It’s not so much that the NRA was clairvoyant or anything like that. It’s just common sense. The more laws you have that clamp down on Americans’ freedoms to defend themselves, the more likely it is that there will be an increase in violence, and residents will have to depend on the police for protection in cases such as rioting and looting.
Of course, if the mayor instructs the police force to stand down while the rioting and looting are going on, then there’s not much that you can do except run and hide, if you’re not allowed to have firearms to protect yourself, or if the laws make it difficult to have firearms.
There is no doubt that if Baltimore residents and business owners lived in a place that respected the 2nd Amendment, these riots and lootings would be very different. Perhaps they wouldn’t have even happened in the first place.
At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing a couple years ago just after the Sandy Hook murders, NRA VP Wayne LaPierre as well as Baltimore Police Chief James Johnson testified. The Daily Caller reported:
Three advocates for additional gun control, one being Baltimore County Police Chief James Johnson, squared off against three proponents for the Second Amendment, including NRA’s Wayne LaPierre.
When asked by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, “We need the firepower and the ability to protect ourselves from our government” — from our government, from the police — “if they knock on our doors and we need to fight back.”
“Do you agree with that point of view?” Senator Durbin asked NRA executive VP Wayne LaPierre.
LaPierre initially responded, “I think without any doubt, if you look at why our founding fathers put it there, they had lived under the tyranny of King George and they wanted to make sure that these free people in this new country would never be subjugated again and have to live under tyranny.”
Then the NRA VP continued with a statement that has since been proven to be true in both Ferguson, Mo., and now Baltimore, Md.
“I also think, though, that what people all over the country fear today is being abandoned by their government. If a tornado hits, if a hurricane hits, if a riot occurs that they’re going be out there alone. And the only way they’re going protect themselves in the cold and the dark, when they’re vulnerable is with a firearm. And I think that indicates how relevant and essential the Second Amendment is in today’s society to fundamental human survival.”
Then Durbin turned to the chief and stated “Well, Chief Johnson, you’ve heard it.” He continued, “The belief of the NRA is the Second Amendment has to give American citizens the firepower to fight back against you, against our government.”
When LaPierre went to comment on the maligned statement by Senator Durbin he was cut off.
The Baltimore County police chief responded, “I find it to be scary, creepy. And it’s simply just not based on logic. Certainly, law enforcement across this nation is well-prepared to deal with any natural or man-made disaster that will occur. And, frankly, I just — I can’t relate to that kind of thinking.”
Baltimore, according to the chief, is prepared to deal a crisis such as the one that is currently going in the city.
They’ve been dealing with the riots and lootings…by not doing a whole lot. The mayor wanted to give the violent protesters “space” to do what they wanted. That actually wouldn’t have been that big of a deal if most people in the city owned and carried weapons of their own so that they could defend themselves, their businesses and other residents. What’s the point of having a police force, if they’re not allowed to protect the defenseless? If the police aren’t going to be used to protect the defenseless, then the state should legalize the 2nd Amendment.
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