Booker: I’m not afraid of law-abiding gun owners
posted at 10:31 am on December 24, 2012 by Ed Morrissey
Allahpundit included a portion of this argument from Cory Booker in last night’s QOTD, but the video is worth watching at more length. The mayor of Newark and prospective US Senate candidate grabbed the panel’s attention by asking, ”I don’t know if anybody here has seen someone shot. I have.” In all of the shootings in his city, Booker says, only one was perpetrated by “a law-abiding citizen who is mentally stable and who bought a gun.” “I’m not afraid of law abiding citizens who buy a gun,” Booker declared, and called the entire issue “a false debate” (via JWF and Instapundit):
The Newark Star-Ledger followed up with a report on Booker’s surprising response, including his assertion that going after the guns of law-abiding citizens is the wrong approach:
Booker pushed for stronger background checks on people looking to purchase guns and said a key way to curb gun violence is to shut down secondary markets.
“I’m not afraid of law-abiding citizens who buy a gun,” he said. “Buy the guns you want. What the problem is in America right now is that a terrorist person who is on the no-fly list could go into the secondary market today and buy a weapon.”
“Criminals are killing people,” the mayor added. “Not law-abiding gun owners.”…
“Listen to me, the people dying in Chicago, the people dying in Newark are not being done with law-abiding gun owners,” Booker continued. “We do not need to go after the guns. A law-abiding mentally stable American, that’s not America’s problem.”
“We trace the weapons that come into my city,” the mayor added. “And when residents look to me and they say, ‘Stop the carnage, Cory,’ what I say is with the guns we’re tracing, I have no power to stop them coming into my city as (Chicago Mayor) Rahm (Emanuel) does them coming into Chicago. They’re coming from places that have free secondary markets where criminals and gun runners so easily buy weapons and pump them into communities like mine where it is easy for a person who is a criminal to get their hands on a gun.”
Most people I know don’t have an issue with background checks for gun purchases, either. I went through that for my carry permit, which in this state allows me to buy a firearm over the counter from a licensed dealer. I haven’t ever heard any gun-rights organization oppose background checks, although they have grumbled about waiting periods. Controls in “secondary markets” are a fair topic for debate, but sales at gun shows and by mail-order have to abide by the same laws as dealers for background checks; in fact, sales by mail must be concluded through a federally-licensed dealer, who conducts the already-required background checks. I’m assuming Booker means person-to-person sales and other transactions that are already below the radar and difficult to regulate, but I’m willing to hear him out.
But here’s the question: would any of that have stopped the Newtown Shooting? Aurora? Tucson? There may be room to argue that the restrictions on secondary markets need to be tightened to prevent guns from falling into the hands of criminals — but if it’s framed in the context of these events, then it is a false debate.
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as you should be Mr booker.
tom daschle concerned on December 24, 2012 at 1:52 PM
If EVER there was a reason to never ask your state for a CCW permit, THIS IS IT.
The libs are idiots.
I was thinking of getting mine…
FAT CHANCE NOW.
I will carry at my own discretion, according to the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.
FULL STOP.
cane_loader on December 24, 2012 at 1:54 PM
Addendum:
All burglars need to save the list printed by The Journal News.
You rob their houses, you will be shot to death, as you should be.
cane_loader on December 24, 2012 at 1:58 PM
Get a load of this crap: Intimidation: NY Newspaper Publishes Names, Addresses of Gun Permit Holders
petefrt on December 24, 2012 at 11:33 AM
the people associated with this paper need to be punished.
tom daschle concerned on December 24, 2012 at 2:05 PM
Freedom of Information Act.
Technically, what they did is legal.
What’s not clear is which foothold would be usable in a class-action lawsuit by the permit holders.
The FIA act is intended to keep government transparent in its action.
What is not clear is the degree to which personal information of PRIVATE CITIZENS who are forced, by statute, to interact with the government and divulge their personal info at gunpoint, no pun intended, in order to exercise their Second-Amendment rights, is fair game.
