Liam Hendriks, a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, made a strong statement in response to the shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, at a Fourth of July parade this week.
Hendriks, who was born in Australia and has played Major League Baseball since 2011, spoke to reporters and addressed the shooting prior to the White Sox playing the Minnesota Twins.
According to Fox News, Hendriks believes that Australia has the answer to gun violence: gun buy-back programs and more gun control. He also said he is “baffled” that in certain states “. . . he can go into a store and purchase a handgun.”
“I had to take a driving test when I was over here. I won’t have to take a test if I want to get a gun. That’s stupid. Whoever thought that was a great idea was an idiot,” Hendriks said.
“When we had a mass shooting, the government came in and said we can’t do this, we’re gonna do a buy-back program and so we’re gonna buy back the guns for a fair price and all this. And all of a sudden, suicide rates dropped drastically, gun-related homicides dropped infinitely and it’s something that has pretty much kept on. You can get access to guns in Australia but there’s a lot more stipulations on it and protection isn’t a good enough reason to get a gun,” Hendriks continued.
Hendriks is referring to the 1996 mass shooting that occurred in the Australian town of Port Arthur, Tasmania, in which 35 people were killed and 23 were wounded.
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The shooting prompted Australia to immediately change its firearm regulations. As a result, only licensed gun owners in Australia may “lawfully acquire, possess or transfer a firearm or ammunition” and applicants for a license “are required to establish a genuine reason to possess a firearm, for example gun club membership, hunting, target shooting, firearm collection, pest control, and narrow occupational uses.” By law, “personal protection is not a genuine reason” to own a gun in Australia and the right to possess a firearm is not constitutionally protected.
Despite Hendrik’s claims that gun control was the cure-all for mass shootings in Australia, a fact check by Newsweek questioned that claim.
Newsweek reported that gun ownership in Australia has increased and the number of guns in Australia may be higher than before Port Arthur.
“Gun policy research shows that the total number of firearm imports to Australia since 2008 has been consistently higher than figures recorded in 1996 (although the same statistics show there was a sudden spike of imports in 1997),” said the publication.
Further, “[a] 2021 article published by the University of Sydney also found that, while the proportions of Australians that hold a gun license and Australian households with a firearm have fallen dramatically since 1997, people who already owned guns have bought more,” Newsweek reported.
The publication concluded that although Australia’s gun ownership laws have become far more stringent, and some illegal firearms have been removed from circulation by buy-back programs, the regulatory changes have not resulted in a surrender of firearms by private owners.
Newsweek further concluded that, based upon the definition of “mass shooting” used to collect statistical data the accuracy of the claim that gun laws have eradicated mass shootings in Australia is questionable. In reality, there have been shootings in Australia since the regulatory changes that would have been reported and counted as “mass shootings” in the United States.
Although the First Amendment gives Hendriks the right to express his opinion about gun control, the Second Amendment gives us the right as Americans to own firearms. Hendriks may think that firearm possession is stupid and that the people who came up with that idea (I suppose he means our Founding Fathers) are idiots, but here in the USA, personal protection through firearm possession is our legal right. If that causes Hendriks concern, I suppose he can always choose to play baseball in Australia.
What a POS. You’ve 0 sense and a total pussy. So tough guy, let me know when you want to patty cake!!
Go F.. yourself you don’t like it here go HOME!!
The reason why he’s doing this is because he sucks at baseball. He has to make the headlines somehow. Like the Hollywood elites, he’s a medical miracle. The mouth is moving and words are coming out without a brain.
He probably supports a birthing persons right to murder a baby but you cant protect yourself from a filthy lowdown P.O.S. criminal.
…AND-YOUR-AREA-OF-DCUMENTED-EXPERTISE,MEATHEAD,IS…?
LOOK-TO-YOUR-OWN-RETCHED,COMMUNIST,GOVERNMENT,YOU-ASSHOLE,BEFORE-YOU-CRITICISE-MINE…
Hendricks is a moron, is he aware of how few Australians actually turned over their guns, plus it may as well be a Norwegian country, what like 75% white. The suicide rate and violent crime hasn’t really changed and with all those guns still out there, why hasn’t there been another mass shooting. Cause those are good people. Fucking moron
Hey Jockstrap, just shut up and play your little boy’s game,
This moron needs to go back to his great country if it’s such a great country why is he here talking out of his butt like he knows what he’s talking about he takes our money from us American s go back to your great safe country puke
Athletes, (especially Foreigners) entertainers , and Hollywood (so called stars) shouldn’t be permitted to use politics in their interviews. I’m aware of the 1st Amendment but a stage for their criticism of the Constitution and in this case the baseball journalist should have stuck to baseball. Once again I’m commenting on things that violate the 1st A but I’m tired of conservative voices being silenced by the left controlled media. By the way I support the Bill of Rights (including the 1st A) wholeheartedly. Right it off as being unhappy about the story.
