A task force put together by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to look for ways to reduce “gun violence” has issued a laundry list of recommendations, and a ban on the possession and sale of “assault weapons” is front and center in its proposal.
The task force, which includes longtime gun control supporters like Dr. April Zeoli, Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller, and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, is calling on lawmakers in Michigan to adopt eight other new gun control measures besides the “assault weapon” ban.
- Requiring waiting periods for all firearm purchases
- Increasing the age of firearm purchase to 21
- A prohibition on the possessionof large capacity magazines
- Requiring gun dealer licensing,record keeping and inspectionsat the state level
- Ban “ghost guns”
- Allowing for “legal accountability for the gun industry”; i.e. making it easier to sue gun makers and sellers for the actions of criminals
- A prohibition of gun carriage in government buildings
- A ban on automatic conversion devices
The report claims “With lives on the line, incremental change is not enough. We must act with urgency and conviction to adopt policy solutions that will save lives and create a safer future for all Michiganders.”
Here’s the thing, though. Violent crime in Michigan is currently plummeting, just like it is in most places around the country. In 2024, Detroit had the fewest number of homicides since 1965, and this year homicides are down another 15%. Non-fatal shootings have decreased by 22%, and carjackings have declined by 29%.
In fact, Detroit’s carjackings are down an incredible 88% since 2013. Chief Todd Bettison gives a lot of credit to the decision to put prosecutors in local precinct stations, which he says “helps them become much more familiar with the patterns and the individuals involved in criminal activity.”
Bettison said having prosecutors on hand also “helps to make sure that our officers are developing cases that will withstand prosecutorial review, which has resulted in a rise in the closure rate of nonfatal shooting cases, in particular.” Detroit had a 70% clearance rate for non-fatal shootings last year, compared to Chicago’s rate of roughly 6%.
Ironically, while the anti-gun task force is proposing a plethora of new laws that would criminalize basic aspects of our right to keep and bear arms, it’s also suggesting giving those who illegally possess a gun a pass in certain circumstances.
Amend the law to ensure that safe surrender and relinquishment of an illegal firearm in personal protection orders (PPOs), misdemeanor convictions for domestic violence and ERPO cases hold no legal liability unless connected with a crime.
… Providing a pathway to relinquish an illegally obtained firearm without incrimination allows for the opportunity for individuals to make responsible choices that could prevent future violence, particularly in IPV situations where firearms pose an extreme risk. This approach prioritizes safety of survivors and individuals filing petitions and harm reduction, offering a pragmatic solution that gives individuals an opportunity to break potential cycles of IPV without the fear of legal consequences. Additionally, guidelines and toolkits to provide law enforcement and judicial professionals with structured, evidence-based protocols for firearm relinquishment are needed.
These anti-gun activists and politicians want to make it a criminal offense to possess the most popular rifle in the country, but give someone subject to an order of protection a pass for any firearms they illegally possessed before that order was issued, so long as they turn them over after the order was granted. Pragmatic or not, that could lead to legally grotesque situations where perpetrators of violent crimes are punished less severely than a gun owner who quietly refused to give up their firearms after they were banned.
The good news is that Republicans have a six-seat majority in the state House, and Democrats have a one-seat majority in the Senate, which should mean that Whitmer’s posse of gun banners isn’t likely to get their way next year.
If Republicans are smart they’ll highlight these proposals on the campaign trail next year and remind voters that, even as violent crime is declining at a record pace, Democrats are looking to create new crimes out of our Second Amendment rights. If Democrats follow these recommendations some of the most popular firearms and magazines in the country would be illegal to possess and purchase, and scores of Michigan residents would be turned into criminals simply for keeping ahold of those items that they lawfully purchased.
I don’t think that’s a winning message for Dems, but its up to Republicans to make it a campaign issue. These recommendations aren’t about public safety. They’re about eradicating a civil right.
Editor’s Note: The radical left will stop at nothing to enact their radical gun control agenda and strip us of our Second Amendment rights.
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