David R. Shearman

November 5, 2015

President Obama was in Chicago last week speaking at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conference. He took the opportunity to praise and thank law enforcement for the tireless efforts, and specifically defending them for all the scrutiny that has befallen the profession recently.

He made it clear that he is opposed to the “us versus them” mentality as it pertains to the relations between law enforcement and the community. In fact, he said that he rejected any narrative that divides the community and police that serve them. He seemed to blame the media by saying that the divide in our communities was a result of the media sensationalizing crime and mass shootings in this country. He went on to address alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders.

I watched the speech and the problem I have with it is his sincerity. Frankly, I just plain don’t believe him and here’s why. I believe he used the event and opportunity to snuggle up with the executive leadership in the law enforcement community in an effort to further his ultimate goal of more and more federal gun control laws.

He spoke at length addressing the issue of gun violence in America and using the recent shooting of NYPD Officer Randolph Holder as a means to connect with the Chiefs present at the conference. He said “fewer guns control laws does not mean more freedom, they mean more danger, certainly, more danger to the police…”

Well, certainly, neither I nor any sane person wants violence in general and I don’t want to see any violence against my brothers in blue but more federal gun control laws is not the answer. Why do we need more federal gun control laws anyway? Is it because the ones on the books are not getting Obama and his constituents what they ultimately want – no guns?

Let’s briefly examine the argument. Those in support of more gun legislation believe that the laws already on the books don’t do enough, I guess. Just for reference the National Firearms Act of 1934 legislatively identified the types of guns, explosives and munitions and who could manufacture them. Then there is the 1968 Gun Control Act which regulated all types of guns, both rifles and handguns and identified who couldn’t purchase guns such as felons, fugitives from justice, unlawful drug users, and those who have been dishonorably discharged from the military. The law also prohibits those younger than 18 years from possessing firearms and even ammunition. The Act also set up the Federal Firearms License requirements which mandated that firearms be sold by licensed entities or persons.

Then in 1990 there was the Crime Control Act which made it a federal offense to possess or discharge a gun on or near a school. In 1994, the Brady Bill was passed which basically required that anyone who wanted to purchase guns be run through a background check before they be allowed to actually obtain a gun. And with the development of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) everyone who purchases a gun through a dealer has to have a background check done.

So the current laws on the books already require that if someone wants to legally purchase a gun then they have to buy it from a federally regulated firearms dealer, undergo a background check and they can’t be a criminal, fugitive, mentally ill, a dope addict, been dishonorably discharged or under 18 years of age. This doesn’t even account for the state laws.

Now this leaves basically two additional areas or venues that a person can purchase a firearm. The first being at a gun show where all applicable federal firearms law are in play and the transaction is legal to include the background checks. The other venue being the transaction is conducted out of the trunk of a car or in a back alley somewhere usually by people who don’t exactly comply with either federal or state laws.

I don’t believe that we need any additional federal gun laws just like I don’t think we need more federal immigration laws. What scares me the most about the continued attempts by the Left to pass more and more gun control legislation is their stated goal to eliminate lawful gun ownership as afforded under the 2^nd Amendment. This is the goal of the Democrats and extreme Liberal Left to which Obama aligns himself.

This, I believe, is the reason Obama made his remarks at the IACP conference last week. He has always been a community organizer and exceptionally good a polarizing people and groups. Whatever that goal may be, such as no guns for regular citizens, you can bet that the Liberal Left will not stop until they achieve it. That may not be achieved during Obama’s reign but rest assured he is laying the groundwork for the next Democrat to continue that cause through to its fulfillment.

Viper One Six – Out