Watch Live: Congressional Hearing on IRS Scandal

Live Now on TheBlaze Radio: ‘The Buck Sexton Show’

TheBlaze TV

Laws and Crime in Chicago Challenge Idea That More Gun Control Equals Less Violence

Jan. 31, 2013 9:03pm Christopher Santarelli

Conservative Talk Show Host Charles Butler and Buck Sexton Discuss Gun Violence in Chicago on Real News

Following a string of shootings across the country over the last six months there has been a heightened call at the federal and state level for increased gun control. After a month-long White House task force investigation led by the vice president, President Barack Obama announced earlier this month his proposals for a wide-range of new gun control measures, in addition to signing 23 executive actions aimed at curbing gun violence.

The National Rifle Association has come out strongly along with other gun advocates against these new proposals, which they argue would be ineffective at curbing gun-violence and violate the rights of law-abiding gun owners. Advocates and opponents to new gun control legislation, including former Congresswomen Gabrielle Giffords and NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, came before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday.

The hearings featured heated rhetoric and clashes between witnesses and Senate members, giving evidence that the opposing sides on this issue still find themselves far apart.

The issue of gun violence hits close to home for the president, as his adopted hometown of Chicago saw an unprecedented level of violence and crime over the last year despite having some of the toughest gun control laws in the country. Chicago was on pace to have more homicides than U.S. troop killings in Afghanistan earlier this year. By the end of 2012, the Windy City suffered more than 500 homicides, and have already had 40 through the first 30 days of 2013. Just this past Tuesday Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old girl who attended the president’s inauguration, was fatally shot less than a mile from her home.

This continued violence in Chicago raises questions about the president’s recent calls for increases on gun control regulations and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. Chicago has had assault weapons and high-capacity magazines banned for years, and the city has outlawed gun shops. Despite this, 2012 saw a 28 percent spike in the city’s homicide total compared to 2011.

On ‘Real News‘ Thursday the panel was joined by Chicago conservative talk radio host Charles Butler to discuss the violence in the Windy City, and why city officials’ approach to gun control is not curbing crime.

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (53)

calmandcents
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 12:53am
What’s wrong with Chicago? In one word — Koolaid! — the elixir to being super kewl, eh?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
thevamprn
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:42am
“Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves.” William Pitt in the House of Commons November 18, 1783

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
thevamprn
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:41am
“Government is not reason; it is not eloquence. It is force. And force, like fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.” George Washington

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Ishmael
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:07am
First off, I Live In Chicago. It’s actualy good to see this city finally doing something right which it is by serving as a Bad Example.
It serves as a bad example in just about Every Way possible, but it’s Gun Control Tops the List of it’s terrible choices in dealing with just about Everything.
The nincompoops who run this city,county and state have one rule on everything and that is “If It Doesn’t Work, Do More Of It!”
More Gun Control resulted in More Crime/Murder.
Increasing Taxes on Sales,Business,Income etc etc have WITHOUT EXCEPTION decreased revenue.
And giving Big Raises to PSE unions has kept these nincompoops in office !

And Guess What America? You put Exactly the Same Thing in the White House!
Why Didn’t you Pay Attention?

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- thevamprn
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:38am
  Laws that forbid the carrying of arms… disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes… Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. Jefferson’s “Commonplace Book,” 1774_1776, quoting from On Crimes and Punishment, by criminologist Cesare Beccaria, 1764
  
  Report this comment
poorrichard09
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:20am
Eventually, reality catches up with the prog Utopians: sooner or later you run out of other peoples money; when guns are outlawed only outlaws have guns.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
DougHuffman
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 7:43am
Gun regulation and drug regulation are equally effective. Regulation of malum prohibidum is categorically ineffective. Some examples of mala prohibita include parking violations, copyright violations, tax laws, cultural taboos, and doing certain things without a license. Crimes and torts that might be considered as malum prohibitum—but not malum in se—include:

Building or modifying a house without a license
Copyright infringement
Driving without a valid license
Gambling
Illegal drug use
Operating a business without a license
Prohibition of alcohol
Prostitution
Surrogacy for profit
Truancy
Violating building codes
Weapon possession

