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Surprising article in Chicago Tribune
"When a rash of gun murders takes place, it makes sense for the police to do one of two things: renew tactics that have been effective in the past at curbing homicides, or embrace ideas that have not been tried before. But those options don't appeal to Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis. What he proposes instead is a crackdown on assault weapons.
I'm tempted to say this is the moral equivalent of a placebo—a sugar pill that is irrelevant to the malady at hand. But that would be unfair. Placebos, after all, sometimes have a positive effect. Assault weapons bans, not so much. ..."
It's gotten 167 comments, and I think I see a few readers in there.... and one from "A Fed":
"First, let me note that I'm a federal prosecutor, but that my opinions are my own, and not necessarily those of the DOJ. However, I come to this debate with more than thirty years in law enforcement. Mr. Chapman is absolutely correct on virtually every point in his article.
The notion of heaping nonsensical restrictions on law-abiding citizens whose primary interest is in protecting themselves and their families has been tried and has failed miserably. In every instance, the effect has been to diminish citizens' constitutional rights, render law-abiding men and women defenseless, and empower human predators to wreak havoc.
The true answer to violence in our society would be complex and difficult. It would require intellectual honesty and genuine commitment on the part of politicians to tackle the real issues of poverty, a failed education system, racial discrimination, and more. However, that is apparently too difficult. So, they return to the intellectually dishonest, facile tactic of misleading the public about guns, engaging in scare tactics to make it appear as though they care. Meanwhile, they ignore the fact that restrictions on guns, ownership, and the right to self-defense have actually contributed to making Chicago a more dangerous place.
I had high hopes when Mr. Weis came to the CPD. Now, it appears, he joins the ranks of public officials who have failed us."
Hat tip to readers Blake and Ambiguous...
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4 Comments | Leave a comment
The encouraging aspect of articles like this is that there are actually articles like this in the mainstream press.
Just a few years ago it was nearly impossible to find any article or opinion piece that questioned strict firearms laws.
It appears that common sense and logic are breaking out all over the place.
This was also up at reason today. Chapman writes from a libertarian viewpoint, so it isn't surprising to read this from his pen.
"A fed" still wants to go with central planning and imposition of restrictions from above, and that is what created the problem /this/ time, IMO.
What's coming from above is what is keeping the citizens from dealing with the problems at the local level.
"The true answer to violence in our society would be complex and difficult. It would require intellectual honesty and genuine commitment on the part of politicians to tackle the real issues of" the perverse incentives which foster dependency and reward failure built into the welfare state (by design, I might add). We must return to a value system whereby the vast majority of children are raised in intact two-parent homes (and mean heterosexual couples btw) if we hope to make any serious reduction in violent crime. Young males are not socialized properly and turn to crime, dope, gangs and violence all for the want of real authentic male guidance from their fathers. The rest is effect and not cause.