Philadelphia Gun Law Ruling – Good With the Bad
This week the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued a mixed verdict regarding Philadelphia’s gun laws. With it comes some good and some bad (depending on what side you’re on). However, even in this ruling, there is bias in the media.
The Philadelphia Weekly offered this cheat sheet on the law:
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The city is allowed to force its citizens to report a lost or stolen gun within 24 hours.
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Police are allowed to seize guns from those “considered to pose a risk to themselves or others.”
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Those subject to a protection-from-abuse order may not own a firearm within the city.
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Want an assault weapon? You’re good.
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Need to purchase more than one gun a month? No problem. Have as many as you want!
Notice that there is no cynical humor for the parts the writer’s seem to agree with “Police are allowed to seize guns,” but with other parts of the bill there is clearly a mocking tone? Was this really necessary?
Phily Gun Control Group Offers Op-Ed Piece
The headline sounded like an April’s Fools joke: “Phila. Gun control program is working.” But that is because Phil Goldsmith, board president of CeaseFirePA, wrote this editorial for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The problem with this editorial is that it offers quotes that support the argument, while offering no counter-point. Yes, it is an editorial and doesn’t need the counterpoint, but it just shows that Goldsmith doesn’t have a strong enough argument to make his case. Worse still is the fact that he notes Philadelphia is safer, yet still calls for “reform of gun laws.”
If the city is already safe, and he says gun control is working, then why reform the gun laws – something that to us would only effect law-abiding gun owners, and clearly not criminals? What is the point? Could it be that this isn’t so much about crime, but rather that CeaseFirePA would like to see a gun-free zone that is much larger than merely the city of brotherly love?
Editorialized Philly Gun Story Passed Off as News
Philly.com, home for The Philadelphia Daily News, has run a highly editorialized piece under the guise of news. Ironically, it ran said piece in the local news section, but yet it is about a gun law and those with ties to Florida. So is this really national news?
The story covers the main points without too much bias:
“Pennsylvania’s firearms reciprocity agreements require the state to recognize permits from 24 other states that have permit laws as strict or stricter than its own and that those states, in turn, recognize Pennsylvania weapons permits.
“Among the states covered, there are three – Florida, Utah and New Hampshire – that allow out-of-state residents to get permits even if they don’t qualify or apply for permits in their home state.” Read more
Newark to Offer Gun Buyback Program, But Will it Get Guns Off the Street?
Newark is the latest city in the Garden State to introduce a buyback program, which will begin next month. Philly.com points out that the homicide rate has actually fallen in recent years, but has crept back up this year, prompting the program.
It will be interesting to see whether this program, which will give $200 for each firearm, will actually reduce crime. As we’ve questioned all year, do gun buybacks actually get guns out of criminal’s hands and off the street? Or does it just get poor people to turn over potentially value items? You be the judge.
Criminal Charged With Smuggling Gun Onto Plane Sentenced
What is wrong with this picture? Many cities are making it harder and harder for law abiding citizens to obtain firearms, but the government is barely punishing those who break the law. Damien Young has been sentenced to just eight weekends in prison for trying to smuggle a 9mm handgun onto a plane that was to travel from Philadelphia to Phoenix, reports Philly.com.
So the question is why is Young getting a slap on the wrist. Yes, he did have a permit for the weapon, but he broke the law. Meanwhile many individuals are having a harder and harder time obtaining a permit in Philadelphia. This just isn’t justice.