MOLON LABE Lord of Lies

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
h20sue
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 7:28am
I am convinced that Washington and Media are responsible for much of the crime that is happening in the USA. Why? Because the criminals want notority. They want to be blasted all over the news. They want to cause a stir. And Obama and the Media are making things much worst. If social media, and major networks would back off, crime would probably drop. Obama will never be able to control deranged people. They walk the earth as the rest of us, and when they snap, or they want ATTENTION, they find guns, and it doesn’t make a difference where.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
katzkiner
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 2:21am
Anti gunners, your paradise awaits just south of the Border. Whole towns are massacred because the peasants aren’t allowed to have guns.I don’t know why almost 60,000 have been killed in the last 6 years cause guns is illegal. Confuses the hell out of me how they dig up 180 dead unarmed people in a country where those evil guns are illegal. You will go to jail for having 1 bullet.. But your gunfree utopia awaits. Please relocate soon. BTW, did you hear DHS estimates there are.at least.1200 gangs.operating in our borders.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
sharkee
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 12:53am
Lack of cops, liberal judges, corruption, QUINN early release program, Daley, allowing gangs to terrorize for the last decade, welfare city, illegals, politicians lying and covering up crime to not tarnish reputations. Been going on for years and RAHMMY is just carrying on. 1 million dollars for CEASEFIRE when it could of went to HIRE MORE COPS. The city doesn’t care for the safety of its people, only money and what they can get for themselves. You call for cops here they show up when they can. You call 911 and they are smart, overworked, ignorant and lazy . In fact the city has been LAZY AND INCOMPETENT FOR YEARS…

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
1FreeVoice
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 12:21am
Why not pass a law against breaking laws…. for instance they could pass a law against committing murder, theft, assault, rape…. Hmmm that didn’t work. If a law would fix the problem, they have plenty.

The problem is that laws only restrict the behavior of law abiding people. Murderers are not law abiding people, or they would not be a problem. They are afraid of murderers, so they want to put restrictions on ….. people who are NOT murderers… ??? Where is the logic here…?

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- naughtycal
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:25am
  Why not make the first punishment for conviction of a violent crime the total lose of your rights as a U.S. citizen. Which mean you would be put at the mercy of the prison system. Reward those trying to do better and destroying those who continue to exhibit criminal behavior.
  
  Report this comment
pahrumper
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 11:45pm
Chicago is the crime capitol of the world, with the most gun control on the books,,,,what is it that Chicago cannot see,,,,really it is simple dorks, just read the data and see if even Chacigo can figure it out!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Unix
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 10:49pm
500 murders in Chicago, 400 in Afgan theater of war! Amazing Chan! And to think, Chicago has one of the strictest anti-gun laws in the nation, imagine that progressives. Do me a favor progressives, explain that little fact to me?

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- oldguy49
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 11:21pm
  if gun control worked chicago and washington d.c. would be the safest cities in the nation
  
  Report this comment
2ndOpinion
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 10:34pm
Whenever there’s a need for some new law to reduce crime, it never requires an increased mandatory sentence for the offender. Istead, it always erodes the freedoms of the already law abiding people.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- I_AM_HARRISON_BERGERON
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 10:45pm
  Spot on! I don’t think that I’ll need a “third opinion” after that one.
  
  Report this comment
I_AM_HARRISON_BERGERON
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 10:34pm
Best way to stop a violent crime is to prevent it before it starts… Best way to keep a violent crime from starting in the first place is for violent criminals to be aware that there is a very high likelihood that the may not survive the encounter… Best way to make would be violent criminals fear an encounter is to allow law abiding citizens fully embrace the Second Amendment and allow them to freely carry firearms either concealed or unconcealed… As criminal activity goes down, prosperous activities rise… As prosperity rises, the temptation for crime goes down, education rises, and prosperity further rises and so on…

