Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
When you think of the New York members of Congress that are likely to drive you nuts, Congressman Antonio Delgado isn’t one of the first names you’re likely to think of. Representing the 19th District of that state, which incorporates a fair bit of rural New York, Delgado doesn’t open his mouth a whole lot about guns, apparently.
Based on the reception he got at a meeting, that’s probably for the best.
“I think it’s important for you to know that as responsible gun-owners, our hearts break every time there’s a mass shooting.”
That’s the message Sue Makely of Middleburgh shared with Congressman Antonio Delgado and about 40 gun-right activists in an often-contentious meeting hosted by SCOPE Monday at the Middleburgh Rod & Gun Club.
Much of the discussion focused on interpretations of state and federal Red Flag laws; one man in the audience said Democrats aren’t far from Socialists, who aren’t far from Nazis—a charge Congressman Delgado bristled at.
But after more than an hour of give-and-take, Ms. Makely brought the conversation back around to something almost everyone there could agree on.
“It’s an easy thing to say we need more gun control…” she said, but gun-owners–in her case pistol-owners–are afraid they’ll end up on a list “and people will come after us. We’re becoming victims too.”
I get why Delgado bristled at the comparison to socialism and the extrapolation made from there. However, he also has to recognize that as a Democrat holding office, he’s going to be held responsible for the rest of his party, and a lot of people are seeing stuff out of Democrats that has them worried. Let’s not forget that one of his fellow freshmen Democrats from New York is an avowed socialist.
Just putting that out there.
Delgado has voted in favor of expanded background checks, all while he continues to argue that he respects the Second Amendment.
“No one’s here to disavow the Second Amendment,” Congressman Delgado said; his father-in-law is a member of the NRA and he recognizes gun-owners’ concerns.
“What I’d like to do is find out how we can create lines like we do with all rights…How we can make informed decisions.”
No. Just no. There are no lines with other rights. There are penalties if you misuse those rights.
I can say what I want about someone until I’m blue in the fact, but it doesn’t run afoul of slander/liable laws unless it has an actual impact on their reputation. In other words, I cause some degree of harm.
The same is true of the much-mentioned “yelling fire in a crowded theater.” You actually can do that. If there’s a fire, there’s no issue. Same if you’re an actor on stage delivering a line. Where it crosses the line is if you yell it, there’s no fire, and people get hurt due to the panic you caused. The issue is that people got hurt because you misused your right.
That is the only line worth being discussed, and those lines already exist with guns. I can’t fire into a crowd. I can’t shoot people except to defend lives. I can’t even legally point a gun at someone maliciously.
I can’t think of a soul who actually opposes any of those measures, and for good reason. Those are sane rules because lives are at risk whenever anyone crosses those lines.
Beyond that, however, and we’re talking about infringing on the rights of ordinary, law-abiding Americans. Congressman Delgado would do well to consider that.
Tom Knighton is a Navy veteran, a former newspaperman, a novelist, and a blogger and lifetime shooter. He lives with his family in Southwest Georgia. https://bearingarms.com/author/tomknighton/
https://bearingarms.com/tom-k/2019/10/10/meeting-ny-congressman-illustrates-futility-gun-debate/