In addition to noting that gun control tends to increase crime by reducing the cost of being a criminal (i.e., thugs are less likely to meet armed resistance), Tom Sowell also explains that people who don’t like the Constitution should amend the document rather than appointing ideologically-motivated Justices who ignore what it says.
…there is no obvious reason why issues like gun control should be ideological issues in the first place. It is ultimately an empirical question whether allowing ordinary citizens to have firearms will increase or decrease the amount of violence. Many people who are opposed to gun laws which place severe restrictions on ordinary citizens owning firearms have based themselves on the Second Amendment to the Constitution. But, while the Supreme Court must make the Second Amendment the basis of its rulings on gun control laws, there is no reason why the Second Amendment should be the last word for the voting public. If the end of gun control leads to a bloodbath of runaway shootings, then the Second Amendment can be repealed, just as other Constitutional Amendments have been repealed. Laws exist for people, not people for laws. There is no point arguing, as many people do, that it is difficult to amend the Constitution. The fact that it doesn’t happen very often doesn’t mean that it is difficult. The people may not want it to happen, even if the intelligentsia are itching to change it. …As for the merits or demerits of gun control laws themselves, a vast amount of evidence, both from the United States and from other countries, shows that keeping guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens does not keep guns out of the hands of criminals. It is not uncommon for a tightening of gun control laws to be followed by an increase– not a decrease– in gun crimes, including murder. Conversely, there have been places and times where an increase in gun ownership has been followed by a reduction in crimes in general and murder in particular. Unfortunately, the media intelligentsia tend to favor gun control laws, so a lot of hard facts about the futility, or the counterproductive consequences of such laws, never reach the public through the media. We hear a lot about countries with stronger gun control laws than the United States that have lower murder rates. But we very seldom hear about countries with stronger gun control laws than the United States that have higher murder rates, such as Russia and Brazil.
[…] his writing can be viewed here, here, here, here, here,here, here, here,here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action […]
[…] P.S. As a big fan of Professor Sowell, I’ve cited his columns more than 20 times. My favorite examples of his writing can be viewed here, here, here, here, here,here, here, here,here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action here. […]
[…] his writing can be viewed here, here, here, here, here,here, here, here,here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action […]
[…] But there’s another part of the video that also deserves attention. Shortly before the 4:00 mark of the video, Volokh explains that the Founders gave people – through their legislators – the option of amending the Constitution (the great Thomas Sowell has made the same point). […]
[…] But there’s another part of the video that also deserves attention. Shortly before the 4:00 mark of the video, Volokh explains that the Founders gave people – through their legislators – the option of amending the Constitution (the great Thomas Sowell has made the same point). […]
[…] of Professor Sowell can read more of his work here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action […]
[…] his writing can be viewed here, here, here, here, here,here, here, here,here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action […]
[…] P.S. As a big fan of Professor Sowell, I’ve cited his columns more than 20 times. My favorite examples of his writing can be viewed here, here, here, here, here,here, here, here,here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action here. […]
[…] his writing can be viewed here, here, here, here, here,here, here, here,here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action […]
[…] his writing can be viewed here, here, here, here, here,here, here, here,here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action […]
[…] this post is about blacks and gun control, let’s close with a link to what Thomas Sowell has to say about the […]
[…] his writing can be viewed here, here, here, here, here,here, here, here,here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action […]
[…] of his writing can be viewed here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action […]
[…] of Professor Sowell can read more of his work here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action […]
[…] of Professor Sowell can read more of his work here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action […]
[…] of Professor Sowell can read more of his work here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action here. […]
[…] the folly of gun control, you can watch some good videos here, here, and here. I also recommend this Thomas Sowell column, this Cato Institute study, this Stephen Hunter column in the Washington Post, and my NRA-TV […]
[…] of Professor Sowell can read more of his work here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action here. A […]
[…] Professor Sowell’s insights, I’ve highlighted more of his work here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And you can see him in action here. A truly […]
[…] 1. Respect for the Constitution. The Founding Fathers were wise to include “the right of the people to keep and bear arms” in the Bill of Rights. The Second Amendment recognizes the value of a well-armed citizenry, and today’s politicians (or courts) shouldn’t be allowed to weaken that fundamental freedom. […]
[…] 1. Respect for the Constitution. The Founding Fathers were wise to include “the right of the people to keep and bear arms” in the Bill of Rights. The Second Amendment recognizes the value of a well-armed citizenry, and today’s politicians (or courts) shouldn’t be allowed to weaken that fundamental freedom. […]
[…] 1. Respect for the Constitution. The Founding Fathers were wise to include “the right of the people to keep and bear arms” in the Bill of Rights. The Second Amendment recognizes the value of a well-armed citizenry, and today’s politicians (or courts) shouldn’t be allowed to weaken that fundamental freedom. […]
[…] 1. Respect for the Constitution. The Founding Fathers were wise to include “the right of the people to keep and bear arms” in the Bill of Rights. The Second Amendment recognizes the value of a well-armed citizenry, and today’s politicians (or courts) shouldn’t be allowed to weaken that fundamental freedom. […]
[…] 1. Respect for the Constitution. The Founding Fathers were wise to include “the right of the people to keep and bear arms” in the Bill of Rights. The Second Amendment recognizes the value of a well-armed citizenry, and today’s politicians (or courts) shouldn’t be allowed to weaken that fundamental freedom. […]
[…] mean they’re right. I’ve commented on gun control issues many times, including here, here, here, and here, but let’s see what some real experts have to say. John Lott deals with the […]
[…] they’re right. I’ve commented on gun control issues many times, including here, here, here, and here, but let’s see what some real experts have to say. John Lott deals with the […]
I disagree somewhat with this concept of ‘repealing’ the Second Amendment. It is well known that not everyone involved with crafting the Constitution felt a need for a ‘Bill of Rights.’ ALL rights not granted to the government are retained by the people.
Which means, repealing the Second Amendment would not remove our right to keep and bear arms, it would merely eliminate a clear protection of it.
I said this in reply to a townhall.com post by Ilya Shapiro, who also mentioned the idea of ‘repealing the right.’ It seems even the best and brightest can occasionally forget that the Constitution does not grant rights to the people. It would take an Eighteenth Amendment-style prohibition of guns to do it.