Most anti-gun activists are content to disarm law-abiding Americans through the legislatures and the courts. Ban schemes, confiscation campaigns, and “buy back” crusades are the tools of their trade, and they’ve used these unconstitutional laws and strategies to great effect in states across the country.
But Atlantic writer David Frum has a better idea. What if, instead of taking America’s guns by force, we convince gun owners to give up their guns willingly? Rather than disarmament, Frum suggests self-disarmament.
The idea might sound laughable, but as Frum points out, campaigns targeting drunk drivers have done much in the last 40 years to stigmatize driving drunk. Never mind that driving drunk is irresponsible while the right to own a gun is enshrined in our nation’s founding document. Frum wants a cultural revolution, and he believes he has the data to justify it.
Guns, Frum argues, are dangerous. “In virtually every way that can be measured, owning a firearm makes the owner, the owner’s family, and the people around them less safe,” he writes.
“The weapons Americans buy to protect their loved ones are the weapons that end up being accidentally discharged into a loved one’s leg or chest or head. The weapons Americans buy to protect their young children are years later used for self-harm by their troubled teenagers. Or they are stolen from their car by criminals and used in robberies and murders. Or they are grabbed in rage and pointed at an ex-partner.”
SEE ALSO: Texas Woman to Shovel-Wielding Intruder: ‘One more step I’ll kill you’
It takes a few paragraphs, but eventually Frum gets to some hard data. Those accidental discharges he mentions in the paragraph above? According to Frum, those account for about 500 deaths a year. These deaths are tragic, certainly, but they represent .00001% of gun owners in the United States. Frum also doesn’t cite his sources for this stat, and given the history of anti-gun activists, his number is likely inflated.
He quickly moves to suicides. It’s true that guns are among the most lethal means of committing suicide, and 2/3rds of “gun deaths” are from suicide. But the studies that claim guns increase the risks of suicide rely on large-scale state-level data that is also influenced by a host of other factors. The states with the most guns might see more suicides, but many of those areas also lack easy access to medical and psychiatric care.
As even the authors of the study Frum cites admit, there is a “dearth of data” on this topic: “In the U.S., government officials don’t even have current data on where household gun ownership rates are higher or lower.”
Frum relies heavily on anecdotal evidence to make his argument. He mentions grandparents who found their granddaughter dead from a gunshot wound, a man who went to prison after shooting someone over a parking space, and a parent who found their teenage son after he took his own life.
SEE ALSO: Tennessee Teen Fires Shotgun at Intruder to Protect Herself, Younger Sister
Well, two can play at that game. If you read GunsAmerica regularly, you know how often law-abiding Americans use guns to save their lives. Even Frum admits that estimates of self-defense gun use range from 60,000 per year to 2.5 million. He dismisses these numbers as the result of faulty surveys, but even the median of this range is exponentially greater than the number of “gun deaths.”
None of this dissuades Frum, of course. He ends his diatribe like this:
“You want to be a protective spouse, a concerned parent, a good citizen, a patriotic American? Save your family and your community from danger by getting rid of your weapons, and especially your handguns. Don’t wait for the law. Do it yourself; do it now. Do it because you just bought your first home, do it because you just got married, do it because you just had the baby you cherish more than anything in this world. The gun you trust against your fears is itself the thing you should fear. The gun is a lie.”
There’s only one liar here, Mr. Frum, and it isn’t the millions of law-abiding gun owners.
Frum you are as delusional as Pissy Pelosi and most of the demoratic party which has become pure EVIL. If you think for 1 minute that over 100 million veterans, hunters and patriots are going to hand over their protection to a bunch of communists you are on some very dangerous drugs.the biggest reason we need our protection is this stolen administration!!!!!!
Statistically, having, carrying, the presence of a gun makes you more unsafe when out in public. Period, there is no debate about these facts. I hunt, and have guns for different hunting situations. My handgun, self defense, is at home, and stays there if I am not going to the range. Even if your Walter Middy dreams of saving the world against armed terrorists come true for you, when the law roles up on your Heroic gun wielding ass, you are the first one shot. The biggest worry regarding gun ownership is that so many gun owners – idiots that think a .223 is a great deer round – also think that Trump was an appropriate Leader, rather than a delusional nut job. Biden, even Pelosi, aren’t against responsible gun ownership or hunting/ shooting sports. They are against folks getting warped ideas about their neighbors, and arming themselves like a militia to do something about it. You should be disturbed about that as well.
Id respect him if he Posted a yard sign professing his unarmed victim status so criminals could see
How bout FOAD?
Frum has cited the exceptions, the least of the happenings among the gun owners. Yes, some of the accidents, thefts, and abuses of guns exist but they are rare when considering the numbers and statistics, which are readily available.
Perhaps a more workable, sensible, and practical approach might be to better enforce the existing laws, work to eliminate the illegal guns crossing our borders, and cracking down on the gangs that buy, steal, and use illegally obtained guns.
How about you just go and fuck yourself in your own ass, go to Hell!
You first!
If you turn in your guns (and wear a cheap mask all the time), you’ll have LIFE ETERNAL.
” Hell Yea, We could trust the Government.” said the Jewish people in Nazi Germany.