It’s time to review the FIA laws when it comes to revealing identifying info of citizens who do not want to interact with the government, but are forced to, due to compulsory statutory infringement of their right to bear arms….
The gun grabbers can’t be happy with this info release, because it just convinced a lot of people like me never to ask permission of my government to bear concelaed arms.
cane_loader on December 24, 2012 at 2:11 PM
This also is a screaming backhand endorsement of open carry.
cane_loader on December 24, 2012 at 2:12 PM
I’m not too worried about this in Louisiana, where we have some common sense as as far as guns.
But were I living in New York, I would be livid, and making some critical choices about non-violent resistance.
cane_loader on December 24, 2012 at 2:14 PM
ROTFLMAO…no, just used to be a demolitions contractor… I also think it is very important that people not have any false impressions when it comes to things like gun safes. Having a gun safe very often lures the individual with the gun safe into a sense of false security and complacency.
Please don’t get the misunderstanding that I am trying to dissuade people from having a gun safe, I am not. Gun safes serve a very specific and important function. I just feel it is very important that people know what that function is and what it is not.
Every responsible gun owner should have a gun safe, but, gun safes, like locks are designed to keep the honest honest. The primary purpose of a gun safe, is to keep children and other members of your own household who are not authorized to have or use your firearm from obtaining access to that firearm.
Locks and gun safes only slow down determined criminals.
SWalker on December 24, 2012 at 2:15 PM
Buried in the comments under that article:
unclesmrgol on December 24, 2012 at 2:16 PM
First they came for the
JewsNew York CCW permit holders….cane_loader on December 24, 2012 at 2:16 PM
This is why I think that classroom gun safes are a solid compromise option that would actually have a chance of getting some lib support.
I took a lot of abuse the other day for this, but I would rather have half a loaf, when it comes to having no more deaths like Victoia Soto, than insist on the full loaf and get none due to cloudy liberal thinking.
cane_loader on December 24, 2012 at 2:18 PM
I don’t give a damn about the legality of publishing the names and addresses of the legal permit holders, that isn’t the point. the godless left is using intimidation against the law abiding citizens. they need to be punished
tom daschle concerned on December 24, 2012 at 2:18 PM
While i guess it might seem a tad unnerving at first, I think ultimately I’d wear it as a badge of honor (being outed as a registered gun owner)….Granted, it may spur someone to break into your home to steal the gun, but I think far more likely it will persuade bad guys to break into your neighbors that don’t have guns…
Tim Zank on December 24, 2012 at 2:19 PM
Yours too? Maybe there’s hope for their generation yet. My 17 and 13 yr old are both huge classic rock fans.
Nutstuyu on December 24, 2012 at 2:25 PM
Reading the map of CCWs, it looks like my pals and I oughta take a cruise on I-95 east and also Highway 15 and rob till our trunks are full of loot.
Almost no CCW permits there.
Thanks, Journal, for the crime spree map :-)
cane_loader on December 24, 2012 at 2:30 PM
Libs have a pretty clear choice now.
Teachers have in loco parentis responsibility, and are the last line of defense in the classroom.
Do they trust the teacher enough to be a last-ditch firewall to save their kids’ lives?
Libs, feel free to discuss.
cane_loader on December 24, 2012 at 2:35 PM
Only if the safes are moved to a central storage area after hours. Schools are one of the most burglarized places on earth — all that expensive electronic equipment left about just for the taking…
unclesmrgol on December 24, 2012 at 2:38 PM
So are we now ready to except a gun Obamacare/aftermarket 3000 page loophole filled gun bill that say, Chuck Schemer is appointed to decide what it says?
IMO, this is just a ruse to drop our guard. Never trust a liberal, (particularly when they appear to agree with you,) or anyone who would still be attacked to the democrat socialist banner.
Perhaps he’s just setting up the left’s fall-back position if they can’t get it all with this socialist media frenzy setting the table for them.
We heard all of this “we don’t want to take away the good guy’s gun baloney, since before JFK was gunned down. It’s okay for the Alinsky “any means to an end” crowd to lie their little souls off.
