The tragically incompetent mayor of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, appeared on CNN’s State of the Union this weekend to deflect attention from the horror show unfolding in her city by blaming interlopers for its spiking murder rate: “We are being inundated with guns from states that have virtually no gun control, no background checks, no ban on assault weapons — that is hurting cities like Chicago.”
Although these accusations have leveled by Chicago politicians for decades now, they are a myth.
For one thing, there is no state in the nation with “virtually no gun control” or “no background checks.” Every time anyone in the United States purchases a gun from a federal firearms licensee (FFL) — a gun store, a gun show, it doesn’t matter — the seller runs a background check on the buyer through the NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) database. In some cases, the FFL checks to see if the buyer has passed a background check via a state-issued concealed-carry permit. In states that allow individual private sales, it is illegal to knowingly sell to anyone who you believe is obtaining a firearm for criminal purposes.
Those who cross state lines to buy guns undergo the same background check, and the sale is processed by an FFL in the buyer’s home state. The exact same laws apply to all online sales.
The vast majority of Americans obtain their guns in this manner, and they rarely commit crimes. Around 7 percent of criminals in prison bought weapons using their real names. Fewer than 1 percent obtained them at gun shows. As the Heritage Foundation’s Amy Swearer points out, there have been around 18 million concealed-carry permit holders over the past 15 years, and they have committed 801 firearm-related homicides over that span, or somewhere around 0.7 percent of all firearm-related murders. Concealed-carry holders not only are more law-abiding than the general population as a group; they are more law-abiding than law enforcement.
Studies of those imprisoned on firearms charges show that most often they obtain their weapons by stealing them or buying them in black markets. A smaller percentage get them from family members or friends.
On top of all this, federal law requires every FFL license holder to report the purchase of two or more handguns by the same person with a week to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This is one of the reasons straw purchasers — people with a clean record who buy for criminals — spread their operations to other states. This is not unique to Illinois or Chicago. It has nothing to do with strict or lenient laws. It has mostly to do with cities and states failing to prosecute straw purchases.
Lightfoot claims that 60 percent of the guns used in Chicago murders are bought from out of state. I assume she is relying on 2017’s suspect “gun trace report,” which looked at guns confiscated in criminal acts from 2013 and 2016. Even if we trusted the city’s data, most guns used in Illinois crimes are bought in-state. If gun laws in Illinois — which earns a grade of “A-“ from the pro-gun-control Gifford Law Center, tied for second highest in the country after New Jersey — are more effective than gun laws in Missouri, Wisconsin, or Indiana, why is it that FFL dealers in suburban Cook County are the origin point for a third of the crime guns recovered in Chicago, and home to “seven of the top ten source dealers”? According to the trace study, 11.2 percent of all crime guns recovered in Chicago could be tracked to just two gun shops.
what Gun Myth every day on news more Chicago shootings prior Virus just now gotten worse since Riots hit, dont recall change when virus hit then.
Riots had to multiply gun use in city only & outside forces.
& Obama & allies DO Zero.
See Chicago with body armor.
Or host a tourist experience: ID gang hide outs & shoot out with gangs for armed trained tourists.
Have ex cops as guides.
Or violence WONT end
I’d like tp see AMAC partner up with Gun Owners of America (GOA) more for articles, firearms insurance and to counter the Bloomberg/Giffords lobby.
Lightfoot, just like every other Leftist politician, will NEVER take responsibility for their failings – it’s just not in their character. Everything the Left touches, it destroys!
How many guns set buildjngs on fire? How many guns tore down statues? How many guns threw rocks,bricks,and molotov cocktails at cops?
I don’t think guns are the problem. They might be the solution
Lightfoot is a fool and a lliar. But then she is a Democrat and they never let the truth get in the way of an anti gun rant.
Liberals have to lie and continue to hope that people are stupid enough to believe it. It is their only defense.
One thing this woman said is partially true. ‘“We are being inundated…” Yes, inundated by incredible incompetence at the highest levels of local government. But, admittedly, Soros and the democrat party are not looking for competence. They simply need a figurehead to rubber stamp and implement whatever Anti-American program they wish to force upon the poor citizens living under their rule.
I offer Joe Biden as another case-in-point as the democrats attempt to bring this level of incompetence to the national level.
Just read article that I94->Dan Ryan is one route guns are getting into city. Why not put checkpoints on that route for guns? Chicago is supposed to be gun free. Also, why doesn’t Lightfoot support her police instead of using Dem talking points. Ask people on south side. They want more policing and police in schools.Ask who’s killing babies in Chicago. They are collateral damage to gang bangers in the neighborhoods. Walk the streets, Lightfoot. Chicago is a mess you inherited. Don’t point fingers. Clean it up. You can do better for Chicago.