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
environmentalandawake
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 10:22pm
This may sound cold hearted but, In the US only .00365% of the population is affected by gun violence. In Chi town it is .01%. So they are passing legislation which affects 100% of the population for .00365%? Two things here; in order for it to be that high in the US, then the rural levels must be nearly inmeasurable. Second, it seems that there are enough issues that are being sidestepped which affect 100% of the population such as, fiscal responsibility. I have to add that 60% of gun murders are from African Americans and 40% whites. Go to the CDC and check it out yourself, it makes no sense that we even give this issue any creedence at all.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
TheGrtDcptn
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 10:09pm
This family did not have a gun to defend themselves…

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/14/connecticut.murder.trial/index.html?hpt=T2

Therefore, they were at the mercy of heinous CRIMINALS…

Statistics don’t matter to you (anti-gun)…You are only after CONTROL…

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
gyro
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:50pm
This is the future of the USA is before your eyes

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
WANG0
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:29pm
This you must know:

I do not often turn on my troll friends, but when I do, they seem to be offended.
Stay offended my friends.

It is so.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Stelex
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:39pm
  This you must know.
  
  Your troll friends are only troll friend as long as you do not think independently. That is the how a troll thinks.
  
  It is so.
  
  Report this comment
- Fubared
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:43pm
  WangDang
  Life is too short for a lil offense here and there to get in the way of some small amounts of lackluster entertainment. Hang in there big guy- is this actually the Monk having a bit of revenge on WangDang?
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:48pm
  Hi Fubared,
  
  I’m just sitting back enjoying the show…… LMAO !!!
  
  Report this comment
- Stelex
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:55pm
  Monk, why do I picture you as Ron Glass in Firefly????? Thats a compliment if your not familiar.
  
  Report this comment
- gyro
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:56pm
  Go easy on Monk he is suffering from Christie Hefner rejecting him
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 10:11pm
  FUBARED, earlier Ms WAND_DANG_DOODLE seemed to blame you and me. What ever is going on just has me rolling in the floor. Wonder if the real WANGO is spewing hash oil on his keyboard now?
  
  Report this comment
- Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 11:00pm
  Hey Monk and RJJ:
  
  Nice avatar RJJ, cool change.
  
  If less guns equal less violence, can someone please expalin the Dark Ages and Crusades, I don’t beleive there was one gun available during those times, and people seemed to still wage war and violence on their fellow man.
  
  The common factor in all of this violence is…….MAN.
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 11:24pm
  Hi DARMOK, like that eh? I suppose you can easily guess who it aimed at?
  
  Report this comment
Netsurfer2
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:29pm
I beg to differ! More Ghetto’s brings more crime! Gun’s have nothing to do with it! It’s the kind of people! Why do you think some people pay high prices to live in a gated community? Because the Ghetto type of people cannot afford to live there and they don’t want them there!

I cannot blame those who are in search of a decent life, without fear, with out gangs, without crime! Many American’s are sick of it!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- mrunner
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 10:04pm
  You nailed it. There was an article in the Detroit Free Press a while back about a “Housing Project” in Detroit that was being torn down. It mentioned that a few of the Motown stars grew up there. I did a little more digging. It was a cool housing project when it started- it had rules in place. Family oriented and either the mother or the father in a family had to show consistent employment to stay- a few other standards for tenents too. The mayor Coleman Young dropped the standards- the project went to hell and trash moved in. Hold standards! People will achieve, lose standards and you lose lives…
  
  Report this comment
- Keatonc333
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 10:59pm
  Agreed
  
  Report this comment
Saramn00
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:25pm
I was on HuffPo last night, and I made a comment about guns in Chicago and how the laws were not working and within an hour, I had 50 angry comments against what I said. Granted, I knew it was going to happen, but I have been on that site for years, and I have never seen the vitriol that is spewed at Conservatives or people that support gun rights more than I have in the last year (and I grew up a Dem). The HuffPo and other liberal sites are posting as many shootings as they can find, and each one has thousands of comments against gun owners and the NRA.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Magyar
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:39pm
  Yea and right here there are thousands posted in the defense of gun ownership—
  
  Report this comment
- oldguy49
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 11:27pm
  well whe the shtf they can’t come to my house for protection
  
  Report this comment
DagneyT
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:23pm
Chicago and the state of Illinois, Detroit, the state of California, and Washington D.C. should be all of the proof that any sensible person needs to understand why gun control does NOT work. Disarming legal gun owners only serves to give the bad guys a huge “GO” sign. Logic and common sense are dead in our ‘ruling classes’ in America.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Stelex
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:33pm
  Yeah, maybe………so grab a pair of scissors’ Thats all we the people really need according to DHS.
  
