O'Reilly & Trump Favor New Gun Control Laws

In a commentary following the Orlando shootings, Mr. O'Reilly suggested that we need to deal with the high number of gun crimes in the United States and that high-powered weaponry is too easy to get. "We all have the right to bear arms, but we don't have the right to buy and maintain mortars. Even if you feel threatened by gangsters or a New World Order. No bazookas, no Sherman tanks, no hand grenades…If Congress decides that certain kind of weapons shouldn't be sold to the public, that's our country."

"That's because the Second Amendment clearly states the government has a right to regulate militias, made up of individuals," he continued. "They have that right in the name of public safety. Therefore, Congress should debate what kind of weapons should be available for public sale. And the states, the individual states, should decide what kind of carry laws are good for their own people."

(O'Reilly image from abc.com)

In light of today's terrorist threats and recent mass murders, O'Reilly said new laws were "definitely needed". He said, "The FBI and other federal agencies need the power to stop suspected terrorists or other evildoers from buying weapons. That law needs to be very precise."

"Also, gun dealers all across America should be required to report the sale of certain kinds of guns, heavy weapons, directly to the FBI," he continued. "Not handguns, not talking about that, but other weapons that would be defined by Congress. That is a sane approach and would make it a lot tougher for the Omar Mateens of the world to get the weaponry to kill."

As for Mr. Trump, following his self-serving statements which he was roundly criticized for in the immediate aftermath of the Orlando shootings, he suggested his version of tighter control on guns. After claiming to his audience that he is pro-gun, Mr. Trump implied he is open to prohibiting anyone on the federal government's terrorist watch list from being allowed to buy any type of rifle or gun. The NRA opposes this position, citing concern over the accuracy of the terrorist listing.

(Outside Orlando Shooting Scene - image from variety.com)

Mr. Trump then tried to prove himself to be a tough-guy by wishing that some of the victims in the nightclub had been carrying that night and had returned fire against the perpetrator. The NRA immediately came out against this statement as well, confirming the nearly unanimous belief that mixing guns and alcohol is a recipe for disaster.

Mr. Trump then tried to backtrack on his original statement, saying that he never said he wished that patrons had been carrying that night but, rather, had said that he was referring to the nightclub's security. Wrong again - if you listen to any of Mr. Trump's original statements, he clearly is referring to the nightclub patrons.

The gun debate always makes for interesting conversation and it will be interesting to see if Mr. O'Reilly and Mr. Trump maintain these more traditional positions on gun rights or if they will feel pressured to walk them back. In the interest of public safety, most Americans seem to favor some limitations on our basic freedoms, so Mr. Trump and Mr. O'Reilly have public opinion behind them this time. We'll see how this one plays out.