Mr. Frum just explained the best case for not allowing your children to learn to drive, or own a car. A child under 21 is approximately 20 times more likely to be killed in an auto accident than by a gun. Case closed.
Interesting comments but I have yet to read most of them. I think this Frum character is no idiot (or maybe he is). He’s following the leftist narrative and probably being paid nicely to do so. He’s probably like Fauci, knowing that he’s complicit in emboldening criminals and maintaining or raising crime rates. That is exactly what the leftists in power want. They want crime to continue to a point where their serfs will continue to vote for them. They want power no matter what, even if if means sacrificing poor people in ghettos and working class neighborhoods. It will never change. Catholic kings in Europe and even Protestant ones were doing the exact same thing with the blessings of the powerful church leadership. The late great Antonin Scalia mentioned this in a forum. It’s all the same but just recycled and formulated to fit our modern era.
David, you misspelled your surname. It should be SCUM. That way you can join your commie pinko-socialist-scumbag democrats. Most dumbocrats have a lemming DNA in their genotype and are doing everything possible to join their mousey comrades in a leap off the highest cliff. Au revoir comrade.
Where did he get what ever he is on?
This guy, Frum, is long on BS and short of any vision of reality.
How about we convince the federal CENTRAL BEHEMOTH to disarm and self regulate itself by returning to true constitutional norms and abiding by Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
That’d mean dismantling the burgeoning police state, the spying on citizens, the DISARMAMENT of the executive agencies, AND about a 30 to 50% reduction of government agencies, programs, and regulations, if not more. It’d mean no more wars EXCEPT unless declared by Congress.
Molon Labe
I almost hesitate to comment from fear that I will be lumped in with extreme factions. However this Loonie-Toonie is so far out on his end of the see-saw that I have to climb out on the very last of my end just to keep it in balance. This guy is obviously looking for his 2 minutes of fame by adopting a controversial subject where he can claim that all that oppose his opinion are obviously screaming conspiracy nuts while attracting rabid unwashed world order fruit cakes to his defense. Please don’t give any more air time to this whacko. It only serves to lend Creedence to something that should be re-cycled. Count me as opposing his approach.
Communist bull💩
God how I wish someone on a TV set during an interview with an elitist like this ahole would rush the stage and fake an attack on him. You would see how fast HIS security detail would come out on stage to protect him. Filthy arrogant elitist trash.
How about instead trying to go after OUR GOD GIVEN RIGHTS, “ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU SATANIST” JUST ARMED THE TALIBAN. You take your LITTLE NAZI WANNABE POWER HAPPY CONTROL FREAK HUMAN GIVEN government JOB TITLED HUMAN WANNABE CONTROL BULLSHIT and SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASSES before it gets done FOR YOU. WE THE PEOPLE ARE NOT OWNED BY “ANY” HUMAN PERIOD. My/OUR GOD GIVEN RIGHTS are NOT UP FOR DEBATE PERIOD.
I think you should leave my country Frum. I personally challenge you, Mr. Frum to come to my house to convince me guns have a stigma like drunk driving and I should give them up willingly. If you accept, I can fill up my chest freezer with some delicious libtard steak after our short meeting.
How about floating a few trial Balloon’s out, Oh lets say you start out in Detroit or Chicago. Tell the thugs in these City’s they should just turn in all their guns. Please let us know how that works out for you guy’s. I assure you that many ATF agents will get shot for nothing attempting to disarm thugs. Another solution you might try is keeping Thugs in jail where they belong and don’t let them out. You will always get the Government you deserve.
Main driver of recent spike in first time gun owners is crime and political policies that discourage police from enforcing laws and proactively dealing with criminals because blacks are offended by aggressive police tactics that occur when the black suspect refuse to obey police during encounter. Their defiance are successful but it resulted in passive policing by the police. Result is crime spike up in their communities and spilled over into nearby communities. If Frum wants less people buying and owning guns, support police in cutting down crime and make communities safe again. People who do not believe in gun ownership tend to live in very safe neighborhoods with effective policing.
First its the Mr Frum article then the next is the Rochelle Walensky article and I have hundreds more they all have one thing in common but thats my secret . Like Voltaire said if you want to know who controls you look at who you are not allowed to criticize
Perhaps Frum should focus on finding incentives for criminals to self-disarm instead of asking law abiding citizens to remove their last, best option to survive crime victimization. If Frum can convince the criminal element, then he will prove he is worth the oxygen he is otherwise wasting.
By now, you’d think the Climate Change religion would be concerned about all the hot carbon dioxide this guy keeps putting out.
You First.
Frum is dumb! These useful idiots that espouse to everyone that they should give up their rights don’t think. It’s my RIGHT to keep and bare arms, it’s their RIGHT not to! Just because you don’t want own a firearm doesn’t mean I will give up my RIGHTS to own one(or more), and none of my firearms have ever shot anyone including my wife and children. My children started learning to shoot at age 2, Archery at age 4, have both been through Hunter Education and are extremely safe around firearms. As an Instructor, I saw to it that they learned safety early on, and no moron of the left will EVER change my RIGHTS or the RIGHTS of the American people! His driving drunk bs is just that, BS! Driving is a PRIVELEGE, driving drunk is illegal, and rights are never revoked except by illegal activity by violation of law or by a tyrannical government, privileges can be revoked any time! You have the right to be stupid and some idiots like Frum take full advantage of it!
