NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE O n April 25, Governor Jay Inslee of Washington signed a series of bills aimed at curbing gun violence. The laws include a ban on certain semiautomatic rifles, a mandatory waiting period of ten days for firearm purchases, and permission for lawsuits against gunmakers or sellers in some cases. While the governor and his supporters have lauded these laws as a step toward combating gun violence, the truth is that they are a fruitless endeavor.
Washington’s new laws are bound to result in lawsuits and will inevitably be struck down by the courts. Already, organizations such as the Firearms Policy Coalition have begun litigation, and they are likely to win. The laws blatantly disregard the plain language of the Second Amendment and go against the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Bruen v. NYSRPA, which fully protects the right to keep and bear arms as a first-class constitutionally protected right.
Even if we were to ignore the obvious constitutional questions, Inslee’s policies place undue burdens on firearms businesses, leaving them vulnerable to frivolous lawsuits. Besides the obvious economic consequence of impeding manufacturing jobs, the legislation potentially conflicts with the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, a federal statute designed to prevent the very kind of laws signed last week. These laws do not provide an effective solution to reducing gun violence but instead only put law-abiding citizens and business owners in legal jeopardy.
Additionally, the policies do not target those who pose a credible threat to society. The firearms in question are commonly used by millions of law-abiding citizens and are legitimate tools for self-defense. Waiting periods are equally ineffective in reducing crime, as the majority of firearm-related crimes involve firearms that were either stolen or obtained illegally. If Washington legislators and the governor were serious, they would press local prosecutors to do their job and prosecute violent criminals under the already long list of firearm regulations and laws.
Governor Inslee and his allies have shifted the focus of this issue onto the everyday citizen — a next-door neighbor, even — as a potential threat. The term “assault weapon” has no definition until politicians legislate one into our statutes. It is a meaningless term that induces fear, similar to “ghost guns.” These laws outlaw most commonly available semiautomatic firearms that have, in terms of their record, posed no significant threat to public safety. In fact, you are more likely to be beaten to death, bludgeoned with a blunt object, or stabbed to death than you are to be shot by a rifle, “assault” or otherwise. The real issues contributing to violent crime — such as poverty, lack of access to education and employment opportunities, drug abuse, lack of identity cohesion, mental health, and social isolation — are being overlooked because of this legislation. These issues are being ignored by politicians who would rather not have to deal with how they have run their constituencies into the ground.
It is understandable that people want to feel safe, but these laws will not achieve that goal. They will only make it harder for law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their families. The fact is that gun laws only affect law-abiding citizens. Criminals, by definition, do not follow the law. Murder is illegal, yet somehow murders happen anyway. Surprisingly enough, murderers also do not care if a weapon is legal or illegal. If you want to stop mass murders, outlaw gun-free zones, which is where these tragic incidents most frequently take place.
Regardless of the actual numbers, politicians and the media continue to induce mass hysteria about guns. However, gun control has never had any significant effect on violent crime or murder rates. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to preventing mass shootings or reducing violence, but it is evident that Washington’s gun laws are not the answer. The demonization of commonplace firearms, and the use of fear tactics by politicians, only serve to distract from these pressing issues that truly affect violent crime, such as lack of prosecution and poverty. There are two truths that everyone needs to realize about crime: First, murder (by any weapon) is incredibly rare, and you are much more likely to die on your drive home from work. Second, most murders happen because of disputes, gang violence, or in connection with other serious felonies (e.g., robberies).
The majority of gun owners — including those 21 million Americans with concealed-carry licenses — are peaceable citizens who use their firearms for self-defense, sport, or hunting. These new laws only punish them and infringe on their Second Amendment rights. They invite litigation and defeat. They induce unnecessary fear.
They are, in short, a waste of time.