Nothing has changed unless you can now trust your government to protect your freedoms and the constitution? Ask the pre-borns how that’s working out for them.
Don L on December 24, 2012 at 2:41 PM
Cory Booker said
but our government is; hence, we have the 2nd Amendment
skanter on December 24, 2012 at 2:42 PM
Get a load of this crap: Intimidation: NY Newspaper Publishes Names, Addresses of Gun Permit Holders
Maybe they should print a list of the FBI’s terror watch list,released criminals, pedophiles and muslims.
Then the licensed, legal gun owners will know why they have them.
Twana on December 24, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Thats nice Mr. Booker. How is it that Newark NJ’s crime problem is my problem? Perhaps you ought to look to the culture in your fair city first before banning tools and looking to take away my rights.
It appears a crazy guy in NY state just murdered two firefighters and a cop, an ex-felon (for murder no less). So much for strict gun laws in NY state. Oh, but lets blame all the guns in NYC, NJ, and Chicago on “secondary markets”. Yet the federal government will let guns walk to drug cartels in Mexico and give guns to rebels in Libya and now Syria.
On the CCW info release, the press tried that in Oregon, Sheriffs and the public put a stop to it.
oryguncon on December 24, 2012 at 3:23 PM
Meanwhile: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/23/mike-crapo-dui_n_2357148.html
libfreeordie on December 24, 2012 at 3:44 PM
libfreeordie on December 24, 2012 at 3:44 PM
you moral degenerates need to stick together!
tom daschle concerned on December 24, 2012 at 3:48 PM
I saw that. Too bad Chuck schumer is so busy minding people’s business in other states. The perp spent 18 years in prison for killing his grandmother, been on parole for 8 years, reads the 24/7 coverage on Newtown and says to himself, “Hey, why not me?” I would like to know what weaponry he used. Hi cap mags had nothing to do with this one.
a capella on December 24, 2012 at 4:07 PM
It’s OK, he was just buzzed.
claudius on December 24, 2012 at 4:10 PM
Today we had another killing in upstate new York.A criminal set a fire and then open fire on the fireman killing 2 and wounding 2.The first words out of the news media mouth.Was he using a assault weapon?If we had a gun band would this have happen?Maybe or maybe not.Then we find out this person a hard core criminal.A long list of violent crimes ending with the violent death by his hands of his grand mother some time in the eighties.Sometime later he was paroled. WHY IN GOD NAME WAS HE LET OUT??? One thing is for damn sure if he was still in jail for the murder these fireman would still be alive.All of you liberal politician in New York.Keep your murders lock up before you start running your mouths about take my second amendments rights away.
logman1 on December 24, 2012 at 4:14 PM
Liberals
And you don’t have to shout. We can hear you just fine.
cozmo on December 24, 2012 at 4:16 PM
(cozmo) Very sorry for the shouting my friend.
logman1 on December 24, 2012 at 4:27 PM
I’m sure if he thinks about it real hard he’ll see the error of his words. Hint, hint.
claudius on December 24, 2012 at 4:42 PM
I am opposed to ANY measure that further restricts to buy anything gun related.
The DOJ needs to start by prosecuting Greg from NBC for unlawful possession of that 30 round magazine.
TX-96 on December 24, 2012 at 5:14 PM
whatever
It’s news when a Dem says something sensible now
Slade73 on December 24, 2012 at 5:33 PM
Pathetic thread hijack attempt duly noted.
As for your link, I didn’t bother going there, because I get allergic smelling hay.
Now back to the subject at hand-please explain to us why under Dear Leader, gun prosecutions have declined by a whopping 45%?
Del Dolemonte on December 24, 2012 at 5:59 PM
Booker wil be changing his stance in a couple of days after pressure from his party. If he doesn’t, I will have more respect for him.
TheLoudTalker on December 24, 2012 at 6:17 PM
.
Because crimes commited with guns, have dropped that much.
Our “Dear Leader” is that good !
