Sheriffs Smack Down Prop 63 – Take On Newsom’s BULLY Pulpit
Standing up to high-level politicians that have the benefit of the Bully Pulpit isn’t always a popular move, but kudos to the California State Sheriffs Association, because that’s exactly what they have done in coming out in opposition to Gavin Newsom’s Proposition 63.
Not only has their statewide organization taken an official position of “oppose”, but many individual sherif
fs have gone out on a limb and publicly condemned Newsom’s underhanded gun control drive as a wrong-headed effort. This week, Breitbart reported on a story in the Press Enterprise on Riverside Sheriff Stan Sniff and San Bernardino Sheriff John McMahon and why they believe Prop 63 is plumb bad for California.
Sniff stated “…many proposed firearms control bills are very poorly thought out, hastily drafted without appropriate expert input, and incorrectly proffered to the public as ‘making things safer’ in our communities.
“In some cases, these proposed bills actually make our communities less safe, and remove inherent rights of our citizens to self-defense, or worse, allow only the wealthy, elite or the well-off to protect themselves,” said Sniff, who was elected sheriff in 2007.
He a
lso made sure the media knew of his active membership in pro-gun organizations, such as Gun Owners of California.
Sheriff McMahon then made it abundantly clear that additional gun control is not the most effective means to prevent gun violence.
“I generally oppose any legislation that puts any more restrictions or control on citizens having an ability to possess firearms,” said McMahon, who has been sheriff since 2012. “We still have people running around with guns that aren’t supposed to have them.”
Indeed. Those of us who are able to use both sides of our brain know that going after one, larger subsection of society (law abiding) to cure the wrongs of another (law breakers) will never work. That said, Newsom has treated law enforcement as if they were an annoying fly – dismissing their concerns with a glib wave of his hand.
GOC, however, believes having law enforcement reiterate our fact-driven, Constitutional narrative is critical to defeating the regressive nature of gun control. We are grateful for their efforts in opposition to Proposition 63.
Amen GOC! Keep up the great work. I continue to be a new but proud member.
Keep on going with this. I realized a long long time ago that all the “Firearm Safety” laws are really “Chip away at the Second Amendment little by little!” laws in the real world.
When 99.9%+ of firearms in general and 99.99%+ of ‘assault weapons’ meaning truly automatic or select fire firearms are never used in a crime nor linked to a crime nor even accidentally used to harm another human being? The firearms are not and never will be the issue. The human beings who use them to harm and kill others are the issue.
We could also argue that our ‘war on drugs’ is the issue as well since 80% of firearm violence can be directly or slightly indirectly linked to the pleasurable drug trade.