Yep, those guns are just walking in there from neighboring states and shooting up the place! No human (or should I say ‘subhuman’?) element involved!
Gory Lori belongs in jail and then prison! She is complicit in many murders, and arson, and looting! She is the leader. I suspect if she
were to face all the charges she will be in prison the rest of her unfortunate life~ WE DEMAND JUSTICE!
Gun Myth active since 1930s with Capone days to date, right??
I grew up near Chicago. It was always blaming other states for its problems. It has gotten worse as bought guns from the people. Ask Obama about the gun laws made in Illinois while he was a state senator. Ask people where were guns distributed after being turned in. How do you know buying guns from citizens of the state was the real answer with all the gangs on the streets.? There has always been more questions than answers.
Chicongo has a negro problem,not a gun problem.
Lightfoot, stop blaming everyone else for your lack of control in your city. Stand up to the criminals and stop blaming everyone else for your incompetence. Stop the terrorists (NOT PROTESTERS) who live and destroy their own city, burn their own businesses and kill their own people!! Put on your big girl panties and do what you were elected to do…protect the law-biding citizens of Chicago!!!
The mayor is a joke! Strictest gun laws in the country, least safe place to be. And anytime I hear anyone say “assault weapon” I realize they are a libot, have Zero firearms knowledge/weapons experience. And I why do these same idiots constantly get on a news channel and talk about automatic machine guns? She really in all honestly should be happy they can’t shoot. 93 shot 24 dead tells me someone can’t shot. If they ever figure out hold a weapon, upright not sideways you know “the way it come in the box” get the rate skyrockets! Sad but do not try to intervene in or on my rights to protect myself and family.
Wonder how many states actually gave NO gun control, background checks etc. only way I know that to happen is with criminals who do not register their guns!!. Lol
Lightfoot … just another Poster Child for Culpable Stupidity. Seems this is a recurring theme with the libtard Demshevik establishment throughout our nation. Unfortunately for these demented individuals, their mindsets are so ingrained that they will probably never change – they are just too wired into their ignorance and incapacity for reasoned or rational thought. Their collective theme song seems to be Here Come the Clowns!
From 1987 to 2002 I was Police Officer. Due to an injury on duty I was retired. Anyway, part of my duties was as the department Gang Interdiction Officer. One of the things that people don’t look at when it comes to illegal guns is foreign countries. Drug dealers would hire local gangs as ‘security’ for their shipments prior to distribution. One of the ways that they would get paid was in guns. You want your ‘security’ to be as well armed as possible. And when some third world generalisimo is your foreign contact how hard is it to ask them to smuggle in a couple of AK-47’s with your illegal drug shipment? Or, any other firearm or weapon? They don’t take up much room. This is how a lot of the larger gangs got so well armed. And, 2 things Chicago has a lot of besides murders are drugs and gangs.
I believe they are inundated by PEOPLE with guns form their area
Mayor Lightfoot embodies incompetence, almost to the same level as Mayor Durkan (Seattle) and DeBlasio (NYC). Defunding police in the midst of a crime wave is like trying to put out a fire with buckets of gasoline. But lest we forget, these mayors did not elect themselves…the voters of these cities did. And if those voters are content with incompetence, then let them have it. Gradually, responsible people will leave as will profitable tax-paying businesses until you have a majority of incompetents being governed by incompetence.
Isn’t it about time that sorass was investigated for promoting the violent overthrow of the government or insurrection
Lightfoot lost any credibility she MIGHT have had when she went on national TV and tried to justify why SHE was allowed to get her hair done but nobody else was: That she is the “face of Chicago” and it was “necessary”. If THAT is the “face of Chitcago”, I truly feel sorry for Chicagoans!
Typical democrat, she’s such a liar. She has NO ability to run a city. Typical narcissistic blame everything on somebody else!
If we think that taking guns away from people is going to solve our problems with hate and Lawlessness is going to correct our problems all you have to do is look at history.Our drug laws are not working because of the market in the USA is overwhelming and the black market in gun sales will swell. Criminals in the USA is big business and it will always be until our end.
This is the kind of information that should be widely disseminated to all Media outlets. I am under no illusions that the news outlets would use it, but the dissemination of this information to them and their ignoring of it should be newsworthy in and of itself.
So what she’s saying is that she has left her citizenry defenseless and it’s not her fault.
