie that’s repeated often and with emotion. It’s not about the facts, it about telling a story that advances a goal.
Follow the science?
First off, the social science literature on gun control is “broadly useless,” with “no useful empirical data on the subject, no body of work that rises above the level we would expect based on random chance, either for or against gun control measures. And the claim that there are ‘simple, commonsense’ laws we could pass that would significantly reduce gun violence, if only we had the political will to go through with them, is simply false.”
According to research done by Washington Gun Law’s William Kirk, FBI data from 2020 shows that rifles—the category commonly referred to as “assault weapons”—were involved in only 3% of firearm murders. Furthermore, firearms were used in only one out of six violent crimes committed in the U.S. Finally, according to data from the U.S. Department of Justice, 88.8 % of all gun violence was committed by persons who unlawfully possessed the firearm.
Will yet another gun control law finally persuade the unlawful to stop killing people with guns and other weapons? We all know the answer to this questions is “no.” It should be blindingly obvious that the unlawful don’t follow the laws. In fact, Washington’s homicide rate continues to climb.
An armed society is a safe society.
According to the 2021 National Firearms Survey published by the Georgetown McDonough School of Business Research, it’s estimated that firearms may be used to defend Americans and prevent unlawful crimes approximately 2.8 million times per! That’s roughly 7,600 times per day! Those numbers include only the incidents that are reported by law enforcement. All the times where the mere presence of a gun stopped violence doesn’t end up in the statistics.
Consider also that gun-free zones appear to be magnets for psychopaths intent on harming others. Conceal carry laws save lives, as happened in Greenwood Indiana when a 22-year-old stopped a mall shooter in seconds. The young man was carrying a concealed handgun under the constitutional carry law passed just 17 days prior to the event.
“Many more people would have died last night if not for a responsible armed citizen that took action very quickly within the first two minutes of the shooting,” Greenwood Police Chief James Ison said at a news conference...”.
Washington Lawsuits you should follow.
Lest you think no one is taking action, please follow Washington Gun Law on your favorite social media channel for updates on current litigation. Remember that lawsuits take time, energy and funding, so if you’d like to support one of the organizations fighting for Second Amendment rights, that would be a great way for YOU to personally join the fight and take action.
From last year’s magazine ban, now RCW 9.41.370, follow Sullivan v. Ferguson (U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington) and Brumback v. Ferguson (U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington). In Brumback, the judge was supposed to issue a ruling on Dec. 23, but there is still no ruling. It’s possible the judge may be waiting for guidance from expected rulings in southern California.
From this year’s SHB 1240, the Modern Rifle Ban, there are three lawsuits to follow, two in federal court and one in Washington State Superior Court. In U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, follow Hartford v. Ferguson. In the U.S. District Court for Eastern Washington, follow Banta v. Ferguson. Finally, in State Superior Court, follow Guardian Arms v. Inslee, which was filed by the Silent Majority Foundation. In a hearing on Friday, May 12, the Judge allowed this case to be moved from Grant County to Thurston County.
Responsible and lawful gun owners have an obligation to be good ambassadors and cheerful advocates for the preservation of our Second Amendment rights. When you understand the issues and can discuss them calmly, you’ll change hearts and minds. In Washington state, we have an additional duty: to work to elect state legislators who understand the Constitution and will work to protect it.
Nancy Churchill is a writer and marketing consultant in rural eastern Washington State, and the state committeewoman for the Ferry County Republican Party. She may be reached at DangerousRhetoric@pm.me. The opinions expressed in Dangerous Rhetoric are her own. Dangerous Rhetoric is also available on Rumble.