President Joe Biden sometimes faces criticism for calling for an assault weapon ban after mass shootings, only for it to be revealed that a different type of firearm was used. However, there are instances when he gets it right in identifying the weapon used in an incident.
Recently, an opinion piece by Jason Kander caught attention with its argument that repealing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) could have prevented a shooting at a Kansas City Chiefs rally.
Kander claimed that since the PLCAA was passed, gun deaths in America have risen by 59%, suggesting a correlation. The PLCAA, a law that protects gun manufacturers from lawsuits except in cases of actual wrongdoing, has been a controversial topic.
Kansas City Shooting (Credits; InformNNY.com)
Kander argued that repealing the PLCAA would allow communities to hold gun makers accountable, potentially pushing them to implement smart gun technology.
He emphasized that the majority of gun crime is committed with stolen guns, implying that this technology could be a significant step towards reducing gun violence.
However, Kander’s argument has been criticized for oversimplifying a complex issue. While he acknowledged that the facts of the Kansas City shooting were still emerging, his suggestion that repealing the PLCAA could have prevented it seems speculative and lacks concrete evidence.
Critics argue that Kander’s proposal to repeal the PLCAA is misguided. They point out that other industries do not face similar immunity because they do not require it; people do not typically sue alcohol companies for DUI fatalities or car manufacturers for vehicle crashes unrelated to faulty cars.
The need for protection from lawsuits, therefore, is specific to the gun industry. Moreover, critics contend that suing gun manufacturers into bankruptcy or preventing them from selling guns to private citizens will not stop criminals from obtaining guns.
They point to examples in Europe, where strict gun control laws have not eliminated gun-related crime. While Kander’s argument highlights the need for addressing gun violence, particularly through smart gun technology, his suggestion to repeal the PLCAA as a solution has been met with skepticism and criticism for oversimplifying a complex issue.
