New York’s New Gun Control Laws Are Just Plain Dumb [Opinion]

A new slew of gun control laws in New York has gone into effect as of Thursday, September 1, 2022, and it represents a significant change for legal gun owners in the Empire State.

These new laws, passed by the New York State Legislature in response to the US Supreme Court decision that had ruled that several parts of New York's former gun control law were unconstitutional, purport to take steps to make New York Safer.

However many believe, myself included, that this law will do nothing to make us safer and will in fact just make it harder for people to be legal and responsible gun owners.

So, how will these new laws reduce gun crime and violence in New York? It won't.

According to a report from the New York State Attorney General, nearly 75% of the guns used in crime were obtained and brought into New York illegally. National Insititute of Justice,

The last time I checked, illegal gun users don't typically shop for their weapons at the local gun shop. They're obtaining their weapons through straw purchases, theft, or through other States that have less restrictive gun laws.

While this new law does increase penalties for firearms trafficking, it actually does nothing to stem the illegal weapons trade. Most criminals are not sitting around thinking "Hey if I illegally traffic this gun to New York I'll get more time today than yesterday if I get caught, so I guess I better not do it..."

The criminals don't go for the fingerprinting and background checks, and they most certainly don't provide 4 character references that the local county sheriff contacts and asks all sorts of invasive and personal questions. People who break the law to own and use guns illegally will do that regardless of what law we pass. Have you ever asked yourself why? Because they're criminals, that's what criminals do.

Should we have sensible and responsible gun laws? Yes!

Background and reference checks are a good thing. Making sure people who own guns are of good moral character is a great thing. Implementing things like red flag rules is a good thing and will make sure that people who shouldn't own guns, don't.

I have been a legal gun owner for more than 20 years, and every single person I know who legally owns a firearm is among the most law-abiding citizens I have ever met. Those of us who strive to be law-abiding gun owners will follow the new rules because that's what people who aim to not break the law do.

In my humble opinion, it truly feels like there is a class of people who want to ensure that no one can legally own a gun in New York. A lot of these same people have guns that surround and protect them every day, they just want to make sure YOU, the law-abiding citizen, don't have them.

Having fewer law-abiding gun owners in society makes us less safe. Whether you realize it or not, the criminals have their guns. The rich and political class have people with guns protecting them. The only ones who would be unprotected are us, regular citizens.

At the end of the day, when New York makes it so difficult for you and me to legally own a weapon, you'll most likely give them up because you want to follow the law, and then the only people who will have them are the criminals. Because that's what criminals do, break the law.