Rantz: Seattle Police chief frontrunner doesn’t think 2nd Amendment is ‘appropriate’

Shon Barnes, the rumored frontrunner for the top job with the Seattle Police Department (SPD), has said he doesn’t believe in the Second Amendment. The comment came to light as Barnes gained national attention in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin, where he currently serves as chief.

In a May 25, 2022 interview with Fox 47, Barnes argued against the Second Amendment, which guarantees a fundamental right to bear arms. But in the wake of a school shooting at the time, Barnes leaned on the go-to argument from the Radical Left that because the Constitution is outdated, it should be ignored.

“Sometimes, it requires an evolution of our thinking. What was written in 1789 may not be appropriate for 2022 unless we’re OK with kids being killed,” Barnes explained, referencing the Second Amendment.

The lazy argument implies that rights enshrined in 1789 have an expiration date, but it’s absurd to assume that the Founders, who anticipated future developments, intended the Second Amendment to only apply to muskets. Barnes likely doesn’t even believe his argument. He’s just anti-gun — so long as it is everyday citizens without a badge who don’t get to own a firearm.

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The Shon Barnes argument against the Second Amendment is tired

The argument from Shon Barnes is hardly novel. It’s a tired response that the Radical Left routinely uses while conveniently ignoring the purpose and enduring relevance of our Constitution.

Using Barnes’ logic, the First Amendment should also evolve — or devolve — because it was written in an era without internet, television or radio. Should we conclude that free speech protections don’t apply to social media posts, talk radio shows, or cable news because the Founders didn’t envision digital platforms? Of course not. Let’s hope Barnes never has to draw his gun to enforce a law restricting the First Amendment — after all, under his logic, outdated rights are fair game for repeal.

Our rights are principles, not mere tools limited by the technology of their time. We can presume Barnes would never dare suggest dismantling modern media protections under the First Amendment, but he’s fine with undermining the Second Amendment to fit his anti-gun agenda.

I talked to @madisonpolice chief Shon Barnes today; he didn’t mince words.

“Sometimes it requires an evolution of our thinking. What was written in 1789 may not be appropriate for 2022 unless we’re okay with kids being killed.”

“You’re referencing the 2nd amend.?”

“Yes I am.” pic.twitter.com/nK1wOaj65v

— Naomi Kowles (@NaomiKowles) May 25, 2022

Exploiting tragedy for a policy goal

Barnes’ rhetoric is especially insulting because it exploits tragedy to push a policy goal. It also doesn’t reflect the views of most Seattle cops.

Blaming the Constitution for violence ignores reality: criminals don’t respect laws, and the overwhelming majority of gun owners are law-abiding citizens. If Barnes truly cared about preventing crime, he’d focus on tougher enforcement of existing laws and cracking down on illegal firearms, not dismantling constitutional rights.

Barnes catapulted to the national spotlight after a deadly shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison. What was it about the Second Amendment that led the alleged shooter to take innocent lives? The mere existence of guns? The Second Amendment didn’t guarantee the alleged shooter the right to bear arms. It certainly doesn’t give anyone the right to murder.

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We need real leaders who stand up for our Constitution

Reducing our rights in the name of “evolution” is the real danger here. The Constitution doesn’t need to change — it needs leaders who respect it.

But it’s his apparent far-left view on guns that, perhaps, caught the attention of Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. Seattle is brimming with anti-gun voters who fail to grasp that every restriction they cheer for only empowers criminals who sidestep the laws to victimize others with illegally obtained firearms.

As anti-gun bills have been passed, violent crime has soared. Yet we’re expected to ignore the data because acknowledging it would undermine the political narrative. Instead of addressing root causes or prioritizing enforcement against those who break the law, leaders like Barnes and Harrell double down on restrictions that penalize law-abiding citizens while doing nothing to deter criminals.

Perhaps one day Barnes will actually look at the data — objectively — and reach conclusions grounded in facts and a genuine respect for the constitutional protections he swore to uphold. Until then, Seattle’s failed experiment with anti-gun policies will continue to embolden criminals and create more victims, all while eroding the rights of its residents. And those failed policies may now have a cheerleader leading the SPD.

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