Democratic presidential candidate “Beto” O’Rourke made the dubious claim that Texans and Arkansans he spoke to told him they’d happily turn their AR-15s over to the government if doing so would reduce gun violence.
O’Rourke — a vocal proponent of illegal immigration — unironically asserted that this is because “we are a nation of laws.” O’Rourke made the claims during an interview with homophobic MSNBC opinion host Joy Reid.
“My faith, my confidence is in the people of this country,” Beto said. “And going to a gun show in Conway, Arkansas, and listening to the owners of AR-15s and the vendors of AR-15s…Some of whom said, ‘I have an AR-15. I don’t need it, and would gladly sell it back or destroy it.'”
O’Rourke continued:
“All of them seem like they would follow the law. We are a nation of laws. It’s part of what defines us and distinguishes us from the rest of the world. So I believe that America will comply with the law. So I don’t want to give in to the hype or some of the scare tactics that have been employed to stop us from even considering this in the first place.
Much like we don’t go door-to-door to enforce any law in the United States. In fact, I don’t think we do that for any law in the United States. This is not something we would do. Others have said this is something we would fear if there were a mandatory buyback program. No, we expect people to follow the law, and that’s certainly what I believe would happen.”
(Source: MSNBC)
O’Rourke further claimed that “even those Texans who own AR-15s, they’ve told me this themselves: “I don’t need this. I don’t need it to hunt. I don’t need it to protect myself. It was fun to use. I like taking it out to the range, but if giving this back, or cutting it to pieces, or selling it to the government helps to keep us safer, then by all means, let’s do it.”‘
First off, many people doubt that Texas gun owners actually said this to Beto.
With his latest statements, O’Rourke walked back the hyperbolic rhetoric he shouted during the Democratic debate, when he said: ‘Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47!”
When asked by NBC’s Chuck Todd if he’s worried that his rhetoric is feeding into the public perception that Democrats oppose the Second Amendment, O’Rourke quipped, “I refuse to even acknowledge the politics or the polling.”
Meanwhile, fellow Democrats like Congressman David Cicilline from Rhode Island said O’Rourke’s “hell-yes!” comments hurt the Democratic Party.
“That message doesn’t help,” Cicilline told “Fox News Sunday.”
This week on Fox News Sunday: Rep David Cicilline discusses possible gun action including background checks. #FNS #FoxNews pic.twitter.com/HetiZp4ted
— FoxNewsSunday (@FoxNewsSunday) September 15, 2019
Similarly, Democratic Senator Christopher Coons lamented that Beto’s anti-gun outburst “will be played for years at Second Amendment rallies with organizations that try to scare people by saying that Democrats are coming for your guns.”
Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg — another Democratic presidential candidate — agreed that Beto’s “hell yes!” remarks played right into the NRA’s hands by advancing the perception that Dems do not respect the Second Amendment. Reminder: Some Democrats are also members of the NRA.
Meanwhile, here’s what happened this weekend in the Democrat-led city of Chicago, which has among the strictest gun-control laws in the country. This weekend alone, there were 29 shootings in Chicago, that resulted in 11 dead and 18 injured.
If Beto O’Rourke asks nicely, would these gang members turn over their guns to him?
Tucker: Media hyped fears of violence at 2nd Amendment rally to justify gun confiscation
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- DOJ attorney in charge of election-crimes unit quits after AG Barr opens investigation - November 10, 2020
- ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa’: Neil Cavuto slammed after he cuts off Kayleigh McEnany presser - November 10, 2020
- Same media that cheered Stacey Abrams, Al Gore for refusing to concede attack Trump for same move - November 8, 2020
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!