Democrats’ “assault by a thousand cuts” on the Second Amendment continued earlier this month as Connecticut became the fourth state to ban Glock pistols. But as Democrats make firearms the enemy instead of the violent individuals who use them to commit crimes, it is inevitably only law-abiding, responsible gun owners who will suffer.
On June 5, Connecticut Democrat Governor Ned Lamont signed House Bill 5043 into law, officially titled “An Act Prohibiting the Manufacture and Sale of Convertible Pistols.” The legislation, which is set to go into full effect on October 1 of this year, will see the Nutmeg State join California, Maryland, and New York in banning Glock pistols – the most produced and widely used handgun platform in history.
For those who may not be up to speed, these laws are just the latest in a long line of efforts to curtail the rights of Americans to purchase and possess certain types of firearms. In this particular case, these laws target striker-fired semi-automatic pistols.
Proponents of the bans point out that criminals have found a way to convert these firearms to full-auto by employing a device that essentially functions as an auto-sear that replaces the factory backplate on the pistol’s slide. This is the so-called “Glock switch” that you may have heard about in the news.
Despite the fact that the original equipment manufacturers have produced perfectly legal gun designs that have been in circulation for decades (nearly a half-century for Glock’s basic operating action) several states have swiftly moved to ban the purchase and ownership of these firearms.
This all makes perfect sense to the gun control crowd – never mind the fact that the overwhelming majority of American Glock owners do not convert their pistols to full auto or use them to commit violent crimes. And never mind the fact that it violates every principle of free enterprise to use government bans to penalize a company for a user modifying or misusing a product that complies with every regulatory standard.
According to this logic, it would be acceptable to, for instance, outlaw Tide pods because a few idiotic individuals on social media started an asinine trend of eating them. It would also be acceptable to ban the sale of sports cars because some people use them for street racing, or to ban powerful computers because some people use them for hacking.
In the case of bans on Glocks and other similar handguns, these new prohibitions outlaw entire classes of some of the most commonly owned, popular, inexpensive, and reliable firearms in circulation. Americans own literally tens of millions of these guns. Even a ban on the sale of new Glocks won’t take any of those currently in circulation out of circulation.
Moreover, if we’re being honest, most of the criminals converting Glocks to full auto aren’t acquiring them legally anyway.
But gun control statutes do not start from positions of logic, reason, reality, or fair accountability. They start from either raw emotion or disingenuous and deceptive efforts to dismantle the Second Amendment piecemeal. Governor Lamont’s recent comments on the new law – the typical uninformed boilerplate liberal talking points – are indicative of this approach:
“Our gun violence prevention laws need to keep up with what’s going on in the world as far as it relates to emerging technologies and the development of weapons that enable criminals to easily circumvent these laws with the intention of inflicting mass harm. This is a commonsense law that prioritizes public safety while respecting the rights of responsible gun owners. With the lack of action on gun violence prevention measures being passed by Congress, it is up to the individual states to enact laws like these.”
Of course, Governor Lamont conveniently forgets that full-auto conversions are already a felony at the federal level. But who would anti-gun politicians be if they were actually serious about combatting gun crime by enforcing current laws with robust vigor and consistent, uniform application? It’s far easier to grandstand and issue a blanket ban than to actually do the hard work of arresting, prosecuting, and imprisoning lawbreakers.
It’s sadly ironic that Connecticut – officially known as the “Constitution State” – has become one of the most ardently anti-gun states in the Union. This is particularly so given that the state has been the home to several of the biggest firearms companies in America – Colt, Winchester, Savage, Marlin, Mossberg, and Ruger to name a few, though Ruger has moved most of its facilities out of the state, including its corporate headquarters.
For gun owners, shooting sports enthusiasts, and champions of the Second Amendment, the burning question now is, “what happens next?” The answer is that, like a lot of firearms-related issues, ultimate adjudication will happen in the courts. As it stands today, multiple organizations have already filed suits in states with Glock bans in place. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has also indicated it will be bringing a legal challenge to Connecticut’s new law.
It seems that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) provides ample grounds to reverse these state-level gun bans, particularly given that the core issue in Heller was Washington, D.C.’s unconstitutional ban on handguns. The High Court specifically ruled that the Second Amendment protects “arms ‘in common use at the time’ for lawful purposes like self-defense” and arms that are “typically possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes.”
