The state of Massachusetts has long had some of the most restrictive gun control laws in the entire nation. They require things like permits to purchase a firearm and heavily restrict magazines and so-called assault weapons.

All of those, we’re told, will keep bad people from doing bad things.

I don’t think it worked.

A Randolph man who held a gun to a woman’s head Sunday is being held without bail pending a Nov. 4 dangerousness hearing, according to Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden.

Anthony Jackson, 23, was charged Monday in Dorchester with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, threats and various firearm offenses, including illegal possession of large-capacity magazines and possessing a firearm with a defaced serial number

Nah, that can’t be.

I mean, gun control laws actually impact criminals, so Jackson couldn’t have gotten a higher-capacity magazine (two, actually) or a firearm with a defaced serial number, among other gun charges. It’s just not possible.

It’s almost as if gun laws in Massachusetts don’t actually work.

That can’t be right, though, because I have it on good authority that they do. I’ve seen the bogus studies “proving” that they do as well. It simply cannot be that the kind of person who would put a gun to a woman’s head would also be able to obtain illegal firearms and banned magazines.

Or, and just hear me out, criminals don’t obey laws.

I know, I know. That’s just crazy talk and all that, but it is what it is.

It’s a shame that you can’t find more law-abiding criminals, now isn’t it?

And yet, that’s what gun control is seemingly predicated on; this idea that criminals will actually obey the law and jump through all legally required hoops in order to obtain a firearm, then just give up when the authorities deny them the ability to do so.

They really think the bad guys will just walk on down the street, kicking the odd rock in their path, and mutter “well, shucks.”

It ain’t how it works and it ain’t how it’s ever going to work.

Criminals don’t consider new gun control laws, either in Massachusetts or anywhere, because they’re not going to follow them anyway. Most guns aren’t obtained through lawful means or even lawful appearing means, like a straw buy. They’re stolen or bought on the black market more often than not, so just how is the state of Massachusetts going to stop that?

They’re not. There’s absolutely no law you can put in place to actually prevent this kind of thing from happening.

The kind of people who will put a gun to a woman’s head are the kind of people who will think nothing of buying a gun from their buddy without a license, background check, or anything else required, much less as to whether the gun has a serial number.

And yet, Massachusetts doesn’t appear to be on the verge of understanding this. It’s a shame, too, because there are good people in that state who deserve better than what they’re getting.