  Report this comment
mtsnj
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:20pm
Bottom line is gun violence is most likely due to the rampant drug problem that they can’t control.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- DougHuffman
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 7:04am
  Gun regulation and drug regulation are equally effective. Regulation of malum prohibidum is categorically ineffective. Some examples of mala prohibita include parking violations, copyright violations, tax laws, cultural taboos, and doing certain things without a license. Crimes and torts that might be considered as malum prohibitum—but not malum in se—include:
  
  Building or modifying a house without a license
  Copyright infringement
  Driving without a valid license
  Gambling
  Illegal drug use
  Operating a business without a license
  Prohibition of alcohol
  Prostitution
  Surrogacy for profit
  Truancy
  Violating building codes
  Weapon possession
  
  MOLON LABE Lord of Lies
  
  Report this comment
Stelex
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:16pm
When the entire populace of Earth is unarmed. Completely, no knives, guns, sharp objects, blunt objects. When every person is truly unable to inflict harm on another. Via, rock, stick, chunk of ice, plastic bag. When every person is sitting and staring forward in a straight jacket. Then I will feel safe, and that would elate Dems. But until that point in time. I will stay fully armed and ready for the worst. Now if we achieve that Dem/Prog utopia……please put a bullet in my head

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- BARRYS_BEARD
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:24pm
  Two in the chest, one in the head?
  
  Report this comment
- Stelex
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:35pm
  Or you could take my head off with a broad sword and toss it down the steps…..Vulsa DOOM
  
  Report this comment
- 1wolf
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:58pm
  King Xerxes sent a messanger to the Spartans and demanded that they throw down their weapons at Thermopylae, King Leonidas out number a 1000 to 1 screamed back, “Molon labe!” which translates to “Come and get them!”
  
  “MOLON LABE!!”
  
  Report this comment
- Keatonc333
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 11:00pm
  Gladly!
  Moron Lube!
  
  Report this comment
- 1wolf
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 2:39pm
  @Keatonc333
  
  If that day come, I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT IT WOULD BE YOU!
  
  ya Douche Bag
  
  Report this comment
FISH_BONE
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:10pm
Unfortunately facts, reality and common sense have no part in the liberal thought process. When one side believes 2 + 2 = 5 the discussion is over.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
perry1980
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:09pm
If gun control worked Chicago would be the safest City in America
500 murders last year prove that it does not work

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Stelex
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:17pm
  Logic……thats so 1700′s
  
  Report this comment
- BARRYS_BEARD
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:19pm
  Using the same logic the progressives use to justify Barry’s spending, just imagine what Chicago would be like without the gun control. If they didn’t have those restrictions in place, there would likely be millions of gun related murders in Chicago each year rather than only 500. There is no logic in the progressive / leftist mind.
  
  Report this comment
- Unix
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 10:31pm
  Beard, actually you’d be wrong, if they had guns allowed I think the murder rate would drop dramatically.
  
  Report this comment
- katzkiner
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 2:33am
  The murder rate would decline as justifiable homicides went up temporarily. Bad guys do not resurrect when properly shot. And they tend to show restraint when they face death. Two to the chest, one to the pelvis. Another criminal cut down in the flower of youth. Party.
  Robbin, rapin, stealin and killin is to much fun in Chicago. Jail does not faze them.
  
  Report this comment
- BARRYS_BEARD
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 2:33pm
  UNIX, KATZ: If you can’t follow the conversation, raise your hand so someone can help you understand.
  
  Report this comment

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.