There’s nobody more pro-gun than I am. However, having said that, I think that we shouldn’t condemn David Frum. My reason is that, for once, somebody is advocating persuasion, not government coercion. I don’t buy what he’s selling and I’m sure not going to follow his advice. However, just like I try and convince people that they need to have a firearm for self defense he has a right to try and convince them they don’t. Freedom is where people make decisions and the government doesn’t make them for us.
Yup.
Mr. Frum, meet Dr. Darwin.
LOL!! Oh yes, I’m gonna take the advice of David Frum, a staff writer for that toilet paper Leftist rag, the Atlantic. Just another Leftist, gun-banning jackass
Why don’t we convince criminals to give up their guns or at least actively remove guns from criminals by stop and search? With defunding the police movements across the country and less policing we need guns to protect ourselves and our homes more than ever.
My question is Why are you still reading Atlantic? They became a tentacle of the DNC several years ago, shortly before I cancelled my subscription.
Frum – the creature is a leftist making its opinion irrelevant. When the Dems start caring about Antifa and BLM terrorists burning down American cities then we can talk.
For the same reason I force myself to watch the Cable Opinion Network or CON (CNN) – keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Well, even if this guy is right, “guns make people unsafe” and he is NOT, that is not the issue. The issue is that in America, we have an inalienable right to self-defense, we have the sacred basic human right to keep and bear arms. Other nations don’t have this right and many innocent people get killed as a result. Granted, there will be Americans who misuse their right, won’t take the time to keep their guns locked and away from children or the mentally ill. Some people will be injured or even die in spite of our best efforts to ensure safety. However, the Right Remains. The principle in law and politics is this: You punish the law-breakers and uphold the law keepers. These anti-gun groups seem to view this principle the other way around.
His premise could be used with any “risk” product, automobiles/motorcycles, swimming pools, lawn mowers, etc. However, the point of “How many lives have been saved by…” may only be made with a defensive product such as a firearm. When the positives vastly outweigh the negatives his premise point becomes moot.
I disagree with all the comments here. I think it is a grand idea for all demonicrats to give up their weapons. As a matter of fact I am the guy that will help you out with that. Please respond to me and I will be happy to take all of the weapons you have as a donation. I will promise they will never make you feel unsafe again.
another neocon never-Trumper like David French and Bill Kristol. Has the cred of a KKK Wizard at a BLM rally. News for you – the ‘let’s make guns socially unacceptable’ culture war has been going on amongst uppercrust bubbled Ivy League SJWs for at least a generation. A generation ago, a majority of US citizens wanted a ban on the private ownership of handguns. Today, that number is in the 20% range.
How’s that working out fer ya, Bubbie?
If Frum or anyone else has an aversion to guns, I respect their feelings, and they needn’t own or have anything to do with guns. However, not until America becomes a uniracial, unilingual, unicultural nation, like Japan, with a national consensus on social deportment, I will support American’s right to armed self-defense, hunting and gun ownership,
John Lott would have Frum for breakfast. Tell ya what, David…pilot this in Chicago and let us know how it works.
Regarding suicide, far more kill themselves with cars than guns. When a pedestrian steps in front of a car at 55, it has a 90% kill rate. You have to ask yourself how many single car fatalities are suicides.
Health care is the real killer compared to guns and cars together. At least 90,000 and up to 240,000 a year die from medical malpractice. Perhaps prescription pads or pens should be outlawed. Personally, at self-defense distances, a sidearm can be a less lethal weapon than my hands or feet. One tap on a person’s throat can break a hyoid bone. They claim Epstein killed himself that way. When I trained as an EMT, they told us a broken xyphoid process is lethal in CPR.
He is asking acceptance in the same way as civil obedience to authority. Be a Good German. Get on the program or be ostracized. Look at how they are demonizing anti-jabbers (in the same way but more powerful than drunk drivers). Soon ownership of firearms will need to be kept secret or face Cancellation.
you know what they say , its better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it
Spot On! Atlantic Writer David Frum Makes Case for Self-Disarmament surely hasn’t done any research about crime in the most gun controlled sates, cities, towns, communities as well as countries with the strictest gun laws. Another self called elitist socialist that believes he is just smarter than anyone else and that the masses need people like him to make decisions for them.
The author is just another tool of the antigun crusade that seeks to push the antigun narrative on a younger woke generation.
If we didn’t have firearms the biden admin would be strapping americans down and injecting vaccines.
From the argument above, it appears what is needed is firearms training to be mandatory in public and private schools. Most accidents are from lack of proper training.
Here, here & bravo!
