National Red Flag Gun Laws Are Coming

The Democrats are promising to make gun control a top priority as they are set to assume the majority in the House of Representatives. Some Democrats are even showing their true colors by foolishly stating that the government would use nukes on people refusing to comply with their gun confiscation mandates. While we can safely assume (hopefully anyways) that Representative Swalwell wouldn't take out an entire state because people refused to surrender their constitutional rights, which he is sworn to uphold and protect incidentally, we shouldn't assume our gun rights are safe just because Donald Trump is in the White House.

Among the many other sweeping reforms the Democrats plan to push, such as a ban on high capacity magazines are the passage of the so called Red -Flag gun laws on the national level. So far, roughly eleven states have these Red-Flag gun laws on the books. California was one of the first to pass such laws and as we have recently seen, they have done nothing to prevent people from committing mass murder. Florida also passed such laws last March and has seized firearms from over 450 people who have been deemed a threat to themselves or others. Unfortunately, these laws have done nothing to prevent the murderers from murdering, even with guns. They didn't stop a shooter from shooting up a video game tournament. They also failed to stop yet another shooting at a school event where a gunman opened fire at a high school football game killing one and wounding two others. These people clearly should have been on Florida's Red-Flag list yet, despite the new law and enforcement capabilities they went undetected.

In Maryland we witnessed the reality of Red-Flag gun laws when a sixty-one year old man was shot and killed by police as they tried to confiscate his firearms. In this case the request for removal was made by the mans niece, who after he was shot and killed admitted that the man was harmless and that the police didn't need to do what they did. The police justify the shooting by claiming they don't know just what they may have prevented by confiscating his firearms at 5 A.M. The man had no history of violent behavior but because his niece was uncomfortable, he is dead. 

What is most concerning about this event is that the man was attempting to resist gun confiscation-to a degree. In the Department of Homeland Security Report Right wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment gun owners concerned about an infringement of their rights are identified as potential extremists.

(U//FOUO)  Proposed imposition of firearms restrictions and weapons bans likely would attract new members into the ranks of rightwing extremist groups, as well as potentially spur some of them to begin planning and training for violence against the government.  The high volume of purchases and stockpiling of weapons and ammunition by rightwing extremists in anticipation of restrictions and bans in some parts of the country continue to be a primary concern to law enforcement. 

(U//FOUO)  Many rightwing extremist groups perceive recent gun control legislation as a threat to their right to bear arms and in response have increased weapons and ammunition stockpiling, as well as renewed participation in paramilitary training exercises.  Such activity, combined with a heightened level of extremist paranoia, has the potential to facilitate criminal activity and violence. 

 — (U//FOUO)  During the 1990s, rightwing extremist hostility toward government was fueled by the implementation of restrictive gun laws—such as the Brady Law that established a 5-day waiting period prior to purchasing a handgun and the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act that limited the sale of various types of assault rifles—and federal law enforcement’s handling of the confrontations at Waco, Texas and Ruby Ridge, Idaho. 

Will this event in Maryland now be used as an excuse to portray all gun owners as potential extremists who are worried about an infringement of their rights? Probably, if you follow the logic.

Many conservatives foolishly believe that as long as we control the Senate and Trump is president our gun rights are safe. This is naïve, to say the least. 

Trump's White House has encouraged the states to push these Red-Flag gun laws and has shown strong support for stronger back ground checks. From the Washington Post-

 The administration also is urging all states to pass risk-protection orders, as Florida recently did, allowing law enforcement officers to remove firearms from individuals who are considered a threat to themselves or others and to prevent them from purchasing new guns.

Notice the part where it says, urging all states? If by chance a national Red-Flag law were to make it past the Senate, there is a high likelihood that it would be signed by President Trump.

Trump is perceived by the right as being pro-gun, and in many cases he has made very pro-gun comments. This website shows however, that he is actually all over the place when it comes to gun rights. He is on the record saying that large purchases of ammunition and body armor should be considered red flags. He believes in putting people on "terror watch lists" and preventing those people from buying guns despite the fact that the so called "no-fly list" has prevented many innocent people from being able to board a plane. In his 2000 book The America We Deserve, he expresses support for an assault weapons ban and longer waiting periods to purchase a gun. Finally, he criticizes Republicans for walking the NRA line and refusing to accept any "limited restrictions."

The fact of the matter, as we all know, is that laws, no matter how effective or logical they may seem, will not stop anyone from committing murder if that is their intent. In the U. K. they are dealing with an out of control problem of murders being committed with knives and they are actually pushing for knife control! This is of course, after the nationwide gun ban which was instituted in the 1990's. Ironically, gun crime in the U.K. is also on the rise. 

I am not suggesting that people stop supporting President Trump. He is loved by millions and is perceived as doing many great things for the country. What I am suggesting however is that you break away from your protective bubble and realize that the man has stated his support for Red-Flag gun laws and other gun control proposals that are a threat to the second amendment. Now is not the time to assume that because Republicans control the Senate there is no way these laws could pass. I am predicting that they will push these proposals hard and fast and they will be presented as common sense solutions. If President Trump supports them it is likely he could get a Republican Senate to go along with them. 

Finally, in an article published by Christianheadlines.com Trump is quoted as saying that he has a lot in common with the Democrats that will be taking control of the House and that there is a better chance of getting legislation passed than had the GOP remained in control. Seriously? I wonder what legislation that will be?

Pay attention America

To learn more about the war on the Second Amendment check out my book

Psychopolitics in America: A Nation Under Conquest 

Also available in Paperback