Since the Oxford shooting in Michigan, anti-Second Amendment forces there have been on the attack.

They haven’t really accomplished much despite that.

It’s unsurprising since Michigan has a Republican-controlled legislature. Sure, they narrowly went for Biden–we could go into reasons for that, but that’s neither here nor there–but went for Trump in 2016. They’re the epitome of a swing state.

And a lot of people like their guns.

However, it seems that activists are bound and determined to get gun control there. If they can’t get it through the legislature, they want to put it on a ballot initiative.

A group of Michigan advocates seeking to curb gun violence launched an “exploratory committee” Monday to consider a 2024 ballot initiative that would impose firearm restrictions in Michigan.

End Gun Violence Michigan urged the GOP-led Michigan Legislature to pass meaningful gun reform in the coming months or face a possible petition initiative that would go around them. The group launched its efforts on the fourth anniversary of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida.

“We can do this; we can pass common sense gun reform that protects our communities and honors responsible gun owners,” said Bonnie Perry, bishop for the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan.

No, you can’t.

You can’t because there’s absolutely no such thing. You might as well legislate a unicorn for every taxpayer.

Gun control, by its very nature, treats law-abiding citizens as if they’re criminals, irresponsible, or some other negative feature you care to name. It cannot and will not “honor responsible gun owners.”

You can’t honor people by treating them as if they’re the problem. You simply can’t.

But, what about this ballot initiative?

Well, first, this is an exploratory committee. They’re simply considering whether or not this is something they can and want to do. It’s entirely possible that it never goes beyond this step right here.

Then, even if it does, it still has to pass.

The truth of the matter is that the pendulum is swinging against the gun control side, even in Michigan. While Oxford temporarily galvanized things for the anti-Second Amendment types, it didn’t last. People recognized that the guns weren’t the issue and that there was no point in penalizing law-abiding citizens for those actions.

Unless something weird happens between now and 2024–possible, but not exactly likely–it’s only going to keep swinging away from them.

Sure, they could still try and get it on the ballot, but an ignoble defeat could be devastating for their movement. It would be a public refutation of everything they claim, particularly about how the public is really behind them.

So if the current trend continues, I expect they’ll opt to drop it.

If not, well, we’ll deal with that when we get there. Either way, though, I don’t exactly see this becoming a thing as stuff currently stands.

Maybe I’m wrong and maybe it’ll pass, but then that ignites a court battle and if that goes to the Supreme Court, it’ll likely change the landscape of the entire nation with regard to gun laws, so honestly, they’re free to try.

I don’t see any way it works out well for them, though.