Pop artist Kesha did a brief four-song set at the Democratic National Convention, hosted by former Rep. Gabby Giffords’ pro-gun control Americans for Responsible Solutions. Actress Elizabeth Banks was also there, introducing the artist who took the stage and blurted out this halfway through her set (via The Hill):
“We as a nation, we can’t control who feels hurt, we can’t control who feels pain,” she said.“You can’t control every single person and know how they’re going to deal with things and know if they’re going to pick up a weapon — you don’t know that,” she continued. “But what we can control is who we give the f---ing weapons to.”
The crowd cheered loudly.
“I think the universe is screaming at us that there needs to be a change, and we have to f---ing listen,” Kesha said, adding that she hoped that “love could heal us” before launching into a song called “Dirty Love.”
“Love trumps hate,” someone in the crowd shouted back.
She may be a singer (who reaches millions of people), but she blurted out what many anti-gun liberals want to enact here. The notion of gun control has never been about safety, but what Kesha noted—control. More government control to the point where they want to ban certain types of firearms and strip gun rights from Americans without due process through terror watch lists. Last night was dotted with hyperbole about America’s non-existent gun violence problem. Mass shootings account for a miniscule fraction of all gun deaths. Is one too many? Of course—but we’re not venturing into a lawless shooting gallery a la Mad Max.
Over the years, the Democrats have included a Second Amendment provision in their platform acknowledging the right to own firearms. Not this year (via Reason):
2000: "A shocking level of gun violence on our streets and in our schools has shown America the need to keep guns away from those who shouldn't have them—in ways that respect the rights of hunters, sportsmen, and legitimate gun owners."2004: "We will protect Americans' Second Amendment right to own firearms."
2008: "We recognize that the right to bear arms is an important part of the American tradition, and we will preserve Americans' Second Amendment right to own and use firearms."
2012: "We recognize that the individual right to bear arms is an important part of the American tradition, and we will preserve Americans' Second Amendment right to own and use firearms."
2016: "While responsible gun ownership is part of the fabric of many communities, too many families in America have suffered from gun violence. We can respect the rights of responsible gun owners while keeping our communities safe.
Remember, Clinton wants Australian-style gun control to be enacted here. She struggled to even say we have an individual right to own guns, even Obama admits that much. Like any anti-gun politician, Clinton wants to control who can exercise one of our oldest civil rights—and those people that are deemed acceptable to liberals are usually the police and the military. Clinton, Kesha, and the rest of the pro-gun control crew think that the Second Amendment is a government right; this is the narrative that we’re against this cycle. And we could very well lose if Lady Macbeth should become the next president of the United States.