OPINION | The opinions expressed in this article are that of the writer, and may not necessarily reflect those of Tatum Report LLC
When I was an active cop, I saw firsthand how prosecutors in left-leaning jurisdictions, even before George Soros began purchasing “non-prosecutors,” would not prosecute violators for existing gun law offenses. Officers would include VUFA (Violation of the Uniform Firearms Act) in the charging affidavit. But the prosecutors routinely dropped this charge.
How radical leftist, anti-gun, anti-cop folks can scream about getting new gun laws passed when they resolutely refuse to enforce current gun laws eviscerates any credibility they have on the issue.
If the radicals want to defund the cops, why do they want more laws? (Don’t get me started on Biden’s gifting of hundreds of thousands of arms to Afghan barbarians). And, simultaneously, the Left wants to infringe on the gun/self-defense rights of law-abiding Americans.
They let violent gun criminals go and want to prosecute peaceful gun owners.
Pause for a second… and… think… about… that.
One gun law Chicago passed is a city ordinance requiring people “convicted of a gun-related violence or illegal gun possession…” to register their home addresses annually. The Crime Report says, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, “it’s rare that anyone is punished for failing to comply, and most cases are actually dismissed in court.”
It’s not a matter of the cops not doing their jobs. “Chicago police officers arrested hundreds of people for violating the city’s gun-offender registration ordinance….” So, cops are arresting gun criminals, and prosecutors and judges are letting them go. So, you tell me, where are the weak links in the criminal justice system?
Once again, Chicago’s tragic mayor, Lori Lightfoot, blames the lack of gun crime prosecutions on what has become the Democrat’s convenient standby excuse: the CCP virus.
Radical leftist prosecutors will not prosecute violent criminals who violate existing gun laws by committing violent crimes with firearms. But they will pass new gun laws to prosecute peaceful people who violate laws that infringe on the Second Amendment.
How can we reconcile this disconnect? By listening to people like former Detroit Police Chief James Craig. Although, he told Tucker Carlson, “I am running,” he has formed an “exploratory committee” for a possible (probable) run to save Michiganders from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s tyranny. In the NRA magazine, America’s 1st Freedom, David Burnett takes a look, with Chief Craig, at the “real problem” behind gun crime: it’s not the gun; it’s the criminal.
To wax cliché, the chief truly walks the walk and talks the talk. Not only was he a powerful advocate for enforcing current gun laws against violent gun criminals but also, he landed on Americans’ radar by encouraging Detroit’s law-abiding citizens to arm themselves and apply for concealed carry permits.
Chief Craig knows what Dr. John Lott wrote about in his book of the same title: “More Guns, Less Crime,” is true. That equation just makes sense—well, to lucid thinkers. I often ask people, “Would you rather have a gun and not need it or need a gun and not have it.”
This scenario is what the chief’s talking about: You’re in your home reading in bed. Your spouse works nights, so it’s up to you to protect your three young children sleeping down the hall. Suddenly, you hear a strange sound. You dismiss it as the house creaking or an animal outside. The next sound you hear is unmistakable. Pounding at the backdoor. You think about your children. You must protect them. At this moment, that’s your only job.
You look at the phone on the nightstand. You call the police. Now, what? The banging is getting louder, and the police are likely, at least, four minutes away—if you’re lucky. With all the defund the police and police leaving over lack of support, who knows?
You dash down the hall, wake up the kids, and collect them in one room. You hide with your children in a closet or behind a bed. You try to keep the kids quiet, but your three-year-old will not cooperate. The crashing after the last pounding you heard tells you someone who should not be is in your home. How long before they find you?
You hear footsteps in the hall outside the bedroom. The doorknob turns, and then a flash of light slices into the room. Someone is now inside the room with you and your children. The police haven’t arrived yet. What’s your plan? You need a gun but don’t have one.
Or… after you call the police, you pull open the nightstand drawer or open your biometric gun safe. You withdraw your Glock 22 loaded with 15 .40 caliber rounds, each ready to do their jobs if it becomes necessary.
You scamper down the hall and collect your children into one room behind a bed. Your three-year-old is crying. You put him between your older children, who are behind you crouched in a corner. Your eyes are locked like laser beams on the bedroom door. If the door opens and evil walks through that door, you can protect your children. You have an effective plan.
If the police arrive and the criminal(s) runs before doing any harm, great: you had a gun and didn’t need it. But, if the police don’t arrive in time (which is usually what happens and is obviously not a knock on the cops, just harsh reality), and the intruder threatens you and your children, you won’t need a gun and not have one.
This is what Chief Craig knows and put into practice as Detroit’s top cop. He encouraged his citizens to arm themselves, get trained, and obtain a concealed carry permit. And, if you’re wondering if his foray into politics has dampened the chief’s feelings about gun rights, David Burnett asked if “his opinion changed since then.” Chief Craig said, “It has not.”
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Originally from New England, he’s a Boston sports fan. He now lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, Jody, a retired firefighter. He enjoys spending time with his adult kids and three grandchildren.
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