DAVE ROSS

Ross: Ban guns now, but is enslavement next?!

Mar 22, 2019, 7:30 AM

gun ban...

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to media March 15, 2019 in Wellington, New Zealand after the country’s worst mass shooting in decades. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

(Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

To many American gun owners the words were like a waking nightmare when the Prime Minister of New Zealand said “Every semi-automatic weapon used in the terrorist attack on Friday will be banned in this country.”

New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern was making an announcement that would start a rebellion in the United States. But in New Zealand, both the Labour and National parties supported such a ban. Gun owners and gun dealers seemed resigned to it.

RELATED: Who are the politicians grabbing up firearms?
RELATED: A firearm is a tool, it can’t mean freedom
RELATED: How, sadly, one side of the firearm debate gains supporters

And it sets up an interesting social experiment.

Here we have an entire nation (albeit the population of Louisiana) deciding that the best way to prevent gun violence is … fewer guns. Compared to our approach, which is more guns.

The rate of gun deaths per capita in New Zealand is already less than a tenth of the United States. But if our approach is the right one, their rate should go up.

And we can also test another concept: the idea that guns protect citizens from government tyranny. Some of our founding fathers really did seem to believe that – at least until about 1794 when 500 armed farmers decided to oppose the new whiskey tax. President Washington sent the real militia to shoo them away.

But we shall see if this gun grab turns New Zealand’s prime minister into a tyrant who enslaves her newly-disarmed subjects. She seems pretty laid back, but you never know — she might wake up one day and start tweeting random insults.

Dave's Commentary

Dave Ross on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • listen to dave rossTune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 5am for Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.

Dave Ross

car culture...

Dave Ross

Ross: Are we killing car culture? Or is car culture killing the US?

I don’t think the question is whether we're going to "kill" our car culture. The real question is can we stop our car culture from killing the U.S.?

4 days ago

drivers data insurance...

Dave Ross

Ross: As cars release driving data to insurance, is your driving my business?

Every move you make, every swerve you take, every lane change you fake – someone’s watching you. Do drivers have a right to keep driving data private?

11 days ago

rent control...

Dave Ross

Ross: Rent control was never the answer in Wash.

The rent control bill died in the Washington State Legislature this week, even though Democrats control both houses.

1 month ago

end of democracy...

Dave Ross

Ross: Conservative activist earns applause for pledging an ‘end of Democracy’

The theme from Jack Posobiec's speech is that Jan. 6 was a righteous attack not on democracy, but on those who threaten democracy.

1 month ago

Image: Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, is seen on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6, 2023. (Photo: Alex Brand...

Dave Ross

Ross: Voters can help cull bad politicians from the herd early

Let's remember that just about every occupant of a higher office once occupied a lower office, and was put there by us, Dave Ross says.

1 month ago

Super Bowl celebration...

Dave Ross

Ross: The NFL does it again

The NFL once again put on a show that was able to keep me tuned in for four hours even though I had no stake in either team.

2 months ago

Ross: Ban guns now, but is enslavement next?!