So, here’s a thought: take your overpaid, dumb ass BACK to Australia and stick your nose in their problems.
So some foreign clown whose only ‘talent’ is throwing a ball and trying not to hit people is yet another ‘expert’ on what constitutes bedrock American culture…
Move along, next idiot please…
This limey comes to our country because he wants the big bucks to play, then make remarks about our Constitutional rights. I say go back to the wannabe country you call home and get a real job and take that irritating accent with you.
Another foreigner who knows nothing of the Bill of Rights. I guess his country doesnt have one. 2A is in the Bill of Rights. Thats right, a RIGHT. Driving is a privilege that can be given, controlled, and taken away. Dont like our country then why are you here.
This asshole comes to our country to be paid millions to play a game. Then calls us idiots because we dare to give our citizens inalienable rights. You should go back to the commy hell hole down under. Because during Covid we all saw just how Australian government protects its people. I also find it ironic that he plays for the WhiteSox. The Shitcago WhiteSox. Tons of gun control in that city right? All professional sports are dead to me now.
I can find no record of him being an American citizen, so, till he is, he can stfu.
Hmmm. In a way, this ties into Abortion and other, related issues. “If you don’t believe in Abortion, don’t have one.” If the idea of licensing and all that paperwork rings this guy’s chimes, fine. Let him do it his way. Just don’t force HIS opinion onto others. Now THAT is Opression. Lassiez-Faire works best for situations like this. You do your thing, I’ll do mine, and we will respect each other’s right to do so.
coming from a native if a country whose nationalized police herded people into detention camps and where pregnant mothers are arrested and handcuffed for a Facebook post.
One look at that thug face, it’s easy to understand the criminal lineage of Australians and their “thinking” if it can be called that.
If you don’t like and embrace America and American customs and traditions such as firearm ownership, which is guaranteed by the Constitution, feel free to leave and play ball back in Australia where you can remain a “subject” to your government and the whims of it’s politicians. In America we are a free people not “subjects” and we secured that freedom by revolting against a tyrannical king.
Let’s see if he still feels the same way when his money and gated community can’t protect him from the criminals let’s see how he feels about 2A.
I am tiring of foreign nationals , current or past , lecturing we
Citizens on the way we “ should “ be behaving in OUR Nation .
I do not recall any of them being detained here , involuntarily .
The door does swing both ways .
Figures coming from a kangaroo land brainwashed fool. God-given, natural rights don’t require a license to exercise. If they did, they would merely be privileges. But they’re not. The Founding Fathers had more wisdom in their little toenail than this mental midget. This is why I haven’t dared about pro sports in over two years.
You don’t have a constitutional right to drive, much less the talent to do so safely. Unless you apply for and get a driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle. THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO GET ABLUCENSE TO SPEAK FREELY, AND WHEN YOU YELL “FIRE” IN A THEATER, YOU ARE PROSECUTED. WE DONT FORCE PEOPLE TO GET A LICENSE TO SPEAK. AND THE USA WILL NEVER FORCE PEOPLE TO GET A LICENSE TO OWN A GUN. A RIGHT DELAYED IS A RIGHT DENIED, or does that only work for descendents of slaves?
Since when is being a man gauged by owning a firearm?.. thats the stupidest thing ive ever heard! Haha.. seems to me guns have more rights than a woman these days ! ..letting the assualt weapon ban expire has led to the american tradition of mass murdering with firearms.. thats one hell of a legacy!.. so proud you guys are huh? Haha.. hope youall meet the same fate of living and dying by the same sword.. or better yet a loved one.. the wild west is what you want??? So be it.. watxh yer back suckas! Your probably next! Haha
You still sound foolish.
Ah , another “ English major “ , adding their two cents .
The only one next …..is you!
