YouTube needs to crack down a variety of pro-2A channels, say a group of federal lawmakers, all of whom are Democrats.
Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Ed Markey (D-MA) penned a letter last week urging the video-sharing platform to censor certain producers and channels over so-called “ghost gun” content.
“We write to express our serious concern that YouTube continues to host videos that instruct viewers on how to make and manufacture ghost guns,” the letter began.
“This content is a clear and direct violation of YouTube’s existing Community Guidelines on firearms, which provide that ‘[c]ontent intended to . . . instruct viewers on how to make firearms, ammunition, and certain accessories or instruct viewers on how to install those accessories is not allowed on YouTube,’” it continued.
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“While we acknowledge and appreciate that YouTube has engaged with congressional staff about this problem and, in recent weeks, removed some of these videos, we are alarmed that an extensive amount of this dangerous content still exists on YouTube,” they stated. “It appears that the steps that YouTube has taken thus far are insufficient.”
It’s been well documented that concerns over “ghost guns” are greatly exaggerated. Per the ATF, from 2016 through 2020, less than 2 percent of firearms used in homicides or attempted homicides nationwide were homemade.
Moreover, inmate surveys detailing how criminals obtain firearms indicate that the vast majority secure them via illegal means, for example, the black market, straw purchasers, theft. Homemade firearms were not a popular source, according to the 2016 survey by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
It’s also worth noting that existing federal law bans prohibited persons — felons, drug dealers, mental defectives, fugitives from justice, among others — from even possessing a firearm, let alone building one at home.
Even given those facts, Blumenthal and his colleagues would have us believe that by censoring lawful activity by responsible citizens on YouTube we will somehow prevent criminals from getting guns and committing crimes.
Mark Oliva, director of public affairs for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, took umbrage with this misguided line of reasoning.
“It’s not enough that Sen. Blumenthal wants to deny law-abiding Americans their Second Amendment rights. Now, he’s taking aim at their First Amendment rights,” noted Oliva in an email to GunsAmerica.
“Sen. Blumenthal shows once again that he’s working for radical, special-interest gun control groups and not for the law-abiding American taxpayers,” he continued. “It’s clear the senator prefers to only chooses to defend those parts of the Constitution he finds politically expedient for his donor base and not the rights specifically enumerated as belonging to The People, not overbearing government officials.”
The lawmakers conclude the letter by asking YouTube to respond to a series of questions and to do “more to ensure that the content it hosts does not exacerbate the threat of ghost guns.”
The truth is YouTube could unilaterally shut down all its 2A-related content tomorrow and it wouldn’t make one bit of difference. For starters, there are plenty of other online platforms that host gun-related content. But more fundamentally, homemade guns don’t commit crimes. Criminals do.
This is blatently unconstitutional. What part of ‘shall not infringe’ . ATF should be defunded, disbanded, fined and jailed. If you want to know what firearms you own, just ask the Canadians at the border. They know. What is the penalty for malfeasance in office ? If you want total gun control just move to Russia or Phina. (Ras)Putin got a surprise when armed citizenry disputed his short victorious war.
There are 5 assholes who violated their oath of office, get some rope and sting these pieces of shit up.
Many gunshot victims are minorities, shot with stolen guns and minorities tend to vote for Dems.
Teach your children well liberals and correct your problem.
They even give everyone a list of popular sites on where to lean the trade. Thanks!
Since most, if not all, politicians (Ideolog Dems. & Rhino Repubs.) who have been in office for any length of time are political whores and mostly do the bidding of their patrons and not the American People, We the People need to find a legal way to castrate them. Saying “Vote the Bums out!” no longer cuts it. Term limits would be nice but they won’t self-inflict such a cut. I guess the only other option would be a Constitutional Convention, though I’m doubtful that’ll remedy the problem without making the situation worse in the long run. Frustrated….
Umm-m-m….. are members of Congress immune from charges of INTIMIDATION and making (thinly) veiled threats~? How much clearer can it be that these individuals, acting under cover of their official government letterhead, are, contrary to law, attempting to coerce a private company to bow to their personal desires! If this action was undertaken by a private corporation the media and the lawyers would be all over them. The “political class” has gotten WAY too much of a taste of power.
We note the letter was signed by ‘all the usual suspects’. ’nuff said.
We fought wars and have a constitution so this country, the U.S., would not have censorship.