With tens of millions of Glock pistols and similar striker-fired semi-automatic pistols lawfully owned and ‘in common use’ by Americans, these Glock bans don’t appear to pass constitutional muster. Hopefully, we will see some firm and binding legal resolution regarding these arbitrary and unsound restrictions soon.
Connor Martin is a U.S. Marine and covers national policy issues.
Just like the Nazis did to German citizens , today’s Nazis aka democrats will eventually do to US if they ever get back in the whitehouse
Notice what the Governor said? “Our gun violence prevention laws”. So instead of going after the criminals( who illegaly posses the guns, most are Felons) they want to ban a firearm 99% of owners legally posses and use lawfully. This is just more Libtard nonsense to slowly disarm Americas law abiding gun owners. Which every Dictatorship must do to keep power. That’s why if they regain power, one of their first acts will be to rig the Supreme Court that will back their take over. Like the 3 women Libtards on there now.
Americans don’t give up your guns and rights without a fight.
The DemocRATS continue to assault our Second amendment rights any which way they can. Time for someone or company to take one of these states to court to get this “Glock” ban reversed before it is too late.
If anyone thinks the radical liberals aka Communists want to do what is best for we, the people, they are very wrong. They want to take away gun rights for citizens because it threatens their total dominance over us. All one has to do is watch and listen to what they selling. You can see the anger and hate in them. They accuse Trump of being another Hitler while they are the ones who are acting just like him. I recall the films of Hitler standing at the podium screaming and raising his hands. We Conservatives MUST get our selves to the polls to vote for other Conservatives or we are destroyed. Do not be apathetic or we will no longer be the country of the brave and the FREE!!!!
There is almost nothing the Democrats do that makes any sense at all. This is yet another example.
This is wrong in so many ways it defies all reason. Starting with the Constitution and continuing on down to common sense.
Meany people have adopted the idea that the government will take care of all of their needs from cradle to grave. So they blindly go along with anything.
Another example of government overreach. They are trying to bring Glock down the same way they did to Remington. Big Green was destroyed by holding the manufacturer responsible for the tragedy at Sandy Hook. That made no sense, and neither does this…
These corrupt laws will probably be stricken by SCOTUS but think of the time and money wasted in litigation. Of course, the state is using the TAXPAYERS’ money to litigate! CT has about the worst US Senator who cheered the ships running the Iran blockade!
Why is the Republican Partly continuing allowing enemies of our country (Democratic Party) to disarm the law biding legal American citizens! If the enemies of our country such as the Democratic Party and their allies continue to disarm arm the citizens of our country, they will take our country totally over! It is time to tell the full truth about the Democratic Party and their allies being enemies and that they do not care about the American people! Stop them now!
‘Round them up and take them’ will come next and FINALLY this country might see the TRUE meaning of the 2ndA put into play…God save this Republic and those that respect it and HIM.
What part of “shall not be infringed” do you Dem maroons not understand? Shall I have a 3yo explain it to you? ALL gun laws are unConstitutional!
Infringements on Bill of Rights guaranteed individual rights by politicians need to be declared a first degree felony to carry the penalty of the perpetrator permanently losing their own right to vote, to ever be elected again, and to purchase a firearm for themselves. This is the only way we will end this perpetual open season on constitutional rights. Any party that has 3 convictions for such felonies on their record should be removed from all ballots.
Men, and women, need to keep their guns. It’s our right as American citizens. Look at countries that let the government take their guns away. Now they have no defense when they stand against an evil, corrupt government or ruler. (The main purpose of the Second Amendment.)
They know they cannot get their dictatorship in place as long as we have guns. Notice how Democrats never go after Muslims or Islam? Cuz if they do they will get their heads cut off, for real.
The sadistically evil DamnoRATS are the ultimate ENEMY OF AMERICA. They put Illegals-FIRST and America-LAST. And these same DamnoRATS are arch enemies of ALL law-abiding American citizens, hardworking taxpayers, and all common sense Americans.
Next we will see Law Enforcement being ordered to collect guns from law abiding citizens and arrest those who do not comply.
Without guns, we, the citizens of the United States of America, cannot defend ourselves against a government that seeks to enslave us. The second amendment is not only for us to protect ourselves against criminals, it is so we can protect ourselves against a government that has become tyrannical. The dems want power and control, but they are afraid of a citizenry that can fight back. The democrat party needs to be outlawed because it does not support and defend the constitution. How can they take the oath of office when they are lying through their teeth when they promise to uphold the law. Why do people continue to support anti-America socialists/communists? Because they have been indoctrinated through the public school system. That system needs to be razed and a new, better system needs to be built. But it will never happen when you have democrats in positions of power in the government. STOP VOTING FOR DEMOCRAPS!!!
