Sometimes the best way to look forward is to look backwards. While in the middle of doing some research on an unrelated topic, I ran into a letter that I found to be thought provoking. We’ve inched our way into February and regardless what the groundhog says, time is marching on into spring, unless of course we’re talking about the groundhog from New Jersey (too soon?). All of us have been sitting here with our crystal balls in our laps, looking into them with joyful bliss; “Ah, yesss, I see an opinion. An opinion from the Supreme Court…” 

By as many accounts as I’ve taken in, we’re expecting to hear back from the High Court on NYSRPA v. Bruen probably in June. Yes, we can get an opinion any day now, because the Supreme Court pretty much does what they want. Those of us acting to predict exactly how it’s going to go down might as well say “I see a cow on the roof of a cotton house.” Educated guesses? Sure. Speculation? Absolutely. Know how everything’s going to play out? Nope.

What I’m about to share is nothing new. It’s also not a shocker. In subcommittee  hearings for the Anti-Crime Program in 1965, I uncovered the following letter which might as well have been written yesterday.

POLICE DEPARTMENT, CITY OF NEW YORK, New York, N.Y., April 4, 1967.

Mr. NEAL Knox,

Editor.

Gun Week,

Sidney, Ohio.

 

Dear Mr. Knox: 

Attached are the press releases requested on the subject of crime statistics. The area included in the statistics of 654 homicides is the fire boroughs of the City of New York including the population of approximately eight million .

Attached is a table of homicides including the population, the number of homicides, and the rate per hundred thousand. Hand guns were used in 184 homicides in the city, 28.1 percent of the total as against 150 in 1965, of (33 homicides or a percentage of the previous year of 23.7.

A check with our statistical bureau has indicated that no licensed handguns were used in criminal homicides last year.

Sincerely,

JACQUES NEVARD,

Deputy Commissioner, Press Relations.

What drew my attention was that last line; “A check with our statistical bureau has indicated that no licensed handguns were used in criminal homicides last year.” How about that? In 1967, as momentum was building to railroad the country with the 1968 Gun Control Act, the NYPD reported that essentially their homicide “problems” were not attributed to the law abiding gun owner. Shocking.

Here we stand, how many infringements later? How many empty promises from the anti-freedom caucus? Things haven’t changed much in the half plus century.

As New York State and by extension New York City, along with the rest of the anti-freedom holdouts have to brace for impact, they can take comfort in that fun fact from 1967. We’re supposed to be safer and in a better place since all the so-called “gun control” laws have been enacted between ‘67 and now. Right? There’s no reason for the leadership in the Big Apple and the Empire State to fret. If the law abiding gun owner was not the problem then, clearly we won’t be now. How could we be with all those extra infringements?