IMHO, every high school grad should be required to pass the following tests before getting a diploma:
1. Basic math
2. English
3. Biology
4. American history
5. Science
6. Shop (tools)
7. Physical education
8. Drivers ed.
9. Swimming test (12 laps in pool)
10. GUN SAFETY CLASS! (handguns, revolvers, rifles, and shotguns, ammunition, et.al.)
WALLEYE 100% well said buddy. The way kids are brought up now is a mess. We have many who can’t change a tire, check oil, look at an Air conditioner air filter, clean a gutter, use basic tools like a socket wrench, or under stand how to unclog a toilet. Kids are not being taught about the sacrifices of the amazing people before then who made it possible for all the ignorant Americans to waste their days on Facebook. It’s a much bigger epidemic having so many staring at their phones and texting while driving. Sitting at a red light count how many people you see looking down at their phones as they zip past. A popular teacher was run over and killed last year while jogging all because some 16 year old little girl decided that replying to little friends on social media was more important then controlling the 2 thousand pound projectile at 40 miles an hour. Now he’s dead his kids have no dad all because our kids are being raised in a way that is much different then even a generation ago. Guns are far from the problems wrecking society today.
I applaud him and am willing to listen to his stance with an open mind. I like his idea of convincing me to disarm far more than his fellow comrades’ plans to repeal 2A and declare me insane. Go ahead Dave, I’m all ears.
Right, more power to him and his idea(s) If people choose to give up their firearms that’s entirely their decision to make, doesn’t mean very many will though.
Guns are a tool and a great equalizer. A 100 pound woman can win in a fight with a 240 pound male attacker with a gun in her hand. You take away all the guns and the strong will prey on the weak. I’m a 68 year old disabled veteran. I wouldn’t be able to protect myself or my wife against a younger stronger attacker, however I could shoot him graveyard dead if I had to. The response time of a sheriff deputy to my house would be around 20 minutes assuming I could access a phone to make the call. An intruder could kill me, rob the house and be gone in that amount of time. I will hedge my bets on the handgun in my waistband.
Even if you’re younger, disparity of force can be on your side. I’m 55 but look a lot younger than my age range. I had to defend my handicapped mother’s life and mine when 4 ex~con hoodlums (the leftist’s darlings) tried to do a home invasion while at home. They were much younger, bigger and experienced criminals. Clearly the law was on my side in the use of lethal weapons to defend ourselves. I almost did! My shotgun was pointed at the rear doors where one of ’em appeared with outstretched arms and thick, green~gloved hands. Never saw so’m like it but common sense said he was about to break a door or window. And get this…I had already been on the phone with a deputy for about a minute before the incident occurred. The first sheriff arrived 14 minutes later! And this is a very quiet and nice neighborhood with a park across the street that youngens, grandparents and families frequent every day. This is one of those Leave~It~to~Beaver neighborhoods that is free of most kinds of crimes, even free of theft or vandalism. Ya never know. You just never know when these kinds of incidents can occur and where they can occur.
What a stupid idea! Frum is absolutely ignorant to the value of the Second Amendment. Law abiding gun owners will not subscribe to such a foolish proposal. Frum self protection is a right – a God given right. What is your major malfunction?
Perhaps this deluded writer should accept “self-enslavement” and allow those of us who cherish our unalienable right to keep and bear arms to defend his right to be stupid.
By education, finance and social class Frum belongs to that group of citizens that is relatively safe from getting robbed, mugged, raped or murdered. They often don’t see why the rest of us need guns for self protection.
I too am in that class… however, as a criminal defense attorney for the past forty-two years (20 in Chicago and 22 in Texas) I have seen the damage that violent criminal acts can inflict upon persons, families and property.
I know this: Criminals can access firearms easier than most non criminals can purchase a firearm from an FFL dealer; criminals often resort to weapons that can only be overcome with a firearm, i.e. butcher knife, hammer, baseball bat, etc
I have twice gained access to the crime scenes of home invasions. Once as a young lawyer I saw the brain splatter of a victim on the wall over her bed… a targeted assassination. The other time, many years later, I saw the bloody mess of a knife attack by an enraged x boyfriend with no criminal record.
I have, of course, seen dozens if not hundreds of violent crime scene photos and videos.
As a kid I spent a total of 25 months in Vietnam as a Navy Corpsman with a spec ops unit and then worked on and off as a private contractor for a dozen years — so I am not squeamish. Three Purple Hearts while in Nam and made it home on a stretcher or wheel chair four time during my contracting years. I know combat and violence.
And… ever since that first bloody crime scene as a young lawyer I am a “pants on gun on” guy.
With a hand gun you are equal to the bigger, heavier thug… equal to the crazed small guy with a butcher knife… equal to the four teenagers kicking your door in because you looked at one of them the wrong way… equal to the crazed maniac. That is true equality!
We live in a dangerous world… it has always been so. The monsters of ancient myth and legend are today known as serial killers.
Frum, I bet you, has never been mugged.
And … I am a democrat. Atheist, pro choice, pro vaccine, etc! And no, I won’t be voting for Biden again after the Afghan withdrawal fiasco.
I spent 34 years in law enforcement in a small town, a major metropolitan area, and in both military and federal law enforcement. Whatever stats this man thinks he’s quoting could not be further from the truth. I’ve never known a lawful gun owner to be a criminal or to be careless with their firearms. In the vast majority of the cases, possession of a firearm stops a potential criminal act before it happens. Just the presence of a firearm sends a bad guy scooting in the other direction, and there’s nothing more effective at stopping a home invasion than the sound of a shotgun slide being racked. I would gladly challenge this man to a debate because the first thing I would ask him is where did the data from your statement come from and how do you back it up. I can back up my statements because I have lived it, seen it, and in some cases picked up the pieces of bad things that have happened, but the vast majority of those have been at the hands of bad guys who steal their guns from their friends or other people, buy them on the black market, and could care less about what gun laws do apply. If there was anything that I’ve read in recent history, this is the most fallible and ridiculous article that I’ve ever seen someone right short of Gabby Gifford’s and her blathering. I hope that nobody that read this takes it the least bit seriously and from what I’ve read of the other responses I don’t believe anyone is taking the bait. Sure, we’re all going to just voluntarily give up our firearms. Not.