#youcantfixstupid
‘Democratic Party’ also known as ‘liberals’; like diversionary tactics. They won’t offer you ‘university education.’ They won’t offer you ‘healthcare’. They won’t offer you ‘enhanced employment programs’. What they WILL OFFER YOU IS:
destruction of ‘historical sites’, destruction of ‘politically incorrect historical statues’; (which seems to figure in anybody,
who was anyone; including President George Washington!) Oh yea, they are busy rewriting ‘history’ too!…
This is exactly why I left the ‘Democratic Party’ three weeks ago!
Could we see a racial breakdown of these murders? Of course we can’t because that would be racist, or, it might shed some light on the actual problem.
I’ll wait for the figures to come rolling in………….. I probably just go get snacks, this could be a long wait.
Liberals (socialists, Marxists:all the same) run ALL the failing cities and have for over 50 years! If they are SO bright, why can’t they solve the “systemic” problems?
It is amazing how STUPID the elected political idiots in the DEMONRAT states and cities are. They all blame everybody else, just as cuomo did when he sent the diseased elderly people in the Hospices. Just as Baltimore, San Fran, L.A., Seattle, and so many others, the black leaders are worthless, corrupt to the core, and the white ones are just too corrupt to do anything worthwhile. And they are too ready to brake all the laws so they can steal the elections in their abject hatred of the RIGHTFULLY elected President Trump. The incompetence demonstrated by the DEMONRATS is just another perfect reason for the REAL DEMOCRATS to vote against the extreme left which wants to destroy the USA as we know: the most perfect FREE country on earth.
EVIL HAS ONLY ONE VALUE SYSTEM FIND FOOLS TO LIE TO AND BUY SLAVES WITH OTHER PEOPLES MONEY. DEMOCRATS OF CIVIL WAR SAME AS DEMOCRATS OF TODAY. THEY RUN THEIR PLANTATION WITH MOSTLY WHITE OVERSEERS AND A FEW TOKEN TOKEN BLACKS WITH THEIR EMPTY WORDS. PLANTATION OWNERS LET THE SLAVES KILL THEM SELVES IE CHICAGO AND KEEP THEM IN INDOCTRINATION SCHOOLS WITH NO CHOICE FOR REAL EDUCATION. WATCH HOW THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS BURNED AND LOOTED AND DEMOCRATS LET IT CONTINUE TO KEEP THE MASSES IN CHECK. HITLER AND STALIN USED SAME METHODS. TIME TO CUT THE HEAD OFF OF ALL THESE SNAKES. THE SPIRIT OF HITLER, STALIN, AND ALL THE OTHER SLAVE MASTER OF HISTORY IS ALIVE AND WELL IN DEMOCRAT HEARTS.
Thank you for the facts which defeat th democratic rhetoric every time!
Criminals have guns. Criminals will always have guns. Criminals get their guns from other criminals not legal sources. What fool of a criminal would have a gun that would be traced back to him? ALL gun laws only illegally restrict legal gun owners from exercising their God Given Constitutional Right to self protection. Democrats spit on the Constitution and allow their people to be butchered by the savages. Why are Democrats ever elected? They only seem to care about protecting themselves and enriching themselves on the blood of their constituents. Smarten Up People. If the citizens could protect themselves, crime drops like a rock. It’s not the job of the Police to protect you. They are just there to clean up the mess when it’s all over. For The Love of God Vote the Democrats out of ALL offices.
For one thing, there is no state in the nation with “virtually no gun control” or “no background checks.”
Please understand that you are trying to have a rational discussion with Leftists. Leftist ideology and the Leftist agenda are based on lies, misinformation, and deception. The greatest enemies of the Left are truth, facts, and reality. By necessity, they have to lie about everything because the truth will show them for the liars and frauds that they are.
lori lightfoot is a complete piece of garbage and so is the sad city of chicago for putting up with this incompetent witch as is seattle/portland/and all liberal run cities and states//if you the public votes for this type of losers /then live in their cities and riot because it only hurts the minorities//wake up
That is one of many people in politics that need prayer. She is so lost in her sins. If she would read her Bible she would see the errors of her ways. We all need to ask God to soften her heart so that she can hear the truth and respond to it. She is believing the lie of the enemy of her soul. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be d@mned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Lightfoot is the biggest problem with the crime rates being high in the Chicago Metro area. Denying the problem rests with her administration just doesn’t cut it. She mentioned Indiana as a place where laws are not as strict….thus, in her mind, the problem rests elsewhere. She didn’t mention that stolen weapons from legitimate gun stores and lawful owners happen when people from her city come to smaller cities within 200 miles from Chicago and break into homes and business to get firearms. The police in Indiana know that and so do the police in Chicago. Those criminals return to Chicago and sell the guns to other thugs in her city. Being less than fully engaged with the problem about guns leaves her city in peril.
