Ohio Senate Democrats Using July 4th Tragedy to Push Gun Control

Anti-gun politicians really do believe in the old adage, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

In the wake of any high-profile shooting, their default is to call for gun control, even before anyone knows precisely what happened. They don’t need to know, though, because they’re going to sell people on the idea that what they wanted all along would have prevented whatever tragedy took place.

It’s like how people wanted a waiting period for gun sales in Maine after Lewiston, even though the killer had owned his guns for quite some time before he started trying to slaughter the entire town.

In Ohio, a July 4th shooting at a “pop-up party” has sparked state Senate Democrats to make the predictable calls.

In the wake of a tragic shooting on Wilson Avenue during a July 4th “pop-up” party, Democratic lawmakers in Ohio are advocating for significant changes to the state’s gun laws.

The incident, which left 17-year-old Cameron Moore dead and five others injured, has prompted calls for legislative action to prevent future tragedies.

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State Senator Hearcel Craig expressed his deep concern over the events.

“I am so deeply troubled by these recent events, particularly the senseless and heartbreaking murder of 17-year-old Cameron Moore,” Craig said. “Moments like this remind us just how sacred life is, especially when it’s taken before it’s had a real chance to begin. Every life is so incredibly precious, and it is devastating to see it stolen through such preventable and thoughtless acts.”

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In addition to the already introduced Senate Bill 96, which authorizes a tax credit for handgun training and firearms storage, and Senate Bill 98, which prohibits firearm possession for individuals convicted of certain domestic violence offenses, Craig has introduced legislation that would:

• Repeal Ohio’s statewide ban on local gun laws, allowing cities and towns to create their own firearms regulations;
• Enact the Suicide Self-Defense Act, allowing individuals to enroll to prohibit themselves from purchasing, possessing, or transporting firearms;
• Give gun owners the option to store their firearms with regulated gun dealers or shooting range owners outside of the home;
• Offer an income tax break to gun owners who exhibit safe handling and safe storage practices; and
• Ban the import, manufacture, sale, and possession of bump stocks and similar accessories designed to accelerate a firearm’s rate of fire.

Of course, there’s no mention of who the shooter was, how he got his gun, or anything of the kind, which means no one knows just what happened with this incident, but Craig and anti-gunners like him don’t need to worry about anything like that. They just push for the stuff they wanted all along.

These were young people at this party, which means it’s likely the shooter was too young to lawfully purchase a handgun–and that is the weapon most likely used in the incident–and thus, new laws wouldn’t stop them because they circumvented the law already.

Now, understand that some of this isn’t terrible. I support tax breaks for gun storage devices. I support allowing gun owners to store their firearms at gun stores or ranges if they feel they can’t be trusted with them short term. I think people putting themselves on the prohibited list is kind of stupid, but blocking it isn’t a hill I’m going to die on. I could probably get behind tax breaks for those who exhibit safe handling and safe storage practices, depending on the specifics.

But banning bump stocks and other legal devices that likely weren’t even part of the incident is stupid, as is ending preemption and expanding the list of prohibiting offenses rather than just charging people with felonies if their crimes are so bad.

And again, none of this seems to have anything to do with what just happened. I think, should they find the person or people responsible for this, that they’re going to find illegally-obtained guns that weren’t going to simply not exist because you pass a law.

What will happen, though, should these measures pass, is that some people are going to be left defenseless and be killed because of it.

Criminals will keep being criminals, and good people will pay the price.

Even when the laws passed in the wake of some tragedy had nothing at all to do with the tragedy. Never let a good crisis go to waste, though, right? Unless that tragedy is the result of the last time you didn’t let it go to waste, that is.

Editor’s Note: The radical left will stop at nothing to enact their radical gun control agenda and strip us of our Second Amendment rights.

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