In an era wherein America is under attack by mortal enemies who are determined to destroy us, what could make more sense to a Democrat and all the other enemies of this nation than the disarming of the public?
The ATF does not make law and it certainly does not make law for men and women is an agency it can only regulate rules and regulations for government employees and other government agencies there is no law there is no rule there is no code that can tell a man or a woman what to do .
This thinking might work of the stupid people who are followers of the democrat party and who they affectionately call their useful idiots (their words not mine). The only thing I do when getting married and having a child is to stock up on more ammo, get more training and go to the range more often for some practice. I might have even bought a new gun to celebrate the occasion. What I won’t do is give in to a bunch of gun grabbing psychopaths hell bent on power over this great nation.
The ultimate test for this communist ‘tool’, publish your home address so all criminals will know you are defenseless and willing victim !!!!
He’s an educated idiot!
What’s with all the incredible emphasis on removing guns by the lefties?
Couple that with defunding the police, stirring social upheaval, encouraging illegal entry……..
The left acts with total impunity, supported by the deep state and working in compliance with UN global rule.
Bottom line:
– They sucessfully have gotten other free countries to relinquish their guns.
– Why? To stop accidental discharge and deaths?? BS
– All of the left’s behavior points to a coordinated global undertaking – prepartion for massive changes to our socioeconomic way of life and our freedoms.
– Millions will not accept the changes and will respond – Gun ownership “bloodys” the waters.
David Fromm may have a great idea. Now if we could only encourage liberals to self silence.
Just look at how well disarmament worked for the Native American Indians…
How about Venezuela…or even Australia…now the people there are at the whim of any and all psychotic despots.
I bet this cuck sits back and watches a line of guys run a train on his wife while he fluffs the rest who are waiting on line
ROFLMAO… I just shot my morning coffee through me nose as I read this!
Yep, like Generous Jerry Falwell Jr sharing his mama San with their pool boy. Magic Man in the sky must approve, I guess he watches too…HALLELUJAH!!!
Tobacco products kill 50 to 1 killed by firearms.
If you are soo concerned for human life, go after them.
A lot of what he says about accednts and suicides can also apply to driving a car too.
How many crimes are prevented because criminals know the victim may be armed?
Perhaps Mr. Frum has never heard the take-off from the Book of Isaiah “Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not.” There’s nothing new in Frum’s suggestion as government has been trying so-called buy-back programs since the mid-1970s. They have been largely failing to accomplish their stated goal. If Mr. Frum truly wanted to curb gun violence a far better proposal would be to abolish the Democrat urban plantation where most of the gun violence originates.
Give up your guns because you no longer want to be a free man living in a free society.
Is this guy Jewish, name sounds like it. Does he not remember when the Jews in Germany gave up their guns it did not end well.
While I agree with you, of course, I despise anyone who feels the need to invoke any comparison to or mention of Nazi Germany. There’s always some idiot who feels the need to hyperbolically scream “Nazis”!
If Mr. Frum elects to disarm himself , it may be best for the
world in general . I , however elect not to disarm myself .
He can mind his own business , I’ll mind mine . Deal ?
I doubt in his mind (or any other democrat’s) your business is his business. Whether it’s doing little things like banning you from going in a restaurant because you haven’t been vaccinated to taking away every law abiding citizens guns the left all have one thing in common: they are all sick in the head and belong in asylums not in capitols or city halls.
America; land of the increasingly less free, and the home of vagina boys.
He should apply his theory to all of the constitutional rights.
What ever you’re smoking before your interview has to be a lot more dangerous than my “2 Amendant “ firearm(s)
Let’s start punishing the “user” NOT the tool, for what ever crimes that are committed! Next it’ll be ALL knives, kitchen too, then baseball bats! I’ve never had “any” of my40+ weapons knock from the he inside of my safe….and ask to come out to do harm to ANYTHING! Responsible gun owners should be held to a much higher standard that any street thug breaking into your house (castle) to steal your hard earned belongings
Punish the thugs “properly”…..not us
It is so sad that the disarmament crowd keeps moving forward while those who think they are supporters of the 2nd amendment continue along the same path. Stop assisting people like Frum in destroying my rights! You have no right to keep and bear arms because you are refuse to perform the Duty that the Constitution commands. In fact, you disparage that duty by your ignorance of the law.
The Bill of Rights does not give, grant, nor protect any rights. It was created in order to warn public officials that the subjects of the Bill are part of the doctrine and foundation of the original Constitution. In other words they make up the function of our form of government. This nation is “constructed on the principle that the Supreme Power resides in the body of the people”.– Chisholm v Georgia 2 U.S. 419, 457
Yet, the so-called patriots and pro-2nd crowd want nothing to do with performing the duty that is clearly laid out in the Constitution, which protects all our rights based “on the principle that the Supreme Power” is ours. It is not the courts, the legislatures, nor the executes who are restricted with limited delegated authority.