Part of problem is that law enforcement needs more funding & training to address the shootings in Chicago. From what I read, most of the shootings are a result of gang wars. This must be a terrible place to live & grow up in if you are a good law-abiding citizen.
I sometimes forget. Idiots vote for a person of color than a person of character. May I remind anyone who cares to do their on research before electing anyone to a Government Position. to please do not rely on advertisers or the fact that they are a Republican or a Democrat or and Independent. Illinois citizens are not stupid , people nor are those citizens that reside in the ” CITY” of Chicago. The issue is. The reason one is voted into office. The Mayor of Chicago appears to have been Brain Washed to the degree that she is incapable of independent thought.
Chicago is just one city with the Unlawful use of Guns. Atlanta, Washington D.C., New York City, New Orleans, Phoenix.AZ, Los Angeles, CA, Portland, OR, Seattle & Tacoma, WA just to name a few!
The sadness is that the ” NEWS” is so bias that one has to search for Independent Thought and Journalist?
So far, I have been able to find News sources that are , in my opinion, reliable: AMAC, and the Heritage and Prager,U.have at least signed up Journalists that do their due diligence and have editors that review the editorials, opinions and stories before releasing. As for TV Viewing: Viewentertainement and O.A.N. show promise on You Tube. Good Day
801 deaths by ccp holders divided by 18,000,000 ccp holders is a lot less than 0.7%. Other than the poor math I agree with the article.
It`s ridiculous to try to say that exercising a constitutional right “hurts an American city. The pandemic of fatherless households, and an ultra violent culture that glorifies killing law enforcement and glamorizes the baby-mama/baby-daddy culture is what raises a generation of thugs that have no respect for proper authority. THAT is what hurts America. Along with incompetent, anti-America, clueless liberals like this, so called “mayor” of chicago.
It is well past time for good, decent, God-fearing Americans to stand up and be heard, and ensure that only good people, with Christian values are elected into office, those who will actually honor their oath to uphold and defend the United States Constitution.
I hate to say this but I believe the voters get what they vote for. With all this chaos this year I will be VERY interested in seeing if the voters change leaders of continue to vote the same. Guess if you have always thought of yourself as a victim that is your mentally. I just expect this type of behavior to continue..whining
Stop playing games! It is good business. Supply and demand. You need guns. We got guns. That is the law now. The only way to stop the slaughter is to stop the gangs Everybody talks a good fight,which contributes to global warming(hot air), shut up and act in a positive manner. Too bad Chicago’s pain has leaked into the tourist district. The police have dedicated 200 more officers to the downtown in addition to those already assigned that duty. Now you are screwing with money/income. As long as the problem exists on the South side,nobody really cares. SHUT UP AND FIX THINGS.
It’s hard to believe democrats can be so deceitful and evil. Lightfoot stokes the fires of lawlessness while tying the hands of law enforcement. Murder rates increase and she has the audacity to blame an inanimate object….she blames the gun! She then encourages rioting, anarchy and destruction in the streets in the name of free speech. The murder rate is through the roof in Chicago and fueled exclusively by her leftist policies. Policies that she thinks will promote her anti-Trump agenda. Policies that can be used to blackmail the voters. Policies that have failure built in! Vote out all democrats!
She’s just another insignificant, clueless, Lying Fool! Short Term and Long Term, She doesn’t matter, unless she is your mayor. I’d Move!
By the Marx/Engels Playbook, the United States is in the middle of a Communist Revolution!! WAKE-UP!! Stand-up for America!! Remove Every Democrat!!!!!
Become a Counter-Revolutionary! Demand Authority ENFORCE OUR LAWS!! Stand-up for America!! Remove Every Democrat!!!!!
The Democrats are Communists!! The RINO’s are also Communists!! The Republican Party as a whole is useless!! We need a new Political Party – The Freedom Party founded from FreedomWorks.org!! Stand-up for America!! Make the TRUMP Movement grow – Freedom NOW!!!!!
I thought Chicago was one of the major cities that had gun control and yet all the murders and crime. Lightfoot is something else perhaps light on brains. Out getting her hair done-sure looks good right, while everyone else had to stay home-and still the crime is up. She is incapable of making any decision just passing the blame. Not supporting the police. I guess as long as she is protected she don’t really care about the rest of us-like so many of the liberal mayors and governors. Those of us with a backbone need to take back our country and put these incompetent liberal democratic governmental officials in prison or kick them the heck out of our Great Country. As a Vet, I have seen enough of our great American flag burning, innocent people being hurt -how about you? Time for action!