Failed Gun Control Lessons From the Firearms Black Market

Opinion by Alan J Chwick & Joanne D Eisen

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- While our country has been trapped in a political-election-nightmare, one thing has remained the same, Democrats want more gun-control laws. And Republicans will eventually, reluctantly, cave to the hysterical demand to “do something.”

Anne Stave, a reporter with the Columbus Dispatch, reminded her readers of the anniversary of the mass murder outside the Ned Pepper’s Bar in Dayton. In August of 2019, an assailant murdered 9 people and wounded 27 people in 32 seconds. In August of 2020, she complained, “Ohio laws haven’t changed a bit.”

Sheila Blanchard, the aunt of a victim, explains the “do something” side of America’s gun debate. She said, “Sometimes I don’t understand why they can’t feel the pain we feel, because if they did – just for 60 seconds – there wouldn’t be any gun safety bills dying on their desks while people continue to die in the streets.”

Under the pressure of these unbearable losses, Ohio Governor Mike De Wine (R), said, “We owe it to the victims. We owe it to the families and to all Ohioans to finish the job and get this done.”

Gun owners are not unfeeling of the ‘pain’ that victims’ families feel, as many have also felt pain. They do accept the implication that we must ‘do something, do anything,’ though we do know that most laws, and such, will be ineffective. We grit our teeth and accept a new law or rule that throws us farther down that slippery slope, to a disarmed society. And the gun controllers cheer their little victory.

Gun owners MUST change the fraudulent assumptions that help to create the ineffectual laws that are installed. We must change the attitudes and perceptions of non-gun owners, and many gun owners too, to show the illogical use of restrictive gun laws and the reasons for their failures.

It is these restrictive laws that help create the Black Market in firearms and weapons, which in-turn, causes failure in the laws.

The Black Market is ubiquitous. It will always serve people who want restricted goods or services. And when firearms are restricted, people want them, both non-criminal and criminal.
Each little law contributes to the strength of the Black Market. Slowly but surely, these laws reduce our ability to legally defend ourselves and our families.

We all know of the existence of the market. Government knows. The media knows. People living in inner cities, or homeless people living under bridges know. We all know!
An excellent example of the type of laws that can, and do, feed the Black Market is New York State’s Sullivan Law (Now known as NYS Penal Law 400).

In 1911, New York State passed the Sullivan Act, which created a situation that made weapons practically illegal to own or to carry. And in 1993, the New York City Police Department estimated that “as many as 2 million illegal guns were in circulation in NYC in 1993.”

That means that a mere 82 years after the passage of a very restrictive law, 2 million guns magically appeared! Many of those are in the Black Market, while many are just sitting in citizens’ closets and attics. In 1993, the population of NYC was about7.3 million people. That’s almost one gun per every four New York City residents.

There is always a supply to meet demand. Researchers who study the diversion of weapons into the Black Market find that all their smart answers to the supply problems are false. Brian Wood recently complained about diversion into the Black Market;

“The diversion of international transfers of conventional arms and related weapons is a complex phenomenon and its repeated occurrence poses a significant threat…”

And so it goes. If we accept restrictive laws we accept black-market success.

It’s important to understand that restrictive laws cannot lead us to a peaceful culture, because mere laws can be easily subverted. And, Evil Exists in this world and laws cannot change that. It then follows logically that restrictive laws are unnecessary, foolish, and sometimes deadly.

So what is the reason for restrictive firearms laws in the US? Why bother with them in a free and honest country? There should be none, or very few, such laws.

The answer is simple. It is easier to control the masses if they are disarmed. And that is what our Democrat-Communist friends want.

In this time of political disruption, we must acknowledge the possibility that the Second Amendment might be written out of existence, or judicially muzzled until it has no effective reality.
Possibility becomes a likelihood if we peer into the future to a time when Democrats regain control of our country and gather the reins of power. Unless something changes, that time will surely come.

Even if the democrat party splits or changes names, the folks we see wearing black and wielding bats in the streets of our nation’s towns and cities will remain for decades. These folks told us that they want gun owners disarmed, and they are a significant and politically active, segment of our population.

In order to have any chance at lasting success in maintaining the Second Amendment, gun owners must be more unified in their understanding of the failure of past laws, and we must shout it loud and clear, even to ourselves.

An example of why we MUST also shout it to ourselves, is people like Asya Branch, the 2020 Miss America from Mississippi. In Asya’s own words, “I think it’s important that we not ban guns because, obviously, people will find a way to get what they want anyway … But I think it’s our Second Amendment right, and I think we just need more safety surrounding that.” But later, when questioned, she “told Insider that she doesn’t believe Americans should be allowed to purchase every type of gun … There’s no reason for civilians to have those types of weapons.” She believes that restrictive laws are reasonable, while at the same time, “that we not ban guns.” Her ignorance is our fault. How many of our friends, our neighbors, our family members are still ignorant of best gun policy for our society?

To understand the Black Market is to understand the futility of gun laws that seem to encourage black market activity, even when these laws do not affect us directly.
Democrats and gun phobes would need to find a different reason for their laws, other than the false promise of safety. If they did, maybe then we could begin to have the honest political discussion our country deserves.

Self-defense is the overwhelming reason for weapons acquisition, and our enemies have made it clear that we can expect sudden, sporadic, senseless attacks from them. It’s all about the will to survive. That’s human nature. That’s why many citizens are willing to endure the difficulties of the Black Market.

Gun laws really don’t work! The Black Market will always trump restrictive laws.

THE BLACK MARKET SUPPLY OF WEAPONS ALWAYS MANAGES TO MEET THE DEMAND.
SADLY, BAD $#!T HAPPENS TO GOOD PEOPLE,
ALL THE TIME,
AND NO RESTRICTIVE LAW CAN FIX THAT.
DON’T BECOME A VICTIM.

About The Authors

Alan J Chwick has been involved with firearms much of his life and is the Retired Managing Coach of the Freeport NY Junior Marksmanship Club. He has escaped from New York State to South Carolina and is an SC FFL (Everything22andMore.com). [email protected] | TWITTER: @iNCNF

Joanne D Eisen, DDS (Ret.) practiced dentistry on Long Island, NY. She has collaborated and written on firearm politics for the past 30+ years. She has also escaped New York State, but to Virginia. [email protected]