Richards makes many good points. I agree with him on a lifetime firearms ban for people who commit crimes using firearms and/or gun crimes linked to gang membership. I also agree with him on forming a firearms smuggling task force. I also agree with him to end to automatic bail for gang members.
But the philosophical underpinnings of his arguments quickly lead to solutions that real life experiences and research conclude will not make us safer and are part of new wave of ‘parasitic’ political strategy based on fear and misunderstanding.
Let’s compare gun violence in the USA vs. the UK. The US has it written in its constitution that citizens have a right to bear arms. This constitutional right has resulted in an entrenched belief that it is not weapons that kill people but people that kill people. This cognitive distortion misses an obvious common sense conclusion; if assault weapons weren’t readily sold to anyone with money, most of the people that commit mass murders would not have the capabilities to do so using this class of weapons.
Then you have the UK that bans all weapons other than registered recreational firearms. Unlike the US, the police don’t even carry weapons, their murder rates per capital are miniscule compared to the US and the majority of people don’t believe it is their right to carry one of the most deadly technologies in human history.
Canada seems to have found an adequate compromise in controlling firearm violence but I agree that more work needs to be done.
Where I have the biggest issue with/have the strongest reaction to is preying on people’s fears of safety to attack a common sense method for gun control. By banning assault weapons we give the police an additional tool to keep us safe, this option will not stop someone from going to a gun range to get the rush of shooting assault weapons and it does not stop a hunter from enjoying this hobby and/or providing food for his or her family.
I don’t use words like ‘parasitic politics’ lightly and the PC party is not the only party using these tactics but to state the Liberals are “…focusing on punishing law-abiding Canadians” by banning assault weapons is ridiculous. Mr. Blake, your party has some good ideas; please focus on more constructive ways to get these ideas implemented.
- Dan Cunin
