Demand a Plan to End Gun Violence? Here It Is.

In the run-up to the presidential debates, gun control advocates are agitating like a Kenmore washing machine. In particular, the Mayors Against Illegal Guns are using Aurora Midnight Movie Massacre survivor Stephen Barton’s neck wounds (above) to “demand a plan.” The 30-second spot has done its job: stimulating mainstream media “debate.” But what, exactly, is their plan to “end gun violence”? The website attached to the ad doesn’t say. In fact . . .

Gun control advocates know they can’t argue to control guns per se. Aside from urban enclaves—who ignore the Supreme Court’s recent Heller and McDonald rulings banning gun bans—that dog has had its day. The antis’ current headline demand: register all gun sales, including private transactions.

Like all their other proposals (e.g. micro-stamping, magazine capacity limitations, banning “assault weapons”), registering private firearms transactions (a.k.a. “close the gun show loophole”) will do sweet FA to address “gun violence.” As cato.org reports, “According to an NIJ study released in December 1997 . . . only 2 percent of criminal guns come from gun shows.”