It is time that we revitalize the constitutional Militia, and reclaim the Grand Jury as it was intended and operated for more than 180 years.
Kudos. Yes, understanding duty as per gun rights is key. However, educating gun owners is paramount to the reset required. We are inundated with constant dialogue from so-called 2A proponents, this venue included, where we see writers using phraseology and verbiage established by leftists to rewrite the narrative. The best example of this is the constant use of “your 2nd Amendment Rights”. Such folly by these writers who presumably are speaking for us. The 2A, like the rest of the BOR exists due to the states’ insistence that this new central government be corralled and fettered from “infringing” on unalienable rights endowed by their creator. Madison originally opposed the need for the 2nd amendment as it was his position the those rights were well protected in the then present language of the Constitution. The states disagreed hence the BOR was included to secure ratification. If these so-called “2nd amendment rights” proponents would get their heads in the right place and start defining the battle as one of 2nd Amendment “Protections” versus “rights”, that would be a step in the right direction. “Shall not be infiringed” is a protection, not a grantor of rights. We should stand firmly against any and all efforts by the leftist mindset to set the narrative by rewriting meanings of words and injecting them into the discussion. Insist on it.
Good luck with that I’ll donate all the way empty casings
Oh boy…do you actually have to go to college and train for a job where you sit on your can and think up stuff that is totally stupid? If I knew I could get paid for doing that, I would have quit school after kindergarten. OK Mr. Frum, just how will you convince the criminal to just turn in his firearm because it is just too dangerous? Why don’t you apply your logic to alcohol and the lottery? We know what drinking does, but most folks do not know that the state budges dealing with social issues shot up geometrically when folks started spending their paychecks on various lottery games. The data was established after several years of watching states that had the games, and the states that didn’t, and what happened to states like mine of NC when the games were approved.
You know where this is going right? Just like with the mandatory vax to maintain employment, they will restrict what you can do, where you can go, where you can work, if you choose to own firearms. You can keep your guns, but you can’t work here if you do.
This guy needs to pound sand
This guy was BUSH’s speechwriter! So, where’s his head at? He’s definitely twisting stats to fit his narrative.
My gun has never hurt anyone and I pray it never will, but if needed to protect loved ones or ward off someone who wants my property without my permission, then I have it. I’d rather protect myself than kowtow to the inevitable alternative!
This ‘Thing’ speaks of a “Cultural Revolution.” I seem to remember in the last century, some so called enlighten men; namely Lenin, Mao and their ilk promoted that theory. Funny how it turned out to be not so Cultured!
If there is another toilet paper shortage I’ll buy a copy of the Atlantic and perhaps read one Of his thought provoking articles:)
Anyone who wants to take his advice should know that I will give their guns a loving home. The guns will be well taken care of and cherished if given into my care (preferably free of charge – I am doing you a service by taking this dangerous device away from your home).
If we really want to do something about gun Deaths we should get our Military and Law enforcement Veteran’s
MORE and BETTER HELP. These men and women have giving their lives for our freedom and sorry to say have one of the highest rate of Suicide of any group, and if you want to cut down on teen Suicides you need to parent MORE, our Children have been stuck in Childcare, Raised without both parents, and left to be mesmerized by video games. NO WONDER WHY.
The same military that just armed the Taliban and the same police who give terrorists like anquifa a pass while jailing Patriots? If they were good people you wouldn’t need a gun or a second amendment to protect yourself from them
He needs to read the constitution and live by it.
Sounds like a coward and control freak
Obviously a democrat.
Tell him to go to Afghanistan and try that logic on the taliban
Why go so far???? Chicago is only a few hours away, no passport needed, and he will see that the ‘Good ‘ol U.S.A.’ isn’t as safe as he seems to believe.
There are neighborhoods there where he only need walk around and he WILL be a victim, that’s how bad it really is.
No, Chicago is the real deal for him to make his point, not some foreign Country.
These are the people that want to make drugs legal. Happy to take down our borders. And want God taken our order our country. They want to wipe out the body of Christ the Church and all this Country stands for.We that believe in God And County have been the Soldiers standing guard over this Country.Maybe these ignorant people need a history lesson. We have never fought a world war on our lands.World War one and two could have been. But the enemy know that America had and armed population as a Japanese ruler said they are as blades of grass so many armed we would surly loose. So when you think in such a small way.You need this bigger picture hanging in front of you.Would you like to be attacked and taken over by terrorists like the taliban. Let that sink in for a minute. We have a person in charge of this country right now that would turn it over to them. But they know better because of our armed citizens.
And you are the progressive social engineering supporter who believes that the government should chose what’s good and bad for others with your leftist war on Americans/ drugs. I guess if they legalized heroin you would be the first loser in line so you need daddy government to protect your weak self. You also need the power of government to force you not to sin even though God gave freewill to chose for yourself. Who are you to take freewill away from Gods people. Another so called Christian fighting against Gods will.
This “writer” is so misinformed…he’s selling
“snake oil”…besides our gun rights…what’s next?…the 1st amendment?…which pays his bills?…or a door to door search by our constitutional sworn officers? He’s a dumb azz. Soare the dumb azzes that buy into his BS.