Connecticut……Grew up there and LEFT TO GO INTO THE USN!! NEVER WENT OR GOING BACK TO THIS BACK ASSWARD SEWAGE PIT! They rate perfectly with caliTAXfornia, oregon and washington state…..
those states are probably pissed that glock won’t jump through their hoops to hire DEI people.
“Our main agenda is to have all guns banned of course. We must use whatever means possible. It doesn’t matter if you have to distort facts or even lie. Our task of creating a socialist America can only succeed when those who would resist us have been totally disarmed.”—Sarah Brady
What is funny about this is that if they tried to take these guns from law abiding citizens it would a FAFO situation!
Will the courts decide this in favor of the second amendment? Of course not. That means they would rule for the constitution and common sense. And the democrats are against both of these principles. They are against laws and law and order, pro criminals, against the second amendment of the constitution because that would mean law and order and they want chaos. The old Wild West but instead of white man versus red man it is black against white and the white will be the losers this time. Will their be an Abraham Lincoln in our future to stop this civil war or are we going to suffer another 150 years of this like the blacks have had to endure from the democrats since1863. Remember Lincoln was a Republican. Can Trump be this president like Lincoln? It’s up to the people to decide, TODAY.
When the democrats use the term “Common sense” in any thing they propose you know it is an oxymoron.
democrats and common sense sense, no such thing!
We KNOW that these malicious politicians don’t care about their oaths to protect and defend the constitution. If they did they wouldn’t be doing stupid, unconstitutional things like they do. Here’s what the 2nd amendment says and means to me and probably to you too.
2nd Amendment: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
What part of “The People” and “shall not be infringed” don’t the politicians understand?
Points:
1. If you have to ask permission to buy any brand or kind of arm (weapon), your right to keep and bear arms has been infringed.
2. If they can tell you what type of weapon you can buy or how much ammunition it will hold, your right to keep and bear arms has been infringed.
3. If they can tell you where or how you can carry your weapon, your right to keep and bear arms has been infringed.
4. If they can tell you what kind of ammunition you can buy for your weapon, your right to keep and bear arms has been infringed.
5. If they can tell you how many weapons you can have or purchase, your right to keep and bear arms has been infringed.
6. “Arms” does not just mean “firearms”! All weapons that are light enough for a normal person to carry (bear) no matter what kind, are covered under the banner of “arms” and prohibiting or making conditional on government approval of any of them is an infringement on your right to keep and bear arms.
I don’t own a gun, but I defend the right to own one!
Another assault on our freedom.
What Progressives can’t get done with deceit and/or deception, they will do with deceit and/or deception behind the backs of even those who support them.
Legal U.S. gun owners have 300 million guns and probably a trillion rounds of ammunition. Seriously, folks, if we gun owners were the real problem, you would know it!!!
What is strange to me is that the worst gun violence in America is in the large Democrat run states with strong gun control laws. Gun Control supporters need to read the stats. When states were adopting Concealed Carry, violent crime was cut in half the following year in every state. Why? Because the criminal element could not be sure the next home invasion, mugging, carjacking, or robbery would not be in the presence of a concealed carry gun owner. The criminal element could no longer be assured that the law-abiding public would not own guns. It is amazing to me that the left isn’t really storming the streets over the reciprocity law, supposedly allowing concealed carry in every state as long as the person has a permit to carry. Maybe, just maybe, the extreme left is waiting for a permitted concealed carry individual to make a very bad decision involving the use of his gun, so they can broadcast around the world every night that a permitted gun owner used their gun “to kill someone”. Then they will have someone as a poster child to hang in effigy for Gun Control. That hasn’t happened yet, so beware, after all these years that states have legalized concealed carry, that has not happened, unless you count the idiot in Florida a few years back.
I am old enough to remember when Dumba$$ocrat$ were pretty much normal folks. Up ’til about 20 years ago, then I don’t know what happened to them.
We all usta hunt, fish, drink beer, go to rodeos and such together. Carry on conversations, go to dances and parties and such. WTF happened to alla that?!
