I briefly mentioned the lobbying group Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) here. The group’s mission centers around enabling mayors to combat gun crime through the following stated principles:
- Punish – to the maximum extent of the law – criminals who possess, use, and traffic in illegal guns.
- Target and hold accountable irresponsible gun dealers who break the law by knowingly selling guns to straw purchasers.
- Oppose all federal efforts to restrict cities’ right to access, use, and share trace data that is so essential to effective enforcement, or to interfere with the ability of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to combat illegal gun trafficking.
- Work to develop and use technologies that aid in the detection and tracing of illegal guns.
- Support all local state and federal legislation that targets illegal guns; coordinate legislative, enforcement, and litigation strategies; and share information and best practices.
- Invite other cities to join us in this new national effort.
That’s all well and good, but the problem is that the group too often targets the rights of law-abiding gun owners. A prime example is MAIG’s opposition to H.R. 197: National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2009, which would allow individuals who have legally obtained a concealed carry permit in one state to carry concealed in another state. Specifically, Mayor Bloomberg stated “This bill would frustrate the efforts of nation’s police and encourage the activities of illegal gun traffickers. I encourage our elected leaders in Washington to swiftly defeat this bill.” This statement is, first and foremost, misleading and second it’s based on faulty logic.
If an individual has obtained a concealed carry permit in one state, he has intentionally gone through a legal, documented process to obtain a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Criminals are far less likely to go through a legal, documented process in order to carry lawfully in order to rob a convenient store or a bank. Furthermore, those who buy hand guns to carry legally are far more likely to go out of their way to also ensure the weapon they purchase and carry concealed was obtained legally. Therefore it could be countered that by increasing legally-obtained concealed carry permits, you decrease the number of illegally-obtained firearms and you also increase the amount of trace data available to law enforcement.
It’s also worth noting that an increase in issued driver’s licenses doesn’t increase the number of stolen cars each year. Just because there is a larger market for cars (more licensed drivers) doesn’t mean there is a larger market for illegal (stolen) cars.
I can appreciate and respect a mayor’s responsibility to maintain the safety of their citizens. However, in MAIG’s statement that mayors “are duty-bound to do everything in our power to protect our residents, especially our children, from harm” I see a huge potential for infringement on individual rights to lawfully own and carry a concealed weapon and in MAIG’s actions they have demonstrated that is exactly their intent.
MAIG has 386 mayors from 40 states. Mayor Allan Kauffman from Goshen Indiana is one of the latest to join, to the dismay of some of his residents. You can see if your mayor is a member here.
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