After having some time to think about what I wrote about using the “freedom from fear” to justify gun control, I kind of tripped and fell into an even more interesting conclusion:
What if the gun control isn’t the end goal?
Allow me to clarify. In my essay, I identified five common-law concepts that civilian disarmament violates.
- Security of property
- Presumption of innocence
- Prior restraint is illegitimate
- Evidentiary basis for justice
- Reasonable person standard
I think we all understand that the gun controllers are generally not doing what they do because they actually think it will help mankind.
So what if their goal is actually to create precedents for violating these four common-law principles more easily and more often?
Imagine the legal precedent that is set by a warrant sworn based on “probable cause” that someone bought a gun one, three, even ten or more years ago! Such a dilution of the meaning of “probable cause” would make practically any general warrant acceptable!
How about punishing people for the actions of others? There are a million ways this could be used, from conflating violent rioters (convenient for false flags) with peaceful protests to widespread censorship of dissident publications!
Prior restraint? It’s not accepted for most speech cases now, but imagine a clever lawyer making his case:
“Your Honor, as the case Doe v. The People of the United States of America shows, prior restraint is acceptable in cases where imminent harm might be expected. In this case, the defendants were preparing an article that would defame, and therefore harm my client’s bid for political office…”
And don’t get me started on the evidentiary basis for justice. Once it is shown that hunches, feelings, and intuitions can be used as evidence against someone, the flood gates are open.
And the reasonable person standard? Replace that with an unreasonable person standard, where the insane ravings of a paranoid will be the basis for policy and “justice.”
Fighting these pushes from the gun control crowd isn’t just about guns, it’s about creating an environment where all sorts of legalized tyrannies will flourish.