The city of Denver decided that bump stocks are too dangerous for private citizens to own, despite years of private citizens owning them and absolutely nothing happening before Las Vegas. They passed a law within the city banning the ownership of the devices. They were bound and determined to crack down on such dangerous items.
It seems that their plan worked out well.
No bump stocks have been turned over to Denver authorities after the city banned the accessories used in last year’s mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed 58 people and injured hundreds.
Denver Police police last month invited city residents to turn in any bump stocks in their possession but Denverite reports that none have been handed over.
First is the fact that Denver had already banned so-called assault rifles. There’s not much point in owning a bump stock if you don’t have a weapon you can put it on.
Another is that even those who have modern sporting rifles despite the ban–the ban had a grandfather clause written in–and who had bump stocks may well have sold the items or given them to friends who live outside of the city. Why turn something into police when you can sell it and maybe recoup some of your costs? It’s not rocket science here.
But in a city the size of Denver, I’m willing to bet that more than a few bump stocks are in private hands and they’re not going anywhere. The truth is, gun owners are sick and tired of governments treating the mass shooters in the making. Those private hands weren’t responsible for Las Vegas. They’re tired of being treated like they were.
So, they decide to hold onto their bump stocks.
I’ve said before that I’m not a fan of bump stocks. I think they’re dumb toys designed for burning through a whole lot of ammo in a short period of time, but I also oppose any and all attempts to ban them, and not just because they’re pointless.
Because of that, I can’t blame people for not getting rid of any bump stocks they have. The right to keep and bear arms is a sacred right, one enshrined in the Second Amendment so it would be protected for all time. That includes anything that will make our firearms more effective, and while I don’t think a bump stock does that, it’s also not my decision. It’s not Denver’s decision either, though it made it anyway.
Those who are holding onto bump stocks within the city have made a decision. They’ve decided to hold the line. They’re not going to budge anymore because some anti-gun politicians got the vapors after someone did something bad. They weren’t responsible, and they’ll be damned if they’re going to allow themselves to be punished for something they didn’t do.
I can’t endorse that for what I’m sure are obvious reasons, but I also can’t say that I blame them.
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