According to most mainstream media outlets, the devastating massacre that left nine family members dead highlights the ‘grave problem’ of gun smuggling. Gun control advocates would have you believe the devastation in Mexico emphasizes the lethal role of U.S.-manufactured firearms in narco violence south of the border.
In truth, Mexico’s laws are among the world’s least permissive. And, in truth, most criminals don’t get weapons from the U.S.
Just last month, the Wall Street Journal reported another record number of murders in Mexico. For the first nine months of 2019, Mexico had 25,890 murders—almost six times as many murders per 100,000 people as in the U.S. If the availability of guns is the problem, and America has more guns per capita than any other country in the world, then why is Mexico so much more dangerous? It could be that guns are not the problem. Warring cartels and government corruption are the problems leaving the beautiful country’s innocent victims in danger, not U.S. gun policies.
For decades Mexico has had only one single gun store in their entire country, a military-run establishment in Mexico City. The store’s prices are very expensive, and the most powerful rifle that you can buy there is a .22 caliber.
“For average citizens to own a firearm requires all kinds of paperwork and no small amount of red tape and months of waiting,” said Alan Gottlieb, Founder of the Second Amendment Foundation. “The nation has very strict gun control laws, so even while gun ownership is legal in Mexico, average citizens can rarely own one.”
Possessing a legal firearm in Mexico legally is difficult for law-abiding citizens, but cartel members don’t care about the law. Criminals find a way. This leaves firearms disproportionately in the arms of the most dangerous citizens.
“Crime in Mexico is almost out of control, with drug cartels essentially waging war against each other, and innocent citizens are caught in the middle,” according to Gottlieb.
Gun control advocates would have you believe that stricter gun control laws in the U.S. are the answer to reducing violent crime in Mexico. This would imply that Mexico’s horrendous gang violence problem and soaring murder rate is due to the fact the ‘bad guys’ have access to legal firearms in the U.S. Here’s better questions – is it time for U.S. citizens to simply boycott Mexico until and unless the government can regain control of the lawbreakers? Would stricter boarder patrol and enforcement be another solution? Why not stop these criminals from entering the U.S. at all, protecting our citizens and prevent criminals crossing the border to purchase anything they might use to abuse innocent people, including firearms?
Alan Gottlieb and Dave Workman are here to take on the subject of traveling to other countries and remind all of us that our Second Amendment protections stop at the U.S. border.
NOTE: Four of the following expert interview guests from the 2nd Amendment Foundation are available to interview on this topic.
ABOUT TOM GRESHAM:
Tom Gresham is a spokesman for 2nd Amendment Foundation. He hosts the nationally syndicated weekend radio talk show ‘Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk,’ carried on 266 stations. He also has created, hosted and directed several television series about guns including Shooting Sports America on ESPN, and Guns and Gear on NBC Sports. An author of several books, Tom has also written thousands of magazine articles about firearms.
ABOUT ALAN GOTTLIEB:
Alan is a strong advocate of defense. He’s a nuclear engineering graduate of the University of Tennessee, publisher of Gun Week, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and Founder of the Second Amendment Foundation. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the American Conservative Union.
ABOUT MARK WALTERS:
Mark Walters is a national board member of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and a broadcast media spokesman for the Second Amendment Foundation.
Mark is the recipient of the 2015 Gun Rights Defender of the Year Award, a weekly national columnist for Ammoland, and author of three books, Lessons from Armed America with Kathy Jackson: foreword by Massad Ayoob, Lessons from Unarmed America with Rob Pincus: foreword by Ted Nugent and Grilling While Armed.
Mark has appeared on national and international radio and television on gun-related stories and is a popular podium speaker on firearms topics as well.
Mark is a husband and father of two children and resides in Georgia with his family.
ABOUT DAVE WORKMAN…
Dave Workman is an award-winning career journalist and senior editor of TheGunMag.com (formerly Gun Week). He also writes for Liberty Park Press, Conservative Firing Line and several firearms periodicals. He is also communications director for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
His has authored Op-Ed pieces in several major newspapers including the Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times and Atlanta Journal Constitution. He has also co-authored seven books with Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation.
Workman’s beat is firearms, from politics to the outdoors. He is widely considered an authority on firearms, concealed carry and gun politics.
ABOUT THE 2ND AMENDMENT FOUNDATION:
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
