The MD Catholic Conference: Off-Target

The MD Cath. Conference is off base on their support of the MD gun control legislation.

The Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) is the lobbying arm of the Archdiocese of Washington, Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Diocese of Wilmington (DE).  It represents the Roman Catholic Church in the Maryland Legislature.  . 

There is nothing wrong with having a office dedicated to pushing issues that are important to you.  There are many groups out there who have such a lobbying effort.

What really bothers me is when the MCC gets involved in an issue for which they show their ignorance.  The recent example is their support of gun control in the State of Maryland.

So, let's take a very brief look at their press release/talking points.

First, let's ask the question:  Which is an "assault weapon?"  A.  a knife   B. a baseball bat  C.  a Colt® AR-15 Tactical Carbine   D. All of the Above.  Answer:  D.  All of the above.

You see, you can use any of the above items to "assault" someone.   The term "assault weapon" is a made up phrase from the 1994 piece of legislation which outlawed certain semi-automatic rifles because of their cosmetic appearance.  That is right, the MCC is more worried about what a rifle looks like, than what it can do. 

Second, they claim that reducing magazine size will reduce killings. The 1994 legislation which banned magazines holding more than 10 rounds, it had NO EFFECT on the crime rate.  Don't trust me, look at the statistics.

Third, their support of licensing, database, etc. does absolutely nothing to deter criminals and puts an undue burden on law abiding citizens.  Criminals do not go into gun shops and purchase a gun (with all of the paperwork that goes along with it), so that they can go out and commit a crime.  Criminals do not leave their guns at crime scenes.  If they do, it is a gun which has been stolen or unregistered.  The only people that this really puts a burden on are law abiding citizens, who look to protect themselves and their communities.

Finally, the MCC takes a statement by the US Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) and "sells-it" as official Church teaching, which it is not.  It is simply a statement which has no official bearing.

What we have there is the MCC using the talking points of the radical left and making it their own.  They are wasting their time and limited resources on measures, which do nothing to help end violence and promote a culture of life.  All this is, is a "feel good" attempt  to allow them to say that they did something, even if it does absolutely nothing to change the hearts and minds of those for whom life is cheap.   

Maybe it is time to ban the Maryland Catholic Conference instead of "assault weapons."


Jay Levy March 06, 2013 at 05:58 PM
While you make a semantic point about the definition of assault weapons, after all, your fist could be one, your narrowness is showing. We all know what the MCC is talking about. For instance, lowering the number of rounds allowed in a magazine does not, in any way, limit your first amendment rights, no more than the law against owning a machine gun or a rocket launcher. As far as the licensing issue goes, which you are against, I would feel much more safe knowing that if my neighbor kept a hand gun in the house, he/she would know how to use it, and more importantly, how to secure it from possible theft. Also I believe licensing is a good idea since I believe such a procedure should also call for a yearly report to the state that the weapon had not been stolen, lost or sold. As a matter of fact, if you sell a car you must report that to the state by returning the license plates. You are even required to have it inspected if you sell it privately.
Brigitta Mullican March 10, 2013 at 03:29 PM
Do you know how many license plates are never returned? Once a gun is reported stolen what happens? Most likely It means a criminal has the gun. The problem with gun control is that some people believe in banned guns altogether. Guns should be register but the public should not know who own them. We all know the criminals will not register their guns. There is no way all guns will be controlled. It is always the law abiding citizen who suffers from all the regulations. Legislators pass laws to make some people feel better, sometimes it is a false assurance. People kill not guns.


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