April 17, 2023

Anti Constitutionalists In Liberal Washington To Ban Guns

Washington state residents are rushing to purchase firearms due to legislation poised to ban the commercial sale, manufacturing and distribution of assault weapons.

In multiple Washington counties, gun shop employees have received a substantial increase in assault weapon inquiries since the beginning of this year’s legislative season in January. Many citizens are rushing to buy remaining stock of AK-style rifles before stores can no longer sell them.

In addition, Trace data from the the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) shows Washington gun ownership was already increasing in recent years.

Here’s what you need to know about what Washington state lawmakers say they aim to achieve with the new gun legislation, the history of gun sales in Washington and the U.S., and what studies say about how assault weapons tie into the last 50 years of mass shootings in America.

An assault rifle with a scope attached. Washington lawmakers are preparing to ban weapons such as this from being sold, distributed and manufactured in the state

Washington’s most recently-proposed gun restriction legislation, HB 1240, would ban the “manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, or offer for sale of any assault weapon.” This extends to assault weapon large capacity magazines.

The bill doesn’t take away assault weapons from people who already possess them, nor does it bar Washingtonians from inheriting such guns yet.

The gun industry has been rapidly expanding in the U.S. over the past few decades but overall, the majority of gun-related deaths for adults in 2021 was suicide. U.S. gun deaths among children under 18 rose 50% from 2019 to 2021. Sixty percent of deaths in 2021 for children were homicides. More than 80% of gun deaths in children were boys in 2021. Kids ages 12 to 17 made up 86% of all gun deaths that year. Black children were fives times likelier to die from guns than white children. Another poll from the Pew Research Center finds that one in five parents are “extremely” anxious about their children getting shot. A quarter of parents are “somewhat” worried, while 54% aren’t concerned.

So gee, ban guns from those who are not lunatics to make up for those who are.

April 17, 2023 5:10am