John Lott: The folly of "red flag" gun laws

[KLB]

John Lott addressing red-flag gun laws:

These laws may damage trust between people. In the absence of a Red Flag law, a person contemplating homicide or suicide might speak to a friend or family member and be dissuaded from that course of action. But now there may be a fear that the authorities will be tipped off and restrict the person’s ability to defend themselves and their family. The result may be that such individuals don’t seek help and go on to kill themselves or others.

Liberals understand this point when it comes to something like AIDS. they know that the threat of quarantining may discourage infected people from seeking medical help. But they seem unaware that the threat of leaving people defenseless might engender similar problems.

Despite the sacrifices, the evidence shows no benefits from these laws. Looking at data from 1970 through 2017, Red Flag laws appear to have had no significant effect on murder, suicide, the number of people killed in mass public shootings, robbery, aggravated assault or burglary. There is some evidence that rape rates rise. These laws apparently do not save lives.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/20 ... -gun-laws/

[joe817]

Thanks for posting this KLB! This article should be read in the Halls of Congress!

[bblhd672]

Thanks for posting this KLB! This article should be read in the Halls of Congress!

Lol...Rarely these days do our elected officials consider facts, agenda is the most important thing to them. That and getting re-elected.

[crazy2medic]

Thanks for posting this KLB! This article should be read in the Halls of Congress!

Lol...Rarely these days do our elected officials consider facts, agenda is the most important thing to them. That and getting re-elected.

I truly believe they have no intent to actually save anybody, these laws exist to simply disarm the peasants anyway possible, using any excuse possible, otherwise the facts would reign supreme! You cannot subjugate an armed populace!

[devgrew]

Thanks for posting this KLB! This article should be read in the Halls of Congress!

Lol...Rarely these days do our elected officials consider facts, agenda is the most important thing to them. That and getting re-elected.

I truly believe they have no intent to actually save anybody, these laws exist to simply disarm the peasants anyway possible, using any excuse possible, otherwise the facts would reign supreme! You cannot subjugate an armed populace!

Absolutely. It's just another excuse to infringe the right of the people to keep and bear arms. Same with Bonnen blowing smoke up our kilts this week.

[skeathley]

Red Flag laws also have the "extremely important" benefit of allowing politicians to demonstrate to snowflakes that they are actually doing something about gun violence. After all, all the gun laws (and then some) that might actually stop criminals are already in place, and have been for decades. The politicians have to do something to placate the snowflakes. The fact that new laws don't work is irrelevant. As is usually the case, this is just political theater, or per Shakespeare, "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing".

[WildRose]

Thanks for posting this KLB! This article should be read in the Halls of Congress!

Lol...Rarely these days do our elected officials consider facts, agenda is the most important thing to them. That and getting re-elected.

I truly believe they have no intent to actually save anybody, these laws exist to simply disarm the peasants anyway possible, using any excuse possible, otherwise the facts would reign supreme! You cannot subjugate an armed populace!

The average leftwinger in this country lives in fear of their fellow law abiding citizens and fears us even more. Their leadership hide behind "but think of the children", "what about all the women victims", and my personal favorite "public safety" but in reality they are completely bent on disarming us all so as to eliminate the biggest long term threat to their power.

If even 10% of the population is armed and willing to resist oppression it cannot stand.

[WildRose]

John Lott addressing red-flag gun laws:

These laws may damage trust between people. In the absence of a Red Flag law, a person contemplating homicide or suicide might speak to a friend or family member and be dissuaded from that course of action. But now there may be a fear that the authorities will be tipped off and restrict the person’s ability to defend themselves and their family. The result may be that such individuals don’t seek help and go on to kill themselves or others.

Liberals understand this point when it comes to something like AIDS. they know that the threat of quarantining may discourage infected people from seeking medical help. But they seem unaware that the threat of leaving people defenseless might engender similar problems.

Despite the sacrifices, the evidence shows no benefits from these laws. Looking at data from 1970 through 2017, Red Flag laws appear to have had no significant effect on murder, suicide, the number of people killed in mass public shootings, robbery, aggravated assault or burglary. There is some evidence that rape rates rise. These laws apparently do not save lives.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/20 ... -gun-laws/

More common sense from Jon Lott which will of course be rejected and demonized.

[Deltaboy]

Red Flag laws violate my right to due process, Innocent to Proven guilty by a council of my peers and my Right to Bear Arms!

[WildRose]

Thanks for posting this KLB! This article should be read in the Halls of Congress!

Lol...Rarely these days do our elected officials consider facts, agenda is the most important thing to them. That and getting re-elected.

I truly believe they have no intent to actually save anybody, these laws exist to simply disarm the peasants anyway possible, using any excuse possible, otherwise the facts would reign supreme! You cannot subjugate an armed populace!

Unfortunately there's a whole lot of truth in this. Same with mandatory gun liability insurance and punitive taxes on guns and ammunition.

They are all backhanded ways to circumvent the 2nd Amendment because they know there's no chance to real it unless and until lawful gun ownership levels fall below about 20%.

The higher the percentage of the public that doesn't grow up enjoying firearms the more likely their offspring are to support draconian gun laws and repeal of the 2nd.

The left learned long ago that incrementalism is the way to achieve massive change.