(what the . . . . . why did my nose just shoot way out there, like that?)
listens2glenn on December 24, 2012 at 6:49 PM
…then stop pushing to take my gun and magazines.
TX-96 on December 24, 2012 at 6:51 PM
Seems like kind of an infringement.
Buddahpundit on December 24, 2012 at 7:22 PM
lol….hat tip Eva Gabor.
Tim_CA on December 24, 2012 at 7:25 PM
Except burglary / theft is the chief way criminals get firearms in the first place, not this ‘gunshow loophole’ red herring.
rayra on December 24, 2012 at 7:34 PM
WRONG-O, cane_loader, teacher have in loco parentis POWER. Power to compel and indoctrinate and shame. They don’t want the responsibility or actually teaching kids the necesary basics or history or civics, or rational responsibility about anything. Thus the ‘zero tolerance’ policies.
rayra on December 24, 2012 at 7:37 PM
“They’re coming from places that have free secondary markets where criminals and
gun runnersEric Holder so easily buy weapons and pump them into communities like mine where it is easy for a person who is a criminal to get their hands on a gun.”FTFY Cory
roy_batty on December 24, 2012 at 8:29 PM
For that newspaper in upstate NY that published the local gun-permit list, the best payback would be to stake “Gun Free Home” signs in the front yards of the Publisher, Editors and Reporters.
Another Drew on December 24, 2012 at 8:43 PM
Epic!
roy_batty on December 24, 2012 at 9:26 PM
Texas and some other states passed a law making it illegal to make public the list of concealed carry license holders. It seems Ny is one the backwards states that has not yet done that.
juliesa on December 24, 2012 at 9:50 PM
Come in my house, break in – and you will meet a gun. Bottom line. I have a 12 guage Mossberg Assault, and two Kimber’s – a Golden Eagle and a ProCarry – You WILL meet one. Does NOT mean I am going to a school, a theatre, a mall – whatever – looking for someone to shoot. These MORONS on the Left have GOT to learn – a criminal is a criminal. Making the possession of a gun, a magazine, a HOLSTER illegal – will NOT stop a criminal – PERIOD!
PJ Emeritus on December 24, 2012 at 10:40 PM
Booker is correct. It’s not really a GUN control problem, it’s a CRIMINAL control problem.
Chicago had 190+ shootings in a month. The authorities there know if they arrested, tried and locked up about 100 particular gang members – all of whom have been arrested for violent crimes with weapons before, many MULTIPLE TIMES – the shooting rate in that city would plummet.
BUT THEY’LL NEVER DO THAT. Specifically TARGETING gang members is racist, and liberal cities will NEVER do it. So they will continue the insane revolving-door policies that put violent criminals back on the street fast.
LIBERALS BUILT THIS BROKEN JUSTICE SYSTEM. But they don’t want any BLAME for the results of that system being broken. So they have become masters of scape-goating by constantly bringing up the GUN when some crook or crazy person they failed to lock up kills people.
They CAN’T allow the discussion to be about their broken system. They defend that system. They built it. They own it. It’a a compassionate system. IT’S THE BEST SYSTEM. So they can’t let you wingnutz criticize it for putting some violent criminal out there to commit further violent crimes.
What better way to keep the subject off THEIR failures than by insisting the discussion focus on that wingut fixation: GUNS. How dare you! How dare you still stand up for the 2nd Amendment after some crook they let walk kills more people!
They craftily and artfully get away with doing this every single time. The bureaucrats that created the broken justice system and the MSM deliberately seek to make the national conversation about something that reflects badly on the RIGHT, not the Left. And that means the national conversation MUST be about guns, not criminals or crazies.
Here’s a real life example of a broken justice system: I lived in the Virgin Islands for 7 years. One of my friends there had a relative who was a cop that was killed in a shooting this year.
The officer, Colvin George, was shot by a criminal who had just been arrested the previous month with drugs and a handgun. In April this crook was caught with a weapon. In May he shot Colvin Georges and another officer.
What kind of a system lets a dangerous drug dealer walk in less than a month? A broken one!
