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About the Episode
News has broken this week regarding the Charleston shooting: the shooter should never have been able to purchase a gun. He first attempted to buy a gun in early April. The gun dealer was ordered by the FBI not to proceed, as Roof had been arrested recently. Federal law allows 3 days for FBI denial of a gun purchase. In short, bureaucracy broke down, an investigator did not get the information she needed (namely, that Roof was arrested in possession of a controlled substance) and thus could not deny the purchase, even though she should have. We’re not a fan of gun control here at Come and Talk It, but the laws that we do have should work. The fact that they don’t is a testament to the lack of effectiveness that we have come to expect from gun control.
Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York is suspending part of his Safe Act, which was largely focused on gun control, specifically the background check portion. This part of the law had yet to be enacted as of this week. Cuomo made this compromise with Republicans in his state house. Perhaps Cuomo has some sense, or perhaps he is a weasel who will do whatever is best for him politically. Regardless, New York is one more liberal state that is starting to see the folly of its ways.
Whataburger has announced that its restaurants will not permit the open carry of firearms on their premises. CEO and gun owner Preston Atkinson said he made this decision based on sentiments expressed to him by customers and employees. Atkinson made it clear that CHL carriers would still be permitted to carry a concealed weapon, as allowed by Texas law. The new open carry bill signed by Gov. Abbott allows businesses and property owners to prohibit open carry on their property. The statement has received mixed reactions from customers and activists, some of whom will now be consuming burgers elsewhere.
Finally this week: Hillary Clinton wants your guns, and she wants them badly. Most frightening of all, she’s not afraid to say it. This marks a huge shift in our political landscape. While Republicans have long embraced gun rights, Democrats have been timid in demonstrating their support for gun control…that is, until Hillary. President Obama has been our most anti-gun president to date, but even he did not mention guns but once in his two campaigns (and it didn’t go well for him at all). The fact that Hillary Clinton, who we know will do and say a lot just to win, is comfortable announcing her anti-gun stance could be troublesome for upcoming national gun debates. This means that pro-gunners need to get out the vote so that our presidency will not continue to infringe on our 2nd Amendment rights.