California anti-gunners call for ban that's already in place

California has banned so-called assault weapons for decades. In fact, the legislature has gone back and re-defined what an “assault weapon” is on multiple occasions; each time broadening the description and making more and more commonly-owned firearms off-limits to Californians. Despite the state’s gun ban (in addition to the dozens of other gun control laws already in place), California led the nation in the number of active shooting incidents in 2021, according to the FBI, but California anti-gunners remain convinced that the only way to address mass shootings is by banning guns… in this case, guns that are already prohibited, at least where they live.

Advertisement

Angered by a string of deadly mass shootings in the past few months, a group of mothers held a rally in Burbank on Saturday, demanding action and change.

The nationwide group called Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is fighting for public safety measures to protect the public from gun violence.

Specifically, the group wants the AR-15, an assault-style firearm used in many mass shootings, to be banned in the U.S.

The group can be heard chanting “No one needs an AR-15!” and “Ban assault weapons!” as they marched through Burbank, at times, stopping in front of gun shops.

The organized rally was part of a nationwide Mother’s Day of action to reinstate the assault weapons ban following a wave of deadly mass shootings.

“I’m a mom and all I want for Mother’s Day is an end to gun violence,” said California Assemblymember Laura Friedman of the 44th District.

Banning guns that aren’t used in many violent crimes is a terrible way to get there, but I think we all know by now that any approach to reducing “gun violence” by going after modern sporting rifles isn’t going to stop there. From the host of new “gun-free zones” to raising the fees and associated costs to obtain a concealed carry license, blue states from California to New York that are dominated by anti-2A politicians like Friedman are cracking down on legal gun ownership, but are often turning a blind eye to the actions of violent criminals.

Why weren’t these red-shirted moms protesting outside of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office instead of marching by Burbank gun shops, where every purchase goes through a background check and ten-day waiting period, and “assault weapons” aren’t available for sale because California’s already banned them? Gascon is routinely refusing to use sentence enhancements when guns are used in violent crimes, and just a few weeks ago initially declined to charge a man allegedly caught with two stolen pistols who had reportedly made online threats against a local school.

Advertisement

A California suspect who allegedly posted threats against a school on social media and was allegedly caught carrying stolen guns almost escaped criminal charges under Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon, according to police.

“On March 21, 2023, the filing District Attorney at Downey Superior Court initially rejected the entire case, stating they needed additional information regarding the criminal threat,” Bell Gardens police said in a statement.

Police said the unnamed suspect is an adult who was allegedly carrying two stolen pistols, body armor, high-capacity magazines and ammunition when police arrested him, but the social media company had not yet turned over information requested by detectives.

The delay prompted the local police chief to go directly to the Democrat DA’s office.

“Upon receiving the temporary reject, Bell Gardens Police Chief Scott Fairfield contacted the District Attorney’s Office and demanded a second review of the case,” police said in a statement. “Inconsistencies and issues with the DA’s office were addressed.”

After the conversation, Gascon’s office filed three felony weapons charges against the potential school shooter: possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school, having a concealed firearm in a vehicle and carrying a loaded handgun.

As the National Shooting Sports Foundation opined at the time, “Gascon has dutifully parroted all the gun control platitudes,” but when it “comes to holding criminals accountable, he bails.”

Advertisement

In 2021, DA Gascón defended a diversion program that allowed criminal offenders to still have access to firearms. The state law allowed for criminals to stay off the prohibited persons list from crimes that were downgraded from felonies to misdemeanors, which included hate crimes, carrying a loaded firearm with the intent of committing a felony, transporting a machine gun, possession of a deadly weapon with intent to assault and assault with a deadly weapon.

He was forced to walk back his “no bail” policies last year as crime rates in Los Angeles skyrocketed. He praised Gov. Newsom for signing more gun control legislation even as he released amurderer from prison after serving only six years of a 50-year sentence. That prisoner was re-arrested within a week of release on gun and DUI charges.

Two Los Angeles police officers were shot and killed by gang members in 2022 after being released on downgraded charges by DA Gascón’s office. Those felony Firearm charges would have kept them locked up. Because of DA Gascón’s policy of not pursuing gun-related charges, they walked out to murder police.

Honestly, I don’t think the Mother’s Day marches by Moms Demand Action were about reducing “gun violence”. The mission of the gun control lobby is to end gun ownership altogether. “No more guns,” as Gabby Giffords recently said. If these protests were truly about public safety they wouldn’t be targeting gun shops but the prosecutors who are putting repeat violent offenders back on the street with little or no consequences. Instead, Gascon gets a pass while peaceable gun owners exercising a fundamental civil right are demonized and vilified. That’s not “common sense” or reasonable for anyone concerned about public safety, but I guess its emotionally appealing for the gun prohibitionists in our midst.

Advertisement

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Advertisement
Advertisement