Reason Magazine: "No."

Today, all across the country, adults who oppose the 2nd Amendment are herding school children out before cameras to pose with signs suggesting that the students oppose gun rights. Reason magazine has a thoughtful answer.
Where this lands us is that even if today's protesters get their way and legislators vote to impose restrictions on gun ownership and self-defense, that doesn't mean that those of us who value those rights will change our conduct. Statutes aren't like the law of gravity—we get to choose whether we're going to abide by them, or else actively oppose them and sabotage their enforcement....

The track record on disobeying such laws is very clear. Residents of Connecticut and New York defied requirements that they register their so-called "assault weapons." Gun owners in Colorado ignored mandates that they pass all their person-to-person sales through the background check system. Even the French and Germans flip the bird to laws that gun-haters can only dream of imposing in the United States, owning millions of illegal firearms that supporters of restrictions wish they didn't have.

Exercising your liberty in total contradiction to restrictive laws is a good thing, by the way. Nothing limits the power of the state like the outer boundaries of people's willingness to do what they're told. ...

I don't begrudge today's protesters their right to voice their opinions, even as they call for restrictions on my own rights. Their rights to free speech and free assembly are, after all, among the rights that aren't subject to popular opinion or debate. I even wish them good weather and a pleasant experience.

But they need to be aware that, just as I would never try to impose limits on their liberty, I and people like me will never submit to the restrictions that they demand.
The same people in favor of gun confiscation argue that immigration laws shouldn't be enforced by local police because the consequent refusal to talk to police will make policing that community impossible.


Anonymous said...

Meanwhile, out where the kiddies play,

high school students report that they are being required to attend the rallies, and as they report, incidentally disclosing their youth and lack of information and discernment about the issues.

Forcing children to attend political rallies in the US will backfire. Our children may be inexperienced, but they are not stupid. This will be a big, teachable moment for many of them, and the beginning of a move in the opposite direction intended by their indoctrinators.


Grim said...

The arrogance of these organizers is breathtaking.

douglas said...

One of mine was home sick today (legitimately), the other stayed in class, and said most of those who went to the LAUSD approved alternate on-campus activities were just going to get out of class. They understand. Also, some clown apparently popped some of the balloons used to decorate the event- I think you understand the juvenile 'appeal' of this. While I disapprove of that, I think it's worth noting that it doesn't seem to signal real support.