And note this: they handgun the guy was caught with in April WASN’T the same one he had in May. He simply went out and got himself ANOTHER gun.
That’s what they are doing in places like Chicago. They catch these guys with guns, take the guns away, let them go after a brief time, and the first thing these guys do is go get themselves another gun.
I can’t help but wonder how many times in places like Chicago or the USVI has the SAME CRIMINAL had multiple GUNS taken off of him at various arrests?
Rather than examine what THEY are doing that is not working, the Liberal bureaucrats look for a SCAPEGOAT to relentlessly ATTACK to keep attention OFF of their failures.
WHY do they get away with it? WHY does this clever – and insidious – strategy ALWAYS work?
manofaiki on December 24, 2012 at 11:05 PM
Criminals don’t usually prosecute other criminals, especially if those other criminals serve to advance their agenda.
bgibbs1000 on December 25, 2012 at 7:59 AM
Ed,
You, Booker and all of us who value the Second Amendment are right–The problem isn’t gun-ownership by law-abiding citizens, it’s criminality and mental illness. We can’t solve either of those problems. The best we can do with criminals is to impose very lengthy prison terms without parole for people committing violent crimes with guns. We have no meaningful, constitutional way to prevent or control “mental illness.” If we were to have an effective means of preventing mental illness, the Progressive/Socialist/Leftist movement would disappear and Obama wouldn’t have even been elected. It’s the Progressivives/Socialists/Collectivists and similarly totalitarian philosphies that specialize in “re-education” to remedy what they deem “mental illness.” But the real mental illness is the anti-liberty/anti-individuality philosophy that makes large numbers of people prefer having someone else take care of them and thus enables small number of elites willing to oblige the large number of people seeking, indeed, craving, such “care.”
Jim Wrenn on December 25, 2012 at 8:27 AM
He keeps walking off the liberal plantation only to be whipped back in line shortly after. When left to his own thoughts the guy is a closet Republican.
MarkT on December 25, 2012 at 8:32 AM
Actually, if he had been treated as God intended, there would have been no way for him to kill again.
Sounds like the firemen were a victim of “liberal justice”. Tell me again how this is morally superior…?
dominigan on December 25, 2012 at 8:49 AM
Miss Kitty Weighs In On The Assault Weapons Ban a/k/a The Prohibition On Certain Guns With Cosmetic Changes That Make Them Look Skeery And Are Painted Skeery (And Racist!) Black Act of 1994
Resist We Much on December 25, 2012 at 10:06 AM
Back in the day the understanding was that locks and such only kept honest people honest. The crook will find a way.
davidk on December 25, 2012 at 11:26 AM
You just keep saying that, mister mayor.
Maybe the law abiding citizens will eventually trust you.
Or not.
listens2glenn on December 25, 2012 at 11:48 AM
He was a FELON, who was prohibited from coming into contact with firearms.
Why, why, why won’t criminals obey gun control laws? /
Resist We Much on December 25, 2012 at 4:25 PM
Posted eleswhere:
Fake8 on December 25, 2012 at 5:00 PM
Imagine for a moment ..
what if Adam Lanza’s Bushmaster was a “Fast and Furious” weapon ?
J_Crater on December 26, 2012 at 2:28 PM
Correct. It requires a special self-delusion to tow the liberal line on gun control. Booker mistakenly thinks that plain-speech will make him a better candidate. But it makes him a poorer Democrat.
This may be why, being ill themselves, leftists cannot recognize illness in those around them who will pick up a gun and act out their inner troubles.
virgo on December 26, 2012 at 3:18 PM
I’m personally not against person to person sales being conducted through an FFL dealer. I’ve done it many times through the mail. I have a local dealer, a regular guy that conducts the transactions at his home and receives a small fee for providing the service. Usually takes about 5 minutes since I have concealed carry permit and have already been through the background check, printed and the rest. If this would help keeps the wolves at bay, it would be a very small concession to make.
BrianA on December 27, 2012 at 1:04 PM
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