You might get the Dummy Dems. to turn them in. Then you’ll have them where you want them
You can definitely get the subjects of the pedo Queen to give up their weapons. Just look at Australia lol.
He has to be talking out his #$$. Anyone’s mouth would know better.
If his ex-partner needs a gun I’ll be glad to lend him one.
He thinks the gun is a lie. I think the writer is an idiot.
First of all any responsible firearm own would not leave their firearm in the car so that it could be stolen. If you are going some place that doesnt allow for said firearm leave it home. Sure some one could break into your home but it should take them a lot longer to find it in your home then in your car. If a child gets killed at home for playing with a firearm that falls on the parents for not teaching the child about firearms in the first place. We as people have gone from looking out for one another to not really caring about others any more and dont bother to look at the warning signs of people that own firearms to being able to get them help. Mean while until you can disarm the rest of the world dont ask me to give up my firearms and even if they could disarm the rest of the world it would still be hard to turn over items of protection as people will still find a way to kill each other.
I have a lock box that’s well concealed in my truck, and if a thief does manage to find it they’ll need a considerable amount of time and tools to ever get into it or cut it loose. So I don’t leave it at home. Car burglars are smash & grab thieves who usually break into a vehicle because somebody was dumb enough to leave something of value in open sight for them.
Responsible knife and hammer owners as well as gas owners should keep their tools and accelerants locked away because some thieves might steal them and use them for nefarious purposes. Since cars also cause many homicides there should be stiff prison sentences for leaving cars unlocked or keys laying around.
Yeah go try that on the criminals in Chicago first and let me know how you make out
Because a genius unless they give up there is we are giving up ours
Didnt even bother reading the article because this guy is so smart he’s fucking stupid
They’re going to get anyone to give up their firearms as if they threaten their fucking lives like they’re trying to do now so shut up
“stigmatize driving drunk” worked my Azz! Thousands of $$$ if you get caught, that’s what worked? Because it’s ILLEGAL! THAT is what helped! But go ahead and convince the Libtards of that, then maybe they would leave us alone! NOT!
I went to a driving school for a speeding ticket once and the instructor said in Singapore the penalty for drunk driving was “the death penalty”. They have no second offenders.
Idiot!
Comparing drunk drivers to gun owners.
There are millions of Americans who do not like to be told by the goverment to wear a mask or take a vaccine. These same people are most likely gun owners. Do you think they will roll over on this?
When you are totally clueless.
Mr Frum,
The only liar here is you. Your numbers are greatly overinflated, your ideas, laughable , immature and unrealistic and your distortions show your lack of any credibility. I’m safer with my guns, they are properly stored and I’m protected.
This seems silly but it is the very way they will win this fight. By pushing subtle cultural changes in the media, in
schools and in the entertainment industry. Little by little they change attitudes to their version of right and
wrong. These people know they are unlikely to change my mind and the minds of citizens who grew up in a
free America but they are patient. By disenfranchising gun owners, pushing the tired, old ” it’s for your
safety” lie and shaping the attitude of our children they will slowly win this battle if we do nothing to stop them.
You’re exactly right Sam. It’s called progressivism. They’ve taken over the media and our schools. These are the future leaders of the US. Sad but true.
SAM/ ARMED AND DANGEROUS, you guys are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. Our educational system is being infiltrated on a national scale. Colleges are training young adults to hate our country, and completely ignore what it took to become the best country ever. Look how many people cast their Vote strictly based on Personality instead of policy. Any Patriotic American that actually took an hour to look into the policy differences between Trump and Biden would no way have voted for Biden. ILAN OMAR, cori bush, AOC, what they stand for and how they want to completely Remove our borders makes us relying on foreign oil again, teach kids in school to look at things regarding race, allow felons to walk out of jail with little to no serious consequences. Democrats want to disarm citizens while having private security, those same democrats want to allow illegals to flood our communities but not a single illegal or refugee is gonna be placed in Martha’s Vineyard, Beverly Hills or pelosi’s block. How do we leave $75-$85 billion in military equipment to the taliban, allowing the Taliban to use Twitter. WHAT THE F SERIOUSLY? Those 16 thousand pairs of (NODS) aka night vision goggles that Biden decided to just leave for Taliban to use and pass out to all our enemies . Think about the next time one of our teams attempts to rescue a hostage or take out an HVT the mission just gave away our biggest advantage on the ground. Some green behind the ears BUDS KID or future member of ( CAG) is gonna have to deal with some dust bag terrorist using our tax payer NODS, to engage him in a much easier way. All because Biden and his BS administration didn’t say hey we’re gonna be leaving Afghanistan soon maybe we should pack up all those billions of dollars in Gear that can be used against Americans down the road. It’s absolutely unacceptable and should make every American Livid. What if that was you , or your family member who was tasked with conducting such a task , only to know you’ll be going up against the very Best Gear that was just simply disregarded for no reason whatsoever. Democrats and Biden are wrecking this country exactly the same ways they have wrecked every city they have controlled for decades.
your a dam retard im not giving nothing up to you demos
A neo-con war hawk who strongly supported the war on Iraq and a 2016 HRC supporter wants Americans disarmed.
It is said that he coined the term “axis of evil” for W.