Hey Boner Biter you racist pos how you doing man? A leftist threatening violence? Wow, maybe we should red flag you You don’t seem to be a very mentally stable person. As a matter of fact your profile actually matches most of these deranged killers. Your hatred for our country and liberty is so apparent I bet you would perpetrate a mass murder to further the cause. Which is what exactly again? Oh yeah a Marxist paradise where all “assault weapons” are banned. Well except for the Gov, or police state. Oh and wealthy Democrats. Just not regular everyday people.
You’re as ignorant as that Australian pitcher.
Watch out bluedouche it/clown , looks like you have competition from little boner here for stupidest post of the day, good luck pronoun boy.
Actually, stupid is when certain people make non analogous comparisons between rights and privileges.
And apparently, Hendriks is one of them.
So, you came from the Land Down Under to get rich here, and you’re dissing our Constitution, eh Hendriks?
Jackass.
Bet that changes when someone attacks him
Just another socialist immigrant running his mouth 👄
Stick to your child game and leaving the adulting to the mature thinking.
BTW….money says as many are messed up by a ball bat then guns.
So ban baseball…by your logic…‼️
Go back to spitting seeds and playing with yourself on the mound 🖕
There’s still going to be criminals if guns were removed from the public. Crime doesn’t sleep. Criminals will find guns no matter what. Just because he’s an athlete, doesn’t make him an expert.
Karma, paging Hendriks…….Karma, paging Hendriks….
Dumb jocks with an IQ equivalent to a broom closet mop should keep their mouthes shut. Just go on and keep playing with “your balls” to entertain the equally dumbed down masses who favor entertainment over awareness to the impending globalist world takeover.
With stupid statements like THIS … I’m just betting he’s got one of those new ” Men’s BALL Grooming Kits ” from his BOY/GIRL friend…
(Look for HIM in the next commercial …)
HEY !!! Don’t blame ME !!! My wife showed me THAT commercial… as she fell on the floor laughing …
Two generations ago, Aussies were real men….then they got wokified 😢
That was just a marketing illusion. They have always been cucks
Hey Jr, Had the Aussie populace been armed, you would not her been treated like children during Covid
Some of the things I read from out of there during that period was adsoluley bizarre
I always feel sorry for guys that have to say shit like this to get laid. They need to find new women. And does he have first amendment rights? Is he a citizen?
Ask the Aborigines Australians what they would have thought if they were allowed to own firearms, back in the day, and had the opportunity to defend themselves. Would Hendrik be “Ok” with that?
Just because someone has entertainment talents doesn’t make them intelligent. This guy is the poster child for that.
Hey Liam hate to tell ya but nobody here really gives a bleep about the personal opinions of a MLB player anymore. Especially a transplant from the other side of the world who only came here to make a lot of money. If you and the other wokes keep it up pretty soon the money won’t be there either.
Australian and British police openly admit that they do not report most violent crimes to national reporting agencies because the amount of real crime being committed would make people feel unsafe.
Communist like this ball player don’t deserve to live in America. If people in America hate it so much; why are you still here?! LEAVE!!!
I guess the moron will next want knives as they, banners and ball bats have taken over from guns as being the weapons of choice. Oh, and let’s not forget the shootings taking place with guns that were illegal. DF needs to keep his ignorant mouth shut.
WHO?
What an Asinine statement from a FOREIGNOR from a country that was formed as a DUMPING GROUND OF REJECTS of ENGLAND. This IDIOT SPEWS words of NUTERIZATION of Americans while he is PROTECTED BY GUNS. This ILLOGICAL IDEOLOGIST is becoming RICH while being paid for PLAYING a CHILDRENS’ GAME! You do not like the American Citizens’ FREEDOMS and RIGHTS?? GO BACK HOME!!
WHO?
He sucks at baseball, maybe he should direct his attention to that
What a moron! Didn’t Australia spend the last two years rounding up people and putting them in concentration camps for the sniffles?
Exactly!!! Another fool that doesn’t know the facts and just blurts out whatever he thinks is the truth.
2A is the only thing that prevents the US from becoming a police state. This tyrant administration would love nothing better than to round us all up, jab us, and increase its depopulation numbers while reaching their Great Reset 2030 goal.
I bet his security has them…
I know some place warm that doesn’t have guns. If he doesn’t like guns he should go there.
Baseball the great amerikan past time……..except no americans seem to be involved in the sport anymore…….
This pinhead Australian fighter just like all the other outside advice they had to give only to become popular rich then they drop the ball on the real patriots in this country USA we fighting a different breed a People now that’s my answer good luck Mr. boxer I’m glad you have all the answers