They meaning. The Government is slowly but surely going to take away our guns. If nothing else it will become so expensive to buy amo we will not be able to afford it
Is there any one of the first ten amendments to our Constitution, “The Bill of Rights,” that the DemocRATS do not want to destroy?
how is this CONSTITUTIONAL?
california started this a while ago.
when do WE THE PEOPLE take this to the supreme court?
If we don’t stop all these foolish gun laws, it won’t be long before the government will BAN all guns. This is how communism takes our right to arm ourselves. One small step and then another step.
I have shot or owned guns my entire life. I was born in the 1950s, attended colleges and universities in the 1970s, and worked in the Corporate Engineering world until 2010.
Growing up, our family did target practice at our summer cottage with a .22 Winchester rifle. We also had Colt Huntsman (.22 long). We learned gun safety, and we did target shooting. Later, I added black powder and had a .50 caliber long rifle and two handgun replicas from the Civil War (Army and Navy). I also shot skeet with a Remington 12 gauge. We also shot bows and arrows, 45 pounds, for target practice, and I used to fish with that bow. I say all this because my parents taught us gun safety, and safety with the bow and arrow.
Both my brothers collected military guns, mostly WWI and WWII, until the end of the Vietnam War. State laws forced them to sell them to other collectors.
I have only a Byrna non-lethal 68 caliber launcher now to protect my family and me.
Sadly, the state of California has made it almost impossible for me to defend myself and my wife from a criminal who might break into our house with an actual 38 and 45 caliber handgun. Citizens who defend themselves might be prosecuted for using a real handgun, so I bought a Byrna.
California laws are another attack on the 2nd amendment. They just don’t want citizens to own guns.
“This is a commonsense law that prioritizes public safety while respecting the rights of responsible gun owners”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There’s that word again! “Commonsense”! It seems like whenever the left wants to shove some more idiotic and unconstitutional gun laws down our throats, they invoke the word: “commonsense”! As if we are the idiots for not understanding or agreeing with their continuous assault on our rights! Once you see this word used by the left, you can never unsee it! you’ll see it each and every time going forward! There is absolutely NOTHING commonsense about attacking, violating and trampling on constitutionally guaranteed civil rights! Particularly in light of the recent trend of giving violent criminals a pass and turning them back onto our streets to continue their violent rampages!
Thanks Mr. Connor Martin, such a well written article, and informative. Your first paragraph says the most, and the last is where we stand. When honest citizens are punished for the crimes of others, it tells all thinking citizens, that their government is too cowardly to stand up to killers, both juvenile and adult ones. I watch as leading cities in our country, have upwards of 40 gun crimes in one weekend, no one reports the people who commit this atrocity. Thank you AMAC, for this report.
What we heard and saw in Northern Ireland, is an example of honest citizens having no protection.
The idiot Democrats will just be sued in court and lose again as usual. We need a civil war to get rid of these wackos!
Well, that really is gonna get challenged and probably thrown out. That’s like saying you can drink, but you can’t have a Bud Light.
One would think that would doom their political careers!! But noooooo, not in that Communist state. Another reason i am glad I fled there and now live in South Carolina where the Constitution is respected.
That’s their superpower. Mine is that I can delete their FICA earnings record. Done
As a country we’re getting too fat and mentally lazy.
We need to realize this fact. The reason politicians want to disarm the citizens is simple.
it is because they are planning to do things to the citizenry that would get them shot! That is what every dictator who was successful in disarming the people did!
People foolishly vote Socialist/Comnunist governments into office only to have to shoot their way out of the Socialist/Communist misery! Wake up people!
Democrats, like the Communist Socialist did, want to disarm the people first, making it a cakewalk assuming Absolute Power and Control over those who would fight against their Atheistic Agenda! Democrats are America’s Leading Enemy and must be destroyed totally if it’s to survive and flourish!
All gun laws are illegal, shall not be infringed is Non-Negotiable.
Why doesn’t Lamont sign into law, that all criminals must apply for a permit to change their
Glocks. I’m sure they will show and ask for the form.
Those states will use tax money to fight the law suits. Has anyone polled the tax payers to find out if they approve of the wasted millions?
Glad I live in Texas!
Keep Texas RED!!!!
Slaves were not allowed to have knives.
I think ANY politician at any level who votes on things blatantly against the constitution should immediately be removed from office and brought up on federal civil rights charges. At the minimum they should forfeit any police or armed body guard protection.
I think we shouldd ban Chevys and Fords. They represent a large majority of weapons that kill innocent people on our roads!