America has lost blood, treasure (trillions), and moral stature listening to warmongering, Israel-First policy wonks like David Frum.
Now, a Fascist/Communist move is being made against America. Bolshevik Revolution 2.0 requires Americans to be disarmed. Last time out, the Bolsheviks killed tens of millions of people.
Let that sink in.
He’s not even an American, he’s a jew from Canada. He should be ignored.
CREEPY idea to say the least, this is Nazi idealism !
I urge the writer to come to Flint Michigan and explain this to the “upstanding” young men and women openly drinking in the parking lot @ Missouri ave and Saginaw st.
This ladies and gentlemen passes for serious policy recommendation? It’s a mystery to me why someone’s diarrhea of the mind and pen makes it’s way into the internet at large. I write stupid stuff all the time and thankfully it never goes anywhere.
On a more serious note. It drives me nuts when people talk about a serious topic like suicide who obviously know nothing about it. Having experienced two suicides in my family, neither of which involved a gun, I can tell you unequivocally that if someone wants to commit suicide they will do it by whatever means possible. It’s not the gun or the car or the pill, it’s an individual in so much pain that they seek the ultimate relief.
Yea sure, From my cold dead hands!!
While stigmitization may have helped the drunk driving cause, it won’t for guns…driving a car and having a few drinks aren’t protected by the US Constitution.
Mr. Frum, you can come and take mine, if you have the balls!
Really, please ask me, I’ll give you my guns, if you ask me nicely, WTF! These libaturds are off their gourd…
The Atlantic is a leftist rag and this guy obviously had a deadline to meet and no idea what to write about.
David Frum: Why do you want to attack the law abiding citizens. Have you not got some criminals to pursue or you just had a brain fart and trying to make a big name for yourself. Look I get that you don’t have a real job and a lots of time on your hands so as the Bible says ; if you believe in ; idle hands are a devil’s workshop. So why don’t you go down to the border and make yourself useful and leave the law abiding people in the USA alone. We all can see what happened to these other countries that gave up their guns . They are at our southern borders trying to get in fleeing the bad guys ,Cartel,Coyotes , MS13, and other disruptive groups. You think we want this happening to us. We see how our own law enforcement can be taken out from people like you by defunding them. Who do you think will protect us. Maybe you didn’t think that through or maybe you don’t think we are smart enough to make our own decisions like Obama. Either way to me your the idiot. I don’t think this will make any difference to you but it dang sure helped me feel better.
This fellow is smart and quite dangerous. American’s can’t be told to do anything, however if you ask politely they will do anything you ask. The incredible number of people I know that have never fired or held a rifle or a pistol is shocking. What is worse is that without knowing why, they realize it when you ask, they are terrified of firearms and convinced, absolutely, that owning one will ensure a tragedy in your home. The left, through the media, television and movies has been carefully steering public opinion against firearms and vilifying them for the last 50+ years. We stand at a pivotal moment. Joe Biden just gave away over one hundred thousand full auto M-16/M-4’s etc. to an avowed enemy of the U.S. Yet he still wants to take away AR platform semi-auto rifles and pretty much everything else from Americans in violation of 2A. We should stand in line and demand he issue each and every citizen an M-16/M-4 through the DCM as we are the last line of defense.
The 500 annual accidental/negligent shootings (which also includes hunting accidents) is accurate and stable across time, as is the number of injuries from accidental/negligent discharges. The data is published and not hard to find. But a couple of things to note: first is of course that the number of deaths, as tragic as they are, pale in comparison to the number of lives saved by defensive gun uses every year, no matter whose statistics you select. Second that number has remained stable for years despite a massive increase in the number of firearms owned by Americans, which increases by the millions per year, suggesting that limiting gun ownership is unlikely to have any effect on the numbers. Instead, gun safety training is the most effective means of reducing that number, particularly gun safety instruction of children. Further, of domestic violence homicides, roughly 2000 in 2018, 56% were committed with a firearm. Finally, you can’t fix stupid, and stupid accidents will happen no matter what steps are taken.
On the other side of this issue are intentional homicides. For domestic violence homicides, roughly 2000 in 2018, 56% were committed with a firearm, or roughly 1200 for that year. Compare that to the roughly 14,000 firearm murders, and again, the statistics do not support a belief in the dangerousness of the existence of guns in the home. Moreover, when it comes to domestic violence, given that 44% of victims were killed by means other than a firearm demonstrates that where there is a will there is a way.
I have one question…. WTF ARE YOU SMOKING ? Mr. Frum your stupidity actually made my brain hurt. I didn’t think it was possible to live as long as you have and be this idiotic. Even my 8yr old knows how to use every weapon in the house although he can’t access them (bio-locked safe). I feel alot safer when I’m out knowing that my family can protect themselves. You probably have some form of private security and if you do I’ll give up my guns when you give up your guards.
F*CK BIDEN!
TRUMP 2024!!
Remember if you come for mine you better bring yours!!!
LEAVE OUR RIGHTS ALONE!!!!
Sounds all “Warm and Fuzzy” to me…
Convince the “nice” criminals to turn in their guns…
Attack the legal owners…again…and again…
If he think having a gun makes you less safe…seriously…
